The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Olympic ski jumping champion shocked by expulsion from World Cup team: "Was not prepared for it"

2023-05-12T04:37:12.017Z

Highlights: Norway's coach calls Robert Johansson's expulsion from ski jumping team "difficult decision" Johansson, who won Olympic gold in Pyeongchang with the national team in 2018, was unable to complete all the competitions. The 33-year-old had fought his way back into the Ski Jumping World Cup after injury problems. "I wasn't prepared for it," says Olympic ski jumping champion Johansson about his disembarkation from the team. The Norwegian Ski Association has announced the six-man squad for the upcoming 2023/24 season.



Ski jumper Robert Johansson celebrated his greatest success with Norway's national team in 2018. Now, however, he has been removed from the team.

Oslo/Lillehammer – In 2017, he held the world record for the longest ski jump for a few minutes and had recently got a better grip on his protracted back problems: Olympic ski jumping champion Robert Johansson from Norway. Now the Norwegian Ski Association has announced the six-man squad for the upcoming 2023/24 season - and surprisingly, Johansson is missing for the first time since 2016. The 33-year-old himself was stunned.

Robert Høneren Johansson
Born:23 March 1990 (aged 33 years), Lillehammer, Norway
Discipline:Ski jumping
World Cup debut:On 29 November 2013 in Kuusamo, Finland
Greatest successes:Team gold and 2x bronze at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang

Norway's coach calls Johansson's expulsion from ski jumping team "difficult decision"

Johansson, who is considered a fan favorite, was not called up to next year's World Cup squad by Norway's Ski Federation. National coach Alexander Stöckl called Johansson's non-nomination "a difficult decision" in an interview with the Norwegian portal Nettavisen.

The decisive factor for the disembarkation of the 33-year-old jumper, who finished fifth at the Four Hills Tournament in 2017/18, was his susceptibility to injury: "This is an overall assessment, although his performance level improved towards the end. His season was marked by back problems," Austrian coach Stöckl told the portal.

Is severely disappointed by his expulsion from the Norwegian national ski jumping squad: Robert Johansson. © Imago / Eibner

Johansson had fought his way back into the Ski Jumping World Cup after injury problems

In fact, Johansson, who is also called "the flying mustache" because of his distinctive beard, has repeatedly struggled with back pain over the past year. That's why he, who won Olympic gold in Pyeongchang with the national team in 2018, was unable to complete all the competitions.

Nevertheless, the oldie seemed to stabilize again at the end of the past season, which he finished in 21st place in the overall World Cup. A good sixth place in ski flying in Vikersund and a strong third place in Planica, Slovenia, testified to the Norwegian's improving form. However, these results were not enough to convince the national coach of the 33-year-old's consistent performance.

Robert Johansson (2nd from right) celebrates the Olympic victory in team ski jumping 2018 in Pyeongchang 2018 with his Norwegian teammates. © Imago / USA TODAY Network

"I wasn't prepared for it," says Olympic ski jumping champion Johansson about his disembarkation

Johansson himself reacted shocked to Nettavisen about his non-nomination: "I wasn't prepared for it, to be completely honest," said the ski jumper. He "couldn't imagine it" because there was a rocky road behind him and he had done everything he could to get back into the ski jumping elite: "I worked really hard to get out of the problems.

0

Also Read

Ski star inconsolable after squad expulsion: "I never really felt seen or understood"

READ

Biathlon star goes on a bike tour through Italy – even Wierer is blown away

READ

Car breakdown: Laura Dahlmeier cycles over 500 kilometers to Lake Garda in record time

READ

After amputation drama at Kostomarov: Olympic figure skating champion sends first sign of life

READ

Biathlon star uses "contrast program": marriage proposal on holiday island

READ

Fancy a voyage of discovery?

My Area

The 33-year-old also spoke about his improved results: "I finished a good season and showed that I am someone who can fight at the top. Then it was pretty hard to get the news that the Norwegian national ski jumping team didn't trust me," said Johansson, visibly disappointed. However, he will not give up now and will rather use the decision as motivation for his further training in Lillehammer.

Also not nominated for the coming ski season was the Austrian ski racer Marie-Therese Sporer, who then sharply criticized her home association. (wuc)

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2023-05-12

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.