Photo: Instagram/@RickylandGraff, Judit Nilsson/SvD/TT
Just over three weeks ago, Ricky Landgraff from Tumba won two gold in Special Olympics.
The cross-country skier won in both the 7.5-kilometer race and the 10-kilometer race.
– I have never taken a pallet in skiing until now, he tells the Sports Bible.
Special Olympics in Turin was a matchless championship for Sweden. There were a total of 26 medals – including 17 gold – for the blue -yellow athletes. When they arrived at Arlanda after the championship, they were welcomed by the Minister of Sports Jakob Forssmed. One of those who won gold was Ricky Land Graff33. An incredibly versatile athlete competing in cross -country skiing, handball, crossfit and snow school running.
Ricky Land Graff’s success in Special Olympics
Ricky loves to exercise and push himself hard. He is quick to tell when the Sports Bible calls him to talk about his latest success. The 33-year-old from southern Stockholm has a mild intellectual disability, but he does not let it hinder him in any way.
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In Special Olympics, Ricky managed to win two gold medals in cross -country skiing.
– I had fantastic skis. The coaches had rolled really, really good. Then you came in the morning and then you had to test the skis. And the track was great. It was a bit technical for me and there wasn’t really a place to get back. You had to work constantly without finding places to try to recover a bit, he says humbly.
Nominated at a nice price at Parasportgalan
He has previously only measured his forces against the elite in Sweden, but he says the competition is quite fierce. The best with intellectual disabilities in this country are good in the world.
– I have never taken a pallet in skiing until now. I was a little surprised that it went so well. That it would be so good I never thought. But I have been training like a fool with technology and skiing for over a year now, so it’s fun to give fruit, he says.
Read more: Mona Brorsson’s first word after the debut year in the Winter Studio
Ricky is now nominated for this year’s performance in Special Olympics ahead of the Parasport Gala on May 2. Of course, he is proud of that.
– It feels good. It is an honor to be nominated and such. But the nomination itself is for the past year. What happened last year. Not for the Bravades in Turin.
It justifies Ricky Land Graff
A typical day trains Ricky cross-country skiing in the morning, then he goes to his job as a flagpole installer before he runs a handball or strength pass in the evening. In addition, he is an auxiliary coach for a girl team that plays handball. That he is passionate about sports is an understatement.
What drives you and motivates you?
– To always try to get one percent better all the time. To try to push yourself, test the limits for what I am capable of. Try to work out and become my best self and measure myself against others. For example, I measured against the top ten athletes in crossfit in my class and then I came second in the world. Then you are an athlete. I like to compete and it is usually at competitions that you really take out the maximum, he says and continues:
– A good “side effect” is that you meet tremendously good friends when you are on such things. Everyone always wants to train and do their best, when it is competition it is bloody serious. But as soon as someone blows in the whistle, you are best friends and that is a good atmosphere. The community, the joy and the development you get together.
Emphasizes the importance of having coaches with patience
He enjoys his work (he digs pits in the ground before his colleague comes and assembles the flagpole itself), but preferably he would have invested fully in sports.
– Yes, so it is a great job and I have to go on time and stuff so that I have time for workouts. We have a good dialogue and they understand my sports career. The dream had been to be able to live in sports, but it is so too many athletes. Even many elite athletes find it difficult to live in sports, he says.
Ricky is very grateful for all the support he receives from his supervisors and coaches in sports.
– When it comes to coaches and mentoring. It is important to have good coaches who are willing to let it take a little longer for us with intellectual disabilities. You do not need to change any part of the workout but exercise that you train a regular team. But you have to have a little more patience, he says.
Ricky Land Graff is a great role model
He has become a great role model for many because he is so positive, humble and driven. A true source of inspiration for everyone.
– It’s a great honor. You do not really understand how much impact you have for real. But as soon as someone says it to me, I will be happy to hear it. It is an honor to be a role model for people and I hope I inspire people to movement. Unfortunately, it is so that we sit still far too much in society. So if I can get people to start moving and maybe even start with a sport then I’m more than happy.
Do you have any role model or idol yourself?
– In the handball, it is actually my brother and my sister, who have made me start with handball from the beginning. They were great sources of inspiration when I started sports. Dad was a rugby player, so I’ve always wanted to be stronger than Dad. He has been a role model too. But yes … we have very nice athletes and sports women in our elongated country.
The big goal is Special Olympics 2027
Now the ski season has ended and the handball is also locked out Ricky is starting to put more crossfit and strength workouts in his schedule. He likes that the sports he is doing are seasonal, which means he never gets tired of anything.
What are your goals in the future now?
– Most recently is to take me from the semi -finals in Crossfit Games to get to the finals in Las Vegas in September. After that, it is the handball and ski season that starts again. Then I hope to be able to take a better placement in the Swedish Paracup in skiing. And then next year there will be special Olympics in Malmö. There is a chance to take a place in the Sweden team that will go to Chile 2027. However, I have had to represent Sweden in two world games already so I think there may be some others who may represent Sweden. But at least it is something I work for, being able to go on a world game again.
Good luck in the future, Ricky! You really are a cool and absolutely wonderful athlete. What a fantastic achievement you stood for in Special Olympics. Hope you can participate in something similar later on too.
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