After the fine fourth place in the three miles in the Olympics, Jonna Sundling continues to impress from a distance.
In Sunday's World Cup race over 10 kilometers classic in Lahti in Finland, Sundling became the best Swede in fifth place - 24 seconds from the podium.
The winner of the race, Therese Johaug, was delighted with the Swede's distance success.
- It is very fun to see her development.
She has many fantastic years ahead of her, says Therese Johaug to SVT Sport after the race.
"Should definitely not underestimate her"
The 27-year-old Sundling, who won Olympic gold in the sprint in Beijing, was also superior in Saturday's World Cup sprint in Lahti.
- It's so fun to see Jonna.
A crueler girl on the sprint does not exist right now.
What she did yesterday (read last Saturday) and in the Olympics is completely crazy, says Johaug.
Ebba Andersson, who finished sixth in the distance race, agrees.
- She still shows very good form and is a strong skier both in sprint and distance so we should definitely not underestimate her, she says.
The competitors are creeping closer
The usually superior Johaug won yesterday's 10 kilometers classically barely.
The Norwegian star was only 1.2 seconds ahead of the Russian Natalija Nepryajeva.
- It was very, very tight.
I was maximally unlucky that Natalija got my back on the second lap but that's the sport and I just tried to make the best of it, she says.
Even at the Olympics, it was a narrow victory for Johaug in the 10 kilometer classic, and the Norwegian admits that the competitors are getting closer.
- Yes, they do and it's good, she says.
- It's more wonderful to win when it's a second battle and when you have those seconds on your side, than when it's a big victory.
It's good for me and it's good for the sport.