Sebastian Samuelsson leaves the Olympic biathlon competitions in Antholz with a bronze medal in the relay, but is not satisfied that he failed to win an individual medal.
– I'm passionate about this and I train for this all year round. I'm away a lot; I've been traveling for seven or eight weeks now without being home. I've kind of dedicated my whole life to this. Of course you're disappointed when things don't go the way you want, he says.
And I feel that there are many people who sit and watch the Olympics who don't really understand it. They think that we train poorly or "why don't they do this?" or "why aren't they better?"
Can take criticism
He says he has no problem with being questioned – neither by those who write on social media nor by traditional media.
I think it's great that biathlon is engaging. And I understand that it's part of the game. But I still feel that sometimes you could show a little more respect for the time we put in and how much we fight, he says.
If you had followed us for a week in the summer, I think you would have seen how much this means to us. No matter how disappointed you are that I didn't win an individual medal, there is still no one more disappointed than I am.
Harsher social climate
He thinks it is the harsher social climate that is reflected in comments on social media and in traditional media's pointed headlines and coverage.
I've been around for a long time so I know how it works and I don't take it personally. But it's a tough climate, that's what it is.
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