Jim Gottfridsson has landed in Tokyo with the rest of the handball masters and the recharging before the Olympic tournament is underway.

He is eager for revenge and believes that this Swedish national team has good chances of achieving success.

- It will be very exciting to play the Olympics again.

Last time it was a bit more of a failure.

This time it feels like we have a good harmonious team, with good results in the back and who are willing to work very hard for each other, says Gottfridsson.

"Up and fighting"

During the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Sweden finished second last after they did not qualify further from the group stage.

Gottfridsson believes that he himself failed in terms of performance.

 - I personally have a failed Olympics 2016 behind me.

So my personal goal is to take revenge for myself, take revenge as a team and move on from the group.

Then you do not know, that's it.

Play quarter finals and knockout matches and it's always tough.

It's a lot of day form.

So we must first and foremost move on from the group, says Jim Gottfridsson.

He is positive about the team's opportunities to move on after the past six months' successes.

- I think the last six months have looked very good, with World Cup silver, and a successful Olympic qualifier with good resistance and group win.

I do not talk about us as a gold candidate, but I think we are one of those who are up and fighting for a semi-final place if we have a good day, he says and continues:

- At the same time, I also understand that the press comes in addition if you talk about medal jumps.

So to come from World Cup silver and then talk about getting eight in the Olympics, it does not really rhyme. 

The damage

Gottfridsson had to step down from the last match against Denmark due to a foot injury.

But he says that everything is going according to plan and that he will be able to play the training match against Norway.

- It feels better.

We have pretty good control over it.

We have eight days until the premiere so I have a bit to work on.

But it still feels calm.

We put the plan right and there is no stress on my part in any case, he says.

On July 24, the Premier Match for Sweden against Bahrain awaits.

It will be the Olympic premiere for many in the team at the same time as Gottfridsson calls it a "must-match".

- There is one opponent, Bahrain, that we should beat, an opponent should have behind us in the group.

It's also a little difficult.

It is a must-win match that we must win, we must not lose.

So we should try to keep the nervousness outside the bodies and not inside so that you lose too many balls and make unnecessary technical mistakes.

But it should probably go the way, Jim Gottfridsson concludes with a smile. 

CLIP: Sweden lost to Denmark (July 12)

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Sweden lost to Denmark.

Photo: Bildbyrån