- I definitely did not expect that.
I have had a thigh injury and then I got covid and was ill for three weeks.
But I have received a couple of good training sessions and a particularly good training session ten days ago, says Karlström to the International Athletics Federation.
31-year-old Karlström, who took bronze at the WC in Doha two years ago, put on a blue-gold Viking helmet in fabric and celebrated with a scarf when he crossed the finish line and was hugged by mother Siv Gustavsson who won the women's class in 1977 and 1981 - the the only Swede who to date has won the competition.
Water with 40 seconds
Perseus Karlström won in 2.36.14, which was 40 seconds faster than the second, European Championship winner in 20 km 2018, Alvaro Martin from Spain.
Third in the race, Miguel Angel Lopez, Spain, finished 1 minute and 13 seconds behind Karlström.
It was the premiere for 35 km at an international championship and the conditions were tough:
"This on a tough course with a height difference of 25 meters and a temperature that approached 30 degrees towards the end," writes the Swedish Walking and Walking Association in a press release.