Cross-country skiing : Frida Karlsson back on track despite injury
With a foot injury in recent weeks, Frida Karlsson postponed her return to the slopes to take time to recover 100%. And while the Scandinavian had for a moment raised the possibility of missing out on the opening Swedish cross-country ski races in Bruksvallarna (Sweden), she finally put on a race number on Saturday afternoon.
And the 25-year-old cross-country skier was reassuring about her state of fitness. Second in an individual 10-kilometre classic behind a solid Ebba Andersson, the native of Sollefteå (Sweden) proved that she would be in contact with the competition from the first stages of the World Cup, scheduled for Friday in Ruka (Finland): “I’m very satisfied and it’s even beyond my expectations,” she admitted to SVT Sport.
“I was quite impatient before the race. I think I started quite strongly,” she said in the mixed zone. I was a bit tired in the middle of the second lap but I managed to finish well. Her comeback was all the more reassuring given that her Norwegian neighbours, Therese Johaug , also made a comeback.
Dominating the individual classic at the Norwegian opening races in Beitostølen (Norway), the five-time Olympic medallist sent out a strong first signal to her Swedish rivals: “It wasn’t bad! Now she’s really back,” Frida Karlsson toldAftonbladet after hearing about the 36-year-old cross-country skier’s performance.
Before battling it out for medals at the World Championships in Trondheim (Norway) scheduled to start on 26 February 2025, the two athletes will have the opportunity to test themselves on the World Cup. I didn’t know where I was and I haven’t done much skiing on snow, so I’m pretty reassured,” admits Frida Karlsson. I feel much more confident going into the World Cup season.
Read also
- Bruksvallarna: Ebba Andersson stronger than Frida Karlsson in the individual classic
- Frida Karlsson postpones her return to skiing with a foot injury
