TOP ROWERS
>;Small physique, big win
may have been hooked but as she got more
involved in rowing there was not a lot of belief in
her ability to push into the elite level.
>
was on. “We have to stay and watch,” Nilsen told his
wife, Ingmarie. As the race progressed Nilsen recalls
telling Ingmarie, “She’s going to win. She’s too small.”
passionate when it comes to training. It doesn’t
matter if it’s windy, raining or cold, Olaf goes out
and pulls everyone along.”
“People keep reminding me about my size all the
time,” says the 172cm tall, 71kg single sculler. This
puts her about 13cm shorter than Karsten and
about 10kg lighter. Svensson makes no effort to
lose or gain weight but says her current 71kg is
the lightest that she’s been. Her best score on
the indoor rowing machine is about 6:48 and she
guesses her best for squats is about 110kg.
“Thor is a big part of this medal,” says Svensson. “He
quality checks my rowing. He goes out in a boat
with Johan (Johan Flodin, Frida’s coach of 13 years)
and looks at my technique. The last time he went
out he said, ‘Frida I really can’t find something to
say except you’re perfect.’”
Outside of rowing Frida works as a waitress four days
a week and in a sports shop during the weekends,
which leaves her limited time for anything else.
Food is her passion and she loves to cook. One of
her favourite dishes is baked salmon with cream
cheese. But now she is a World Champion will
Svensson’s life change?“I would like to be a full time
rower, but now I’ve proved to myself that I can do
it and still work on the side I will continue working.”
One of Svensson’s influences is Norwegian coach
Thor Nilsen. Nilsen is known not to mince his words
and told Svensson right from the beginning that
she was too small to row at the top level. Nilsen
was one of Svensson’s first phone calls after her win.
Frida’s Norwegian connection extends further, as
she names Olympic Champion in the men’s single,
Olaf Tufte as a training partner. Before Svensson’s
final Tufte was asked who he thought would
win. “Frida,” he said, without hesitation. “She’s like
a bumble bee, no one knows how they fly, but
they do.”
“You’re still too small,” says Svensson recalling Nilsen’s words. “You shouldn’t be able to do this.” Nilsen was travelling through Amsterdam when Frida’s race
The admiration is mutual. “I go with Olaf on his
training camps,” says Svensson. “He’s an awesome
rower. He’s just about always positive and he’s very
Svensson is cheered on wherever she goes by her
most ardent supporters, her mother and sister. It
is common to hear their vocals and see the flag
hanging in the grandstands showing Svensson
with her World bronze medal that she won in 2006.
The flag will now be updated.
Frida enjoys her new found fame,
as fans ask her for autographs at
Lake Karapiro.
■ M. S. B.
A quick glance over to her
oponent reassures Svensson that
she is ahead of Karsten in the A
Final in Karapiro.
© Detlev Seyb/ MyRowingPhoto.com
© Detlev Seyb/ MyRowingPhoto.com
