The WC in Falun was about to end with a Swedish disaster.
Then Torgny Mogren stepped forward – and won an incredibly long-awaited gold.
The total show caused Gunde Svan, commentator on television, to shout out the six most clever words.
When talking about popular Swedish winter athletes, it doesn’t take long before Torgny “Molle” Mogren’s name comes up in the discussion. He is not only one of the most popular, but also one of the most successful. He belonged to the national team during a time when Gunde Svan and Thomas Wassberg dominated, but even Mogren could assert himself against the world’s best.
Saved Sweden
Perhaps Mogren’s most unforgettable moment in his skiing career came during the Olympic relay that Sweden won, when Mogren skied towards the finish line with Gunde Svan behind him. Svan went and gave Mogren instructions and a pep talk, and he said: “You can rest later!” is now iconic and given in the Swedish history books.
But Mogren reaped great success individually as well. He won WC gold in the five-mile in Val di Fiemme in 1991, in a raucous duel against Gunde Svan, who then had to settle for silver. But perhaps the biggest triumph of his career would come two years later, during the home WC in Falun. Despite great hopes, the championship was becoming a disaster for Sweden. When the five-mile race was decided, Sweden had won zero(!) medals, and all hope lay with Torgny Mogren.
READ MORE: When Gunde Svan suddenly appeared in the forest and showed what a genuine Swedish winner’s skull looks like: “Just take it in”
Gunde’s six words
After a slow start, Mogren quickly made up the distance, and when he won, he saved all of Sweden’s championship. It was a gold on home soil, and Gunde Svan was on TV as an expert commentator. Two years earlier, Svan had been overjoyed with his silver – only because Mogren got to win gold. This time he was at least as happy, and he summed it up in the very best way:
– I have standing fur all over my body, he shouted out.
As a reward in addition to the WC gold on home soil, Mogren was also awarded the Svenska Dagbladet’s gold medal (Bragdguldet), as well as the Victoria Scholarship and the Jerring Prize.
– To be voted for by the Swedish people warms you. That’s why the Jerring prize feels a little extra, Mogren has said in retrospect.
Overall, however, he considers the gold in 1991 greater, for one reason only.
– The two five-mile golds (Val di Fiemme 1991 and Falun 1993). What resonated the most was when I won the WC in Falun in 1993, but when I won in 1991 I had to beat Gunde Svan. Not many people thought I would make it.
READ MORE: Skiing hero Torgny Mogren reveals his big favorite team – in a completely different winter sport: “It’s been hanging around all these years”