Women arm wrestlers bring home the gold
When the dust had settled after the last match of the world championship in arm wrestling in Kazakhstan on Saturday, ten Swedish women held no fewer than twelve medals in different classes - four gold, seven silver, and one bronze.
"We're a small country with strong people," concluded Andreas Johansson, vice chairman of Swedish Arm Sports (Svensk Armsport), in an interview with newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
Heidi Andersson, from lonely Lapland village Ensamheten (literally: Loneliness), secured her ninth world cup gold, in right-handed wrestling against her arch-rival, Russian Irina Makeeva.
"This was the most unexpected gold. After all, it was the 'impossible' Makeeva I managed to win against, in her best arm," said Andersson in a statement.
Andersson's success was less unexpected for Andreas Johansson from Swedish Arm Sports.
"Heidi has a real winning mentality. She has focused very hard on arm wrestling, since the mid-nineties and has great sparring back home at the Arm Wrestling High School in Storuman," he said to Dagens Nyheter.
In a lighter weight class, Swede Sarah Bäckman brought home the gold, also against a Russian rival. Both Bäckman and Andersson also won silver medals in left-handed wrestling.
Pirjo Lauteri and Maria Wester also won gold medals for Sweden.
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"We're a small country with strong people," concluded Andreas Johansson, vice chairman of Swedish Arm Sports (Svensk Armsport), in an interview with newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
Heidi Andersson, from lonely Lapland village Ensamheten (literally: Loneliness), secured her ninth world cup gold, in right-handed wrestling against her arch-rival, Russian Irina Makeeva.
"This was the most unexpected gold. After all, it was the 'impossible' Makeeva I managed to win against, in her best arm," said Andersson in a statement.
Andersson's success was less unexpected for Andreas Johansson from Swedish Arm Sports.
"Heidi has a real winning mentality. She has focused very hard on arm wrestling, since the mid-nineties and has great sparring back home at the Arm Wrestling High School in Storuman," he said to Dagens Nyheter.
In a lighter weight class, Swede Sarah Bäckman brought home the gold, also against a Russian rival. Both Bäckman and Andersson also won silver medals in left-handed wrestling.
Pirjo Lauteri and Maria Wester also won gold medals for Sweden.
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