Ebba Andersson came to the World Championship after a tough season in the World Cup, and where top form was lacking. Despite this, the 27-year-old became the top female skier in the World Championship's individual distance events, with two gold medals, and also a gold in the relay.
But still, she leaves Trondheim in tears, after a fall late in the final 50km event that crushed her chances of another medal. Instead, she finished fourth.
What hurts the most is that I felt so energetic. I have prepared myself and executed the race as I thought, and then it's a small mistake that makes it end up on the wrong side and I don't even get the chance to fight for the medals all the way in, says Andersson.
Delighted over Karlsson's gold
What happened was that Andersson and Frida Karlsson in the end of the race both sought to get to the right edge to gain speed and instead hooked up. Karlsson went for gold while Andersson fell and lost all chances of a medal since the Norwegians Heidi Weng and Therese Johaug were on their feet and hung on to Karlsson.
Andersson did not blame Karlsson for the fall.
But I have been clear with, and told Frida, that I am glad that it was she who managed to win now when I didn't get the chance to compete for it. But also clear that I am really angry and disappointed over the outcome for my part.
"With hindsight"
Extra bitter, she thinks it is that the fall comes when they hook up, considering the difficult conditions that made it very difficult to ski.
Yes, that's how it is. Because I skied on the edge in the beginning when I got backweight. But it was at a stage when it didn't affect at all. Then I was careful about how I acted during the race, all the way to the situation where I fell. That I could have done differently with hindsight.
