Modin enjoyed performing – and winning – in front of so many spectators around the World Championship tracks in Trondheim.
But it was also a challenge with communication between him and guide Emil Jönsson, the former ski star.
Because it was hard to hear each other.
A little, we had respect for that. It was the last curve when we released the pole and I had to make some corrections. In the final stretch, it was nice that it was classical and track, says Modin.
A wonderful...danger
Emil Jönsson:
It's wonderful with the audience, but also a danger. Sebastian has to hear me all the time, he had to have the speaker on as loud as possible and we had to ski close. We're so relieved that it worked.
Modin took bronze on 20 kilometers freestyle in Toblach in February where the para skiers' World Championship was held.
But the World Championship sprint was broken out and relocated to Granåsen outside Trondheim, where large crowds of spectators gathered. The para sprint finals were squeezed in between the qualifying and finals of the sprint relays.
"Very positive"
Previously, Modin, one of Sweden's top winter paralympians, has several World Championship medals and eight Paralympic medals.
He is glad that the para skiers got to be on the big stage.
I'm so clearly very happy that we got this opportunity. It's very positive in every way. It's maybe more people watching, more children at home, who see that it works. It's useful in many ways, says Zebastian Modin.
Now many want Falun, which is hosting the Ski World Championship in two years, to follow Trondheim's example and include para skiers.
It would clearly be positive, but it's other people and organizations that will decide about it. I'm just very happy that it happened here, says Modin.
Ellen Westerlund from Örnsköldsvik delivered a brilliant performance when she, from ninth place in the qualifying, finished fifth in the final. She challenged for a bronze medal in her class for a while.
Arnt-Christian Furuberg was in his second final, but came last.
