Cross-country skiing: three medals for Therese Johaug, but none in gold
Therese Johaug failed to win at the World Championships in Trondheim (Norway). Yet she fought hard in every race she took part in. Before the 50km race on Sunday, the first ever for women skiers, she was narrowly beaten by Ebba Andersson in the skiathlon and then again in the 10km classic by 1.3 seconds, again to the Swede’s advantage.
She finished third in the last race on the programme, won by Frida Karlsson. On several occasions, she tried to gain ground on her rivals, but each time, silver medallist Heidi Weng and the Swedish duo reacted well.
“I’ve never skied on this kind of snow. I wasn’t able to use all my abilities. I told myself I just had to go all the way and try something at the end,” Therese Johaug told Eurosport.
At the end of the third lap, with her compatriot, she even tried a move to destabilise her opponents in yellow and blue. When Frida Karlsson almost came to a halt in the stadium at the entrance to the ski change zone, the Norwegians didn’t put their blinkers on but instead accelerated, forcing the Swede to turn back. It was a bluff that paid off in five seconds. ” This is a tactic that we have rarely, if ever, seen in Norwegian women’s cross-country skiing,” commented Torgeir Bjoern, expert for the public broadcaster (quoted by VG).
“Johaug is probably terribly disappointed,” said NRK consultant Martin Johnsrud Sundby. ” A broken dream”, read the headline in Aftonbladet.
Therese Johaug made her comeback to competition after retiring in 2022 and having a baby in 2023. During the winter, she raced in Ruka (Finland), Lillehammer (Norway), Davos (Switzerland) and the Tour de Ski, which she won after a victory in the skiathlon and the ascent of Alpe Cermis.
“My dream was to win a gold medal here. I know I’ve got what it takes, but these championships weren’t for me. There’s nothing more I can do. It’s all over now,” declared the skier, who nonetheless has 14 world gold medals to her name.
Therese Johaug has announced that she will be racing in the World Cup stage in Oslo (Norway).
Read also
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- Seen from Trondheim #5: Therese Johaug in silver and tears
