The Nordic World Ski Championships 2023 begin this week in Planica. Cross-country star Frida Karlsson wants to be one of the most influential faces of the competitions. The Swede would like to do without the ugly pictures that she delivered, among other things, at her Tour de Ski victory when she collapsed in the finish area.
Breakdowns by Frida Karlsson are – as strange as it sounds – not uncommon. The petite Swede has repeatedly collapsed after a race in recent years. The scenes of their collapse went around the world, including at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The 23-year-old also briefly lost consciousness at the Tour de Ski this year and remained motionless for a few minutes after crossing the finish line.
The question is: why is this happening to you? And why does this keep happening? Karlsson has no answers either.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that something like this happens to me. I’ve looked into it a bit, but haven’t found a clear answer,” Karlsson admitted to the Norwegian newspaper “Verdens Gang” that she had started investigating the causes of future problems somehow prevent collapses.
Karlsson felt that these incidents have long-term consequences, especially after her collapse at the Olympic Games in Beijing. “For a long time after the Olympics, I had problems giving everything. My body subconsciously put on the handbrake and told me: We won’t go that far,” said the Swede, who at least was able to release the handbrake in the meantime.
On the one hand, Sweden’s team manager Anders Byström is also worried about his protégé. On the other hand, he cannot and does not want to forbid Karlsson from giving everything in a race and maybe going a little beyond the limits.
“She’s either the worst or the best at throwing it all out,” said Bystrom, who admitted the breakdowns “look awful.”
If Karlsson didn’t push her limits like that, “she wouldn’t have won the Tour de Ski either,” added the manager, who is convinced that his protégé will also follow an “all or nothing plan” in Planica. because: “The ability to push yourself to the limit distinguishes the very best from the rest.”