Erik Holmer, 26, made many Swedes raise their eyebrows.
The 26-year-old impressed at the Tokyo Olympics when he advanced to the semifinals in the canoe slalom competition.
And there the success would continue.
Holmer landed a tenth place.
The placement was the last ticket to the final - and that made him the first Swede to reach an Olympic final in canoe slalom.
- It was on the hair.
When I finished the semi-final cover, we knew it would be right on the bubble, he tells SVT Sport.
- It was so damn fun to run a final.
The 66-ranked Swede was then first out and started nicely in the historic final round.
But a hit at gate 15 and miss of gate 23 meant 52 penalty seconds.
It ended up being a ninth place, second to last.
"A 'team effort'"
The company means a lot to the 26-year-old.
- Above all, I think that such a small sport in Sweden can go so far and I hope that it is the beginning that it can reach even further.
For its part, however, the performance has not really landed yet.
- Maybe it does not really have.
To me, it really feels like a "team effort", there are so many who have a part in it.
Many I want to feel this.
He has just returned from the Olympic village, where the covid restrictions are many.
The athletes are only allowed to stay within a certain area and they are tested every day.
Holmer himself was never more worried about being infected than he was in general during the pandemic.
- Most of us athletes are probably used to being in one or another bubble during this time.
Lifts the atmosphere in the Olympic bubble
Holmer highlights the atmosphere in the Swedish camp, where the practitioners spent some time with each other.
- Very positive, very much energy, fantastic community and fantastic to be a part of it.
Were it not for the penalty seconds, Holmer could have won a medal.
But he chooses not to get too upset about that particular thing.
- It is clear that when it is so close, you think "phase", but mainly I am very happy that I made it to the final, that's the big thing.