1) The Olympic skater.
Calle Halfvarsson is ready for the Olympics. In the fictitious and shrinking club “We who hope and believe that things will turn around for Calle” we have never doubted. The Norwegian relay team must be shaken now. With Calle OS ready, anything can happen. For better or for worse.
2) Calle-citatet.
Halfvarsson was almost 37 years old before he started taking a competition “100 percent seriously”. After last weekend’s sixth place, he said:
“I really decided today: No caterpillar now. Don’t give anything away because you do a half-baked warm-up. I’ve had it a little bit easy over the years that I might … but today it was 100 percent serious.”
3) The hockey question.
What is most embarrassing? That an NHL goaltender goes all over the ice to fight with another or that the crowd cheers?
4) The hockey puck.
Tre Kronor has to do without Leo Carlsson and Jonas Brodin in the Olympics. In addition, several are in the danger zone.
5) The blackout.
Ludvig Svan’s Viaplay reportage shows that there is much that is shady about the silence surrounding German skier Victoria Carl’s doping suspension.
6) The breakfast.
In SVT’s documentary about William Poromaa, we learn that he usually eats a few sandwiches and drinks some apple juice in the morning. No skier’s breakfast, right away.
7) The difference.
In the TV4 series about details that will bring gold in the Olympics, we learn that the biathlon sisters Öberg are much more careful about what they eat.
8) The justification.
Last week, one of Sweden’s biggest athletics talents switched to the Finnish national team. This week, sprinter Nora Lindahl said that it was not the economy that was decisive.
“There is no money in sports,” Lindahl said, and I don’t know if Armand Duplantis agrees.
9) The soccer practice.
Ahead of the away match against Bodø/Glimt, Manchester City trained at the match arena for the first time under coach Pep Guardiola. It didn’t help. 3–1 was the Norwegian resounding victory.
10) The soccer quote.
“I apologize to all the Manchester City supporters and everyone who traveled here. It’s embarrassing.” City’s Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland.
11) The soccer quote 2.
“Bodø played fantastic football and they deserved the victory. I don’t know what to say but what I can say is sorry.” Haaland again.
Next week I’m looking forward to:
Skiing around Stockholm.
Read more texts by Johan Esk
