The Swedish women were first to cross the finish line and had to wait a while for the verdict. The Netherlands wins, Sweden takes second place, and France third.
We knew we were on the podium, but more than that we didn't know. We let the others be nervous, says Vilma Bobeck.
Bobeck and Netzler's placement in the 49er FX class was very unclear since the top team, the Netherlands, sailed off course in the very last stage and had to change route. Many believed they had sailed incorrectly and would be disqualified, which would have allowed Sweden to move up. But that was not the case.
We didn't understand anything. We knew we were on the podium but more than that we didn't know, says Bobeck.
Hugging Each Other
They come to the interview zone a quarter of an hour later, tightly wrapped in a Swedish flag and start by hugging their coach, Victor Bergström, who has trained them for three years.
My shoulders sank to the bottom of the sea. I think none of us really understood, says Rebecca Netzler about when she realized the Olympic silver was secured.
The Swedish women have racked up fine placements and taken medals in three consecutive World Championships, but during the sailing events in Marseille, they had a tougher start. They cried together when the placements didn't come initially, says Netzler.
We know that the strength is within us. These are our favorite conditions and we won't let it slip out of our hands.
Victor Bergström says it's an incredible comeback.
We had a pretty tough start to the week, the comeback from there is fantastic.
"Happy for the Swedish Women"
Federation captain Magnus Grävare, who is himself an old Olympic sailor, says that the Swedish duo has the potential to dominate the sport.
They came here and knew they could win, or at least they or the Dutch, so it's a relief and immense joy for them, he says.
The Netherlands, with Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz, led almost the entire race, but it was at the last leg, when the boats sail downwind, that something happened. They thought they had crossed the finish line – in reality, they still had a bit left. The Swedish women sailed past and into the finish first.
We were very worried, says van Aanholt.
They thought they had lost the medals altogether.
It was a lot of confusion, but in the end, we got the message from our coach, and it was such a relief, says Annette Duetz.
They praise the Swedish pair and when asked if they can celebrate with champagne together tonight, they answer:
We are very happy for the Swedish women. We have spent so much time together. I think we'll celebrate together.
Rebecka Netzler, 29 years old.
Making her Olympic debut as a crew member in the 49er FX two-person keelboat. Took World Championship silver in March 2024 together with Vilma Bobeck. The duo has taken medals in three consecutive World Championships – silver, gold, silver. Gold at the World Championship in the Netherlands in 2023, silver at the World Championship in Spain in 2024, and silver at the World Championship in Canada in 2022.
Born in Östersund and has Storsjöns SS as her home club. Now competing for Göteborgs kungliga segelsällskap (GKSS).
Vilma Bobeck, 26 years old.
Making her Olympic debut as a helmswoman in the 49er FX two-person keelboat.
Started sailing at the age of eight, began competing when she was ten.
Born in Nacka with Boo segelsällskap as her home club, now competing for Kungliga svenska segelsällskapet (KSSS).
Source: OS 2024, Swedish Sailing Federation
Since the Olympic Games in Paris in 1900, sailing has been one of the Olympic sports at all Olympic Games, with the exception of 1904 in Saint Louis, USA.
Sweden participated in the sailing event for the first time in 1908 in London and took a silver medal in the 8-meter class. Since then, Sweden has excelled many times in Olympic sailing and has won a total of 38 medals.
Fresh in memory is a gold medal in the starboat class by Fredrik Lööf/Max Salminen, as well as a bronze in the laser class by Rasmus Myrgren at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.
At the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, it was silver in the men's 470 class by Anton Dahlberg/Fredrik Bergström and silver in the laser radial class by Josefin Olsson.
