Watch Elise Mannerstråle talk about the tough time in the player above.

Elise Mannerstråle suffered injuries early in her career. Thighs, hips, fingers, wrists, and at the beginning of this year, an injured knee.

The injuries affected her both physically and mentally, and it got to the point where she considered quitting.

"I felt very bad mentally, and asked myself if I would ever come back," she says.

After several injury-filled years – Swedish Championship gold this summer

But the passion for climbing never faded. And if she couldn't climb herself, she read about climbing, watched climbing, and even dreamed of climbing.

Last summer, she won her first title as a senior, when she won the Swedish Championships in lead, and now the goal is the Summer Olympics in the United States in five years.

"The Olympics have always been my dream. I think it's better to aim high and fall far, than to have no ambitions.

Watch the full report in the clip below or on SVT Play:

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Injuries close to stopping Sweden's best climber Elise Mannerstråle: "Took so much on my psyche" Photo: SVT

The national team talent: How climbing works

• Bouldering: "A very social sport"

  23 sec

• Lead climbing: "The goal is to climb as high as possible"

  21 sec

• How high have you climbed?

  15 sec