Alvar Myhlback's presence or absence from the Olympics has been a serial topic at the start of the ski season. He himself has not wanted to answer many questions about the Winter Games in Milano-Cortina in February, but now that the venue is ready, the 19-year-old is opening up.
I may not have been completely open and honest. I haven't lied about training long-distance running to the fullest either. But at the same time, I've known that what I do works well for the Olympics and a classic sprint. Of course, people have thought it would be cool to go to the Olympics, says Myhlback at a press conference in connection with the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) selecting more athletes for the Olympics.
Trained for something else
The reason is that he didn't want to put too much pressure on himself.
I've really been training for something else, but I've had it in my mind that it might fit, he says.
When he then gets the chance to tell us what distances he's keen to race in Italy, he leaves the longest race – the classic five-mile race on February 21 – to others. He's more keen to race the sprint, the skiathlon and a relay.
Does it have to do with Vasaloppet (March 1), where Myhlback is the reigning champion after the historic landslide victory last time?
Partly that. But at the same time I don't think I'm good enough. If you're at the Olympics, it's to chase medals, and I don't think I've done the training required to keep up with the five-mile race, he says and elaborates:
In a sprint, there are 20–30 seconds of diagonal riding. In a 5000m, there are many minutes of diagonal riding, and it's a technique I haven't trained on.
Byström disagrees.
National team manager Anders Byström thinks that Myhlback is underestimating himself ahead of a possible 5000 start in the Olympics.
I don't know if I completely agree with that, says Byström.
Byström, however, supports Myhlback's approach.
Of course we have known that he wants to go to the Olympics. But he should be allowed to do what he wants. I think it is right not to put such pressure on himself. Now he has a good chance to get into the Olympics and just drive.
Alpine skiing: Sara Hector, Anna Swenn Larsson.
Skis: Ebba Andersson, Frida Karlsson, Jonna Sundling, William Poromaa, Edvin Anger, Linn Svahn, Maja Dahlqvist, Moa Ilar, Johanna Hagström, Emma Ribom, Anton Grahn, Alvar Myhlback.
Moguls: Walter Wallberg, Filip Gravenfors.
Ski cross: Sandra Näslund, David Mobärg, Erik Mobärg.
Biathlon: Elvira Öberg, Hanna Öberg, Martin Ponsiluoma, Sebastian Samuelsson, Anna Magnusson, Ella Halvarsson, Jesper Nelin, Viktor Brandt, Malte Stefansson.
Curling: Niklas, Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer Sundgren, Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Scharback, Johanna Heldin, Isabella Wranå.
Ski jumping: Frida Westman.
Figure skating: Andreas Nordebäck.
More selections will follow.
