The national team trio have all come back stronger after pregnancy

Today, the World Handball Championship in Spain kicks off and in the Swedish squad there are three leading players who have all been pregnant and returned to handball.

Midfielder Linn Blohm became a mother in March 2018, while goalkeeper Johanna Bundsen and left-winger Jamina Roberts had children in 2020.

- My goal was always to come back and maybe get to wear the national team uniform again.

But then you never know how the body reacts after so I had great respect for it, says Johanna Bundsen to SVT Sport.

"Almost illogical"

The trio has not only returned to handball but also to a level almost better than before pregnancy.

Blohm is currently the only Swedish player in the world's best club team, Hungarian Györi, Roberts was named best left winger in this summer's Olympics and Bundsen is one of the world's best goalkeepers.

- I have absolutely no explanation for it, it is almost illogical in that you have much worse conditions now to be able to perform.

If you look at what experts recommend for performance, it is sleep, food and rest and recovery and it is very hateful and jerky in those parts, says Jamina Roberts.

Blohm mentions balance in life as an explanation for why she is currently playing better than ever before.

Bundsen: "Got a fresh start"

- Before it was handball all the time and if I missed a shot, I could play it for several days.

If I was a bad match then it was a disaster, you simply felt like you were playing, says Blohm and continues:

- Now you come home to someone who loves you, regardless of whether you have been good or bad.

For me, it has meant a lot to get balance in life.

Now I take the best from two worlds, it has made me focus more on handball once I'm on handball.

For Johanna Bundsen, the break that came with the pregnancy was important.

- The break I had from handball I think was useful in my head at least.

Getting a break from all the musts and all the demands and I got an incredible craving for handball again.

I simply got a fresh start and just felt such a joy to be able to play handball again.