Discus star Daniel Ståhl is both the reigning Olympian and world champion.

The breakthrough for him did not come when he was a junior, but between 2014 and 2015. Then he had for a period the best host year (66.89 meters) and went from 24th place at the European Championships to fifth place at the World Cup.

His coach, Vésteinn Hafsteinsson, reveals that it has been a difficult journey for Ståhl to reach the position he is in today.

- It has been a roller coaster, much because of social and mental things.

He was not sure if he wanted this after he became famous and so on.

There were a lot of journalists.

He was pretty young and out of control when I started with him, and then all of a sudden, after just two years, he became a star in 2014. And then he wondered if he wanted this at all.

He has fought his way to the top, says Vésteinn Hafsteinsson to Yle.

"Must have strong discipline"

Ståhl says that Hafsteinsson had to start from scratch when he became the 29-year-old's coach.

Because he was then weaker mentally.

Ståhl has visited a sports psychologist over the years where he has worked out how to behave in competition, training and at home.

And it has paid off.

- You must have strong discipline to cope with this industry.

It's mental every day, you have to go to the workout and you do what you believe you want to do.

And I actually do that every time I go to training, I think I can throw longer, says Daniel Ståhl.

CLIP: Daniel Ståhl won Swedish Championship gold in "wrong" branch (February 26)

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Daniel Ståhl won Swedish Championship gold in the shot put.

Photo: Athletics Channel