Swedish World Championship success: Double gold right away

Martin Regborn won his first World Championship gold. Tove Alexandersson won her 20th. Sweden got a dream start when the Orienteering World Championship in Edinburgh began with individual sprint.

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Swedish World Championship success: Double gold right away
Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT

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Martin Regborn won his first World Championship gold. Tove Alexandersson won her 20th.

Sweden got a dream start when the orienteering World Championship in Edinburgh began with individual sprint.

After the victory, Regborn had a hard time understanding that it was true.

I can't put words on it right now. It's still too unreal, he says to SVT after his victory.

In Scottish Edinburgh - through narrow alleys, cobblestone streets, and parks - he was relatively superior. The winning margin to the Swiss second-place finisher Tino Polsini was ultimately 23 seconds.

Even third place became blue and yellow: Emil Svensk, who finished four seconds behind Polsini. Gustav Bergman came in fourth.

"Many have the capacity for gold"

The gold was Regborn's first ever in the World Championship. He says to SVT that he has long felt that he has had the capacity, but that it has often been a pole out at previous World Championships.

I've been close to a medal several times, but it's been many seventh and eighth places. Many have the capacity for gold, but I know that I'm one of them. Today, it was just a focus on making a good tactical execution, he says.

After Regborn's success, it was time for the women - and then Tove Alexandersson showed her class.

The superstar took home the gold with a 15-second margin and could afterwards scream out her joy in the Scottish sunshine. She now has a total of 20 World Championship golds and 31 World Championship medals on her merit list.

"A special race"

It was a special race and a very special sprint. That Martin (Regborn) takes home the victory on the men's side was absolutely fantastic. He has done an incredible job for this sprint and helped with preparations and shared with everyone in the team, she says to SVT.

It became Swiss on the silver and bronze medals: Simona Aebersold and Natalia Gemperle. The next best Swedish finisher was eighth-place Sara Hagström.

So the World Championship continues:

July 14, 13:30: Sprint relay.

July 16, 17:00: Knockout sprint.

The Swedish team:

Women's individual sprint: Tove Alexandersson, Stora Tuna OK. Sara Hagström, IFK Göteborg Orientering (wildcard). Hanna Lundberg, OK Renen. Karolin Ohlsson, Järla Orientering.

Men's individual sprint: Gustav Bergman, OK Ravinen. Martin Regborn, Hagaby GoIF. Emil Svensk, Stora Tuna OK.

Women's knockout sprint: Tove Alexandersson, Stora Tuna OK (wildcard). Hanna Lundberg, OK Renen. Karolin Ohlsson, Järla Orientering. Alva Sonesson, Falköpings AIK OK.

Men's knockout sprint: Jonatan Gustafsson, KFUM Örebro. Martin Regborn, Hagaby GoIF. Emil Svensk, Stora Tuna OK.

Sprint relay: Tove Alexandersson, Stora Tuna OK. Hanna Lundberg, OK Renen. Martin Regborn, Hagaby GoIF. Emil Svensk, Stora Tuna OK.

Reserves on site: Jonatan Gustafsson, KFUM Örebro (individual sprint). Alva Sonesson, Falköpings AIK OK (individual sprint). Josefin Tjernlund, OK Tisaren (knockout sprint). Isac von Krusenstierna, OK Kåre (knockout sprint).

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

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