Olympic Games debutant on collecting: "Went crazy one day"

Last year, she set a Swedish record both indoors and outdoors. This year, shot-putter Axelina Johansson has not exceeded 19 meters. I've had some trouble with technical stuff, says the Olympic Games debutante ahead of Thursday's qualifying round.

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Olympic Games debutant on collecting: "Went crazy one day"
Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

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The 24-year-old traveled to Paris on Friday and has been an active pin collector since then.

Or as Axelina Johansson herself says: "I went crazy one day".

The accreditation band around her neck is full of pins from different nations, and some stand out more than others, such as a blue peacock.

Sri Lanka's is probably one of my favorites. USA's is nice and Colombia's. China has a lot of different ones, so I had to choose and then I took the one with the panda.

Making her Olympic Games debut in Paris

Johansson is in Paris and ready for her first Olympic Games.

At the same time, she knows that the level will be high and expects that over 18 meters will be required to reach the final.

Which in itself is not unattainable lengths for the Swede, but the season has not been as successful as last year.

Then she set a Swedish record indoors and outdoors and was over 19 meters several times.

This year?

Not once.

At best, she has reached 18.97.

I got injured last year, my back, and I've been struggling with it. I couldn't use my legs when I threw and I'm not that strong in my upper body. It became that I got into bad habits, she says from the Stade de France's infield.

I've made so many throws with worse technique and then you get stuck in a bad circle. It's crap, but that's how it is.

Johansson hopes to reach at least 18.70 and make it to the final on Friday.

Roos aiming for the final

Fanny Roos is also aiming to make it to the medal round.

In the Tokyo Olympic Games, she came seventh, and with a season's best of 19.10 in the dress rehearsal in Malmö, she enters the qualifying round with a good feeling.

Something that is based on even performances throughout the season.

It feels like I've built it up during the season. Outdoors, it's just felt better and better, she says.

The qualifying limit in the shot put is set at 19.15 meters or being among the top 12 after three throws.

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

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