Sweden's goal in the OS in Paris is ten medals.
Here are six big blue-yellow gold hopes.
+ Sarah Sjöström, swimming
It's about being on the edge of your seat in front of the screen on August 4 at 18:30 – because that's when it's going to happen. It only takes just over 23 seconds for top favorite Sarah Sjöström to swim 50 meters freestyle, and much suggests that it could be a golden moment.
The 30-year-old super Swede has three consecutive World Championship golds on the distance, broke her own world record (23.61) last year, and has this year been credited with the six fastest times in the world.
To beat her, one of her competitors would have to make the race of their life just to have a chance.
A few days earlier, Sjöström will also compete in the double distance, 100 meters freestyle, where she has a medal chance.
+ Armand Duplantis, athletics – pole vault
He's not just Sweden's biggest star in the OS – Armand Duplantis is also the one who is seen as a given gold medalist beforehand. The 24-year-old has won everything that can be won, is used to the pressure, and is simply superior in pole vault. The star started the outdoor season in the best possible way. In Xiamen, China, he won the Diamond League competition, jumping 42 centimeters higher than the second-place finisher and improving his world record to 6.24 meters. Since then, he has won all his competitions, including the European Championship final in Rome. In Paris, he will defend his gold from the 2021 OS. The final takes place on August 5 at 19:00.
+ Perseus Karlström, athletics – 20 km walk
The first day of athletics in the OS could become a day in Sweden's colors. As early as 07:30 on August 1, Perseus Karlström will embark on a medal hunt in Paris. The 34-year-old is competing in his third OS and is seen as a major medal hope. He has won four championship medals in the past two years; two World Championship bronzes in Eugene, 20 and 35 kilometers, a World Championship silver in Budapest, 20 kilometers, and most recently a European Championship gold in Rome, 20 kilometers. Now, his sights are set on success in the OS.
+ David Åhman and Jonathan Hellvig, beach volleyball
The two 22-year-olds are OS debutants and have set their own goal of reaching the quarterfinals in the tournament being played at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) says it would be satisfied with a top-twelve finish for the Åhman/Hellvig pair. But after an impressive season where the Swedes have risen to the position of world number eight and won the last four World Tour events before the OS, expectations from the outside are clearly higher. They took World Championship silver in October and have won two consecutive European Championship golds.
+ Henrik von Eckermann, equestrian – show jumping
The show jumper is the anchor in the team that will try to defend the OS gold from Tokyo. The competition is extremely tough, and there is no room for any mistakes if it's going to be a new gold party in Versailles.
As world number one, the 43-year-old's ambition in the individual competition is obvious. At King Edward, von Eckermann is jumping to win the gold.
Percentage-wise, the chance is extremely small, but of course, it would be a fairy tale to win. That's something I strive for and am motivated for, but I'm keeping my expectations low. There's so much that has to go right.
+ Anton Dahlberg, Lovisa Karlsson, sailing
He's competing in his fifth OS, she's competing in her second. On August 3, the helmsman and crew will stand together on the starting line in the 470 class in the tricky bay in Marseille.
The 39-year-old Dahlberg has a silver from Tokyo, then with Fredrik Bergström. The gold is beckoning. In the World Cup, he and Lovisa Karlsson have shown top form.
