The form, the speed, the self-confidence... everything failed her in Méribel two years ago.
She was a gold candidate, the year after the success in the Peking Olympic Games. It ended with a 13th place in the showcase event giant slalom.
Given in the pre-talk
The favorite label is not as strong ahead of Thursday's race, but Hector is Hector and considering the performances so far this season, she is a given name when it comes to gold candidates.
Behind her, she has two wins and a second place in the discipline this winter and lies second in the giant slalom cup. Moreover, she avoids one of the top competitors. Mikaela Shiffrin is not participating.
I clearly dream of succeeding at the World Championship, but it's not decisive even if I feel that I'm well-positioned now, says Hector to Gefle Dagblad.
Four Swedish World Champions
If she wins, she will join only four Swedes who can call themselves individual World Champions – Anja Pärson (seven golds), Ingemar Stenmark (five), Pernilla Wiberg (four), and Jonas Nilsson (one).
Hector, Kristoffer Jakobsen, Estelle Alphand, and Fabian Ax Swartz started the World Championship with a bronze in the team parallel giant slalom.
Alphand, Lisa Nyberg, and Hanna Aronsson Elfman are the other Swedish women in the giant slalom (9.45 and 13.15).
Born: 4 September 1992 (32 years old) in Sandviken.
Club: Kungsbergets AK.
Sport: Alpine skiing.
Events: Giant slalom and slalom.
Wins in the World Cup: Seven.
Top 3 placements: 23.
Best championship merits: Olympic gold in giant slalom 2022, junior World Champion 2011, World Championship silver in team parallel 2021, World Championship bronze in team parallel 2025.
Current: Competing for medals in Thursday's giant slalom at the World Championship in Saalbach.
