Three seconds from a full haul of golds!

Three seconds from a full haul of golds!

When Sara Hagström, Sweden also had the strongest legs at the end of the Relay, she could be crowned without any doubt the ‘queen of Borovets’.

Sara and Mathilde Rundhaug, Norway were close together with about one km of the four km last leg remaining. The Norwegian and the Swede had seen each other quite a lot out on the course. “I just went as hard as I could on the last part of the course, just as I would have done in an individual race. There was a lot of adrenalin to run with”, Sara says.

Hagström pushed hard and thought it would be fine if she created a gap. If not, she was ready for a run-in shoulder to shoulder. “I am used to having a strong run-in”, she says. The Norwegian had to give some metres, and there was nine seconds gap between them finishing.

For Hagström it was gold also on Sprint and Middle Distance. Just the Long is missing. She was just three seconds too slow, but she is of course thoroughly satisfied with the Championships. “It has gone incredible well!” she laughs.

In a couple of weeks’ time she will go to Norway for training. There is more to win next year. “I have one year left as a junior”, she says.

The Swedish anchor in the men’s class also had an incredible Championships. Anton Johansson won the Long and got bronze on the Sprint. On the Middle he wasn’t a friend with the terrain.

On the last leg he controlled the race in the end. He set up a gap and was very strong. At one point, a crossing over an alpine ski slope, he misunderstood the map. He thought it was snow machines rather than electrical charging points marked on the map. He lost some metres and the followers came very close, but the tall Swede had the power to answer and secure the victory.

– Now you’re heading for senior World Championships?

“Of course I will go on and want to reach a high level, but it isn’t at all easy to get into a senior WOC team”, the tall and talentful Swede says. His sister Tilda Johansson ran the second leg for the ladies.