Frida Karlsson comes to the ladies' 10 kilometer classic in Sunday's World Cup in Lahti with a heavy Olympics behind her.
She collapsed after the initial skiathlon and never recovered from it.
- It was as if the injury had already happened then.
With the result in hand, I might not have followed the competition, but I also see that it is difficult to give up a competition that you see yourself having a chance of a medal.
It's easy to be hindsight, says Frida Karlsson to SVT Sport.
Several factors came into play
During the week, Karlsson has undergone medical tests and everything has looked good.
She believes that her heavy Olympics are due to several factors.
- The training is one thing, maybe I should analyze how I got into the championship and how stressed I actually was there for a period.
But then other factors played a role, including the conditions that were there, says Karlsson and continues:
- It worked well for the first competition, I had a lively body.
But after that day, I see that I am not the same at all.
I think that competition took me very hard and that I did not have time to recover.
What lessons do you take with you from the Olympics?
- I take a lot with me.
You may think that heavier periods feel crap and you just want to dig yourself down.
But when you get a little perspective on it, that's when you learn the most.
"Teach me the hard way"
How do you prevent this from happening again?
- I have learned that I have high peaks and deep valleys and it is precisely those notches on the road that I try to avoid.
But I manage to go down into different pits, I never go in the same.
- It feels like I'm learning the hard way.
But I will go stronger out of this.
Ahead of Sunday's competition, which starts at 11.30, she has focused on finding joy in skiing.
- I have not had a giant plan but have taken day by day and gone on feeling.
I have pressure on some slopes if I felt like it and just had the joy of the skis, says Karlsson.