Junior World Orienteering Championships: Strong Swedes
Posted on | July 12, 2009 | Category: News
Gustav Bergman waved to the public when he passed the first spectator control on the last leg in the Junior World Championships relay. He was then running side by side with Martin Hubmann, Switzerland. With a lot of confidence Gustav brought the Swedish team to a victory and got his second gold during the Junior World Championships in Italy.
Battle between two men
It first looked like it was going to be a tough battle for the victory with many teams involved, but soon there were just two men, Martin Hubmann from Switzerland and Gustav Bergman from Sweden. Both had done really well earlier in the championships; Martin got several medals and Gustav won the long distance.
When they passed the arena for the first time – side by side – the Swede took the time to wave to the public.
-You must give the audience something, he smiles.
In the last part of race he ran away from Hubmann.
– I felt stronger than Martin, but it was difficult to get a little gap. In the end I pushed really hard and got the gap, Gustav says. He and his team mates Albin Ridefelt and Olle Boström won 43 seconds ahead of Switzerland. The bronze went to Denmark.
Sunday no rest day for the winner
For Gustav this was a tremendous week. He won the long distance, and was the only athlete with two gold medals from these competitions. And if you think the Swede took a rest day on Sunday – the day after the relay – you are thinking wrong. Sunday morning before nine o’clock he was out running again. He said he wanted to use the opportunity to run on the very good sprint map just around Fiera di Primiero.
Gustav was maybe one of a few that where training on Sunday morning, but then again, he is also the only one that got two gold medals at JWOC this year.
Next week Monday Gustav will go to compete in O-Ringen in Southern Sweden. There he will also take part in Spexet – a theatre in the evenings. The junior from Stockholm has a lot of energy.
Albin Ridefelt (left), Gustav Bergman and Olle Boström brought gold to Sweden.
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