The 30-year-old Swede took World Championship bronze – her first individual championship medal in a distance race – after a sprint finish against national team companion Frida Karlsson and Norwegian Heidi Weng.
Still, Jonna Sundling couldn't be entirely happy.
I'm very happy about my first medal in a distance race, and I'm really happy for Ebba's sake, says Sundling.
But I also have other feelings. I'm very sorry for Heidi's sake, since she fell over me.
Screamed out her anger
Sundling had secured a perfect position in the race when everything went wrong. Right before the final lap, she lost her grip in a curve and fell. She took Norwegian Weng with her, and the duo had to watch Ebba Andersson and Therese Johaug sail away towards a two-way battle for gold (which Andersson won).
Weng, who finished fifth, screamed out her anger at the finish line – seemingly in the direction of Sundling. But the Norwegian says she doesn't hold any grudge against the Swede.
No, I was mostly angry at myself. I just wished that my brain had functioned so that I could have jumped over her, says Weng.
Fled from the journalists
Sundling and Weng talked it out after the race. However, in the so-called mixed zone, Sundling only managed a couple of interviews before leaving the area.
I just needed a little space and time for myself to breathe. There are a lot of emotions right now, mixed emotions, says Sundling with shiny eyes.
I really didn't want to be in her way and I didn't mean any harm. It's just part of it when things like this happen, but it's crap when it happens to yourself.
