The 36-year-old now tells Swedish media that it’s not certain she will compete in the World Championship in Trondheim.

“I’ve said that I’ll give it a chance (to participate in the World Championship, editor’s note). But it’s not like I’ll be there at any cost,” Johaug says in an interview with Expressen.

Johaug is clear: she won’t participate in the World Championship if she doesn’t feel she has a shot at gold.

She’s giving herself two months to reach the form she wants to be in for the home championship in Trondheim. The championship will take place in late February/early March 2025.

“If, around Christmas, I feel I don’t have the level needed to fight for a World Championship gold, then someone else can take the spot. I don’t plan on showing up to compete for tenth place.”

Read more: Baby news for Swiss athlete

Still in Top Form

So far, Johaug has crushed everyone in the competitions and test races she’s entered since tentatively returning to start numbers in March, less than a year after giving birth to her first child.

However, Johaug admits that balancing motherhood with elite sports training for the World Championship has been demanding.

“I have to acknowledge that I’ve been very, very tired,” she says, adding:

“People talk as if I’m back at the top with a snap of the fingers, but that’s not the case. It’s all just ridiculous.”

Lacking No Motivation

At the same time, there’s no doubt that Johaug hopes to be on the start line in Granåsen this winter. Initially, the 50km race was her main motivation. However, a week ago, she revealed that she’d now like to compete in all distance events, including the relay.

The condition is that Johaug is in the form she feels is necessary to enjoy competing in the World Championship. This has been clear ever since she announced her comeback.

An Enormous Career

Therese Johaug retired after the 2022 Olympic season. She had then competed at the highest level for over 15 years, earning six Olympic medals (including four golds) and 19 World Championship medals (14 of which were gold).

But it didn’t even take a year after retiring before she started missing competition.

So far, the former cross-country queen has crushed her competition in every race and test event she’s entered since deciding to return. Training data from the summer and fall shows that the 36-year-old is in top form, even compared to her best seasons before retiring.

In March of this year, she participated in her first ski race since retiring, less than a year after becoming a mother. She beat her old rival, Justyna Kowalczyk, by more than three and a half minutes in the 17km skate race. During the Norwegian National Championship Part 2, she won the 30km race by nearly three minutes.

In August, Therese Johaug decided to try for a comeback at the 2025 World Championship.

Read more: Has a free pass to the World Championships – But in the “wrong” distances