The national ski team has just completed a pre-season camp in Torsby, and it was a relaxed Linn Svahn who met TT after a training session in the ski tunnel.
"I've had a great summer of training, I'm exactly where you want to be when you go into the fall. I've been able to train so well that I'll be able to handle the heavy training that awaits me this fall," she says.
“Much more fun”
One reason for her well-being is that she is completely injury-free. The last two summers have been marked by a persistent shoulder injury and the aftermath of a concussion, but this year the 26-year-old has been able to train completely pain-free.
I've been able to control my training based on where I think it will make me better, rather than setting it up based on how much it hurts and thinking "okay, now we're doing this so I don't get worse". It makes a big difference in motivation, it's much more fun the way it is now.
Double Olympic medals
Svahn is coming off a successful season where she won two medals at the Olympics, gold in the sprint and silver in the relay. But as summer training has been better than in a long time, the conditions are in place to surpass the Olympic year.
I can be better but you can't get carried away too much. I was in very good shape for a very long time then. I don't expect to be at that level when the competition season starts. But I hope it will come gradually. The World Championships in Falun are a little extra trigger, it's something I may never get to experience again, so that's when I'm going to be at my best, that's when I'm going to reach the highest level.
Lives: Östersund.
Age: 26 years old.
Club: Östersunds SK
Main achievements: Gold and silver in the Olympics in Milan and Cortina. 26 victories in the World Cup (individual and relay).
