She and has taken a medal for Sweden in every Para European Championship since 2009, most of them are gold. In the prize cabinet also hangs several World Cup medals as well as a bronze from the Paralympics in Rio 2016 and a gold from London 2012. Right now Anna-Carin Ahlquist bets on the Paralympics in Tokyo next summer - and this week's European Championship is the last major championship before that. But it wasn't obvious to her to start sports when she became wheelchair-bound 12 years ago after being hit by MS.

- I didn't know how to do it and it felt incredibly scary when I went off to the first training session, says Anna-Carin Ahlquist. It is a vulnerable situation.

Anna-Carin Ahlquist was superior in the group play against Italian Michela Brunelli. Photo: Markus Hjortsman

New project should give more chance

About 350 participants will compete for the medals in Para-EM in table tennis this week. 19 of these are Swedish.

But in order for more people with functional disabilities to have the chance to practice sports, whether it is an elite venture or at an exercise level, DHS Disability Movement in Helsingborg in collaboration with municipal administrations and HISO has just launched the project Fungera Mera.

- We know that physical activity is very important for people's health - both physically and mentally, says project manager Josefine Thorén. We also know that within the target group there is a large proportion of people suffering from mental ill health and that we want to address with the project.

"Of course"

For two years, Josefine Thorén will lead the project, which will be carried out with support from the Heritage Foundation, but the plan is that the business will then become permanent.

- The number of activities available to the target group is very limited. A handful of associations are doing a fantastic job and are really trying to open up, but we have so many more associations in Helsingborg that we hope to open up.

Anna-Carin Ahlquist comes from Gothenburg herself but is positive about Fungera Mera's investment in Helsingborg.

- For me, it is obvious that everyone should have the right to sport and that everyone should have the opportunity to be in a sport, she says.