Elvira Öberg fell ill with a cold before the competitions in Antholz and then missed the first loading week before the World Championship. She was also kept at low altitude longer than the others in the World Championship team and is not yet fully acclimatized to the high altitude in Switzerland.
She had to do a tough session today and will then get a longer rest before the sprint on Friday. The mixed relay comes too early and we feel very confident with the four we're putting up, says Johannes Lukas.
It will be Anna Magnusson who replaces Elvira Öberg on the first leg, followed by Hanna Öberg, Martin Ponsiluoma, and Sebastian Samuelsson.
Anna on the first leg was almost a given. She is the most stable relay skier on the first leg we've ever had. We feel very confident with Anna, says Lukas.
Surprised and happy
Anna Magnusson is a bit surprised by Lukas' praise.
No, I don't feel that stable, but I've done many good first legs. But then you never know with biathlon, you have to be quite humble because it can turn quickly and even stable ones can make mistakes. I think I'm humble and just want to get through the leg in a good way, she says.
Magnusson is so humble that she didn't even think she would be considered for the mixed relay.
I was quite surprised, but very happy too.
Sweden took World Championship bronze in the mixed relay in Nove Mesto last year and also a bronze at the 2021 World Championship.
Tight competition
Sweden won the last mixed relay, in Oberhof in January. There are therefore high medal hopes for this year's World Championship race in the mixed relay.
I think we have all the opportunities to fight for the medals. But it requires four very good legs to be able to do that, the mixed relay is a very tight competition, especially at championships, says Hanna Öberg.
She believes that the biggest medal favorites are Norway and France, but that Germany and Italy can also be in the mix for medals.
And it will be exciting to see Switzerland on home ground.
Hanna Öberg likes mixed relays, that you also get to compete together with the guys.
We travel around as a team, both summer and winter, and to get to compete together with the guys I think is a completely natural part of it, she says.
