Kalla and Halfvarsson Ready for Beijing 2022
“Both Charlotte and Calle were selected as relay skiers with the opportunity to race other distances,” says Peter Reinebo, Swedish Olympic Committee.
Charlotte Kalla is Sweden’s foremost Olympic medalist with nine Olympic medals, including three gold medals. The Beijing Olympics will be her fourth Olympic Games.
Last year, at the World Championships, Kalla was fifth in the skiathlon and sixth in the 10km freestyle race. During the just-concluded Tour de Ski, she was 14th in the final climb and 16th overall.
“Both Charlotte and Calle have, despite tremendous pressure to deliver results, a clearly rising form, and both have the experience that is important in a championship, especially in a relatively young team. Both are also outstanding team players, which means a lot in an Olympic team,” says the Swedish Ski Association’s cross-country team manager Anders Byström.
“I feel that I am on the right track and look forward to starting in my fourth Olympic Games. Now I will be at home after an intense period of competitions and training at altitude. I will focus on training and recharging for future challenges,” says Charlotte Kalla.
Calle Halfvarsson receives his ticket to the Olympics after delivering strong results in the Tour de Ski. He was fifth in the classic sprint race, sixth in the 15-kilometer mass start skate race and 10th overall in the Tour.
Halfvarsson is headed for his third Olympics. His top Olympic result is fourth place in the sprint relay at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, four years ago.
“It has been nice to feel that the body has been responding well during the Tour de Ski. I hope to do my best Olympics so far in Beijing. Now I look forward to some time at home and recharge my energy before Beijing,” says Calle Halfvarsson.
With Kalla and Halfvarsson, Swedish Olympics Committee has filled all 16 quota places in the cross-country skiing team, eight men and eight women.
Swedish National Cross-Country Skiing Team for the Olympics
Women: Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson, Jonna Sundling, Maja Dahlqvist, Moa Olsson, Emma Ribom, Anna Dyvik, Charlotte Kalla
Men: Jens Burman, Oskar Svensson, Leo Johansson, William Poromaa, Anton Persson, Marcus Grate, Johan Häggström, Calle Halfvarsson