Karlström's gold miss: "This sucks"

Tears streaming down his cheeks, he was interviewed by the TV company Max.

When Perseus Karlström continued to give his account of the race in central Paris – which went over the Seine River and turned at the foot of the Eiffel Tower – it was with his cap on the back of his head and his glasses similarly.

The gaze?

It was often directed down at the asphalt of the French capital and when the 34-year-old lifted his head, his eyes were empty.

This sucks so damn hard, he says.

Uncertain about form

What's the form like? That was the question Perseus Karlström, one of Sweden's medal hopes in the Olympic Games, asked himself when he was in Paris.

The build-up to the season's big competition was "far from problem-free".

He got covid-19 during the European Championship in Rome, where he won gold on 20 km, and then got hit by another virus. It all meant he had to change his basic plan. Adjustments that led to uncertainty.

However, Perseus kept his gold medal goal.

But it was a dream that was crushed. The illnesses were too much to keep the gold hope alive.

And he felt it early in the race.

Somewhere around 6 or 7 kilometers. It was possible to keep a four-minute pace but there was no more, there was no response, there was no pressure in the body.

I tried to be positive and still go with it, but... It wasn't a super nice feeling.

Aiming for LA

Karlström, who will stay in Paris to experience some of the Olympic Games, has five championship medals so far but none from the Olympic Games.

In Rio de Janeiro 2016, he broke off the race and in Tokyo 2021, he came ninth.

Karlström has been struck by the thought that "it's starting to get old in the Olympic Games" but is still set on aiming for Los Angeles 2028.

I want to definitely continue towards Los Angeles, I've said that and we decided it last year. Then how the four years will turn out, if there's a chance for a medal or not – we'll see in the future.