SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

The duo is chasing gold in Marseille: "I believe in our team"

The Olympic duo Dahlberg/Karlsson have spent hundreds of hours mastering the waters in Marseille. They are experienced individually, completely new together in the Olympic context. Now they're going for gold. I believe rock-solid in our team, says Karlsson.

» Updated: 19 September 2024, 01:56

» Published: 21 July 2024

The duo is chasing gold in Marseille: "I believe in our team"
Photo: Andrea Lelli/TT

The Olympic pair Dahlberg/Karlsson have spent hundreds of hours mastering the waters in Marseille.

They are experienced individually, completely new together in the Olympic context. Now they're going for gold.

I believe firmly in our team, says Karlsson.

39-year-old veteran Anton Dahlberg is competing in his fifth Olympics, now with 10 years younger Lovisa Karlsson in the new mixed 470 class. She is competing in her second Olympic Games.

They seem to be a well-knit pair who like to complete each other's sentences.

We like the Olympic Games, so we have the experience. It's like Lovisa says, it's fun to sail in Marseille, you never quite know what to expect, says Dahlberg with a smile.

Sweden has taken an average of one sailing medal in each Olympics since the beginning of the 20th century.

Now the pressure is great on the eight-person team to deliver in the capricious bay of Marseille. Dahlberg took silver in Tokyo three years ago, then with Fredrik Bergström, when the two-person dinghy 470 was separate men's and women's classes.

Now it's obvious for the new duo to go for gold.

We've been working together for three years now, and I believe firmly in our team that we've built together, says Lovisa Karlsson.

"Will take medals"

Another merited sailor is Josefin Olsson, who also just missed the gold in Tokyo.

It was one of the reasons I continued, says Olsson, who is competing in her fourth Olympics in the ILCA 6 class, previously laser radial.

The 34-year-old has, like all the other sailors on the team, sacrificed a lot of time to try to become the best in her sport. Before the Games, they spent 100 days of training on the Riviera to master the conditions.

The sailing national team's captain, Magnus Grävare, is himself a former Olympic sailor. Unfortunately, he didn't win any medals, he had to settle for a tenth place in Los Angeles 1984. But in France, he believes firmly in delivery from the blue-yellow team.

We will take medals, we have the best team maybe ever.

Setting the bar high

When asked if he would describe it as a failure if Sweden doesn't reach the podium, he responds:

Is it a failure? Yes, we should take a medal.

Another pair with great confidence is Olympic debutants Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler in the 49er FX two-person dinghy.

The goal is gold, bold enough. Then it depends on which week we get, it's impossible to say in advance because sailing is such a complex sport, says Bobeck.

They have sailed together for two and a half years and performed at the top, including taking World Championship gold in The Hague 2023.

We've managed to deliver under pressure before. We just hope we can do it again. And you have to dare to aim high to win, says Netzler.

The sailors, their classes, and when they compete:

49er FX (Vilma Bobeck & Rebecca Netzler): July 28–August 1

IQ-foil windsurfing (Johanna Hjertberg): July 28–August 2

ILCA 6 (Josefin Olsson): August 1–6

470 (Anton Dahlberg & Lovisa Karlsson): August 2–7

Nacra 17 (Emil Järudd and Hanna Jonsson): August 3–7

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

He takes over the world's toughest football job
3 MIN READ

He takes over the world's toughest football job

Oscar Wendt Ends His Career
1 MIN READ

Oscar Wendt Ends His Career

Appealed too late – must pay 630 million
1 MIN READ

Appealed too late – must pay 630 million

Finland's national team captain is fired
1 MIN READ

Finland's national team captain is fired

The Club Avoids Bankruptcy – But the Crisis Is Not Over
1 MIN READ

The Club Avoids Bankruptcy – But the Crisis Is Not Over

F1 star's nightmare – wrong rear wing
1 MIN READ

F1 star's nightmare – wrong rear wing

Sundling's Premier Crush: "I'm Grateful"
2 MIN READ

Sundling's Premier Crush: "I'm Grateful"

Young star won – injury stopped Halfvarsson
2 MIN READ

Young star won – injury stopped Halfvarsson

Hammarby investigated after coin throwing
1 MIN READ

Hammarby investigated after coin throwing

Swedish Premier League defender operated
1 MIN READ

Swedish Premier League defender operated

Zlatan loses notorious lawsuit – forced to pay
2 MIN READ

Zlatan loses notorious lawsuit – forced to pay

Denmark's Former Prime Minister Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt Wants Saudi World Championship
1 MIN READ

Denmark's Former Prime Minister Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt Wants Saudi World Championship

Jonna Sundling superior in qualifying: "Like Bambi"
1 MIN READ

Jonna Sundling superior in qualifying: "Like Bambi"

The Message: Alexander Ovechkin Out for at Least a Month
1 MIN READ

The Message: Alexander Ovechkin Out for at Least a Month

Truls Möregårdh lost to the world number one: "Not fun"
2 MIN READ

Truls Möregårdh lost to the world number one: "Not fun"

Netflix Sued Over Issues During Boxing Match
1 MIN READ

Netflix Sued Over Issues During Boxing Match

Reluctant Poster Girl in Donald Duck and Talk Show
4 MIN READ

Reluctant Poster Girl in Donald Duck and Talk Show

Swedish show in NHL – goal fest for Bratt and Wennberg
2 MIN READ

Swedish show in NHL – goal fest for Bratt and Wennberg

Grant near the top in LPGA finale
1 MIN READ

Grant near the top in LPGA finale

Quick Hero - Arsenal to Quarterfinal
1 MIN READ

Quick Hero - Arsenal to Quarterfinal