Not taking part in the World Championships
Olympic champion “angry, sad and disappointed”
Olympic champion Espen Bjørnstad was not considered for the upcoming Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. The 31-year-old is furious with the federation.
"It hurts my whole body, it's just terrible. I feel a great emptiness," the Trondheim native told Norwegian radio. The non-nomination is particularly bitter for Bjørnstad, as he lives just a few kilometers from the venue. The Norwegian won the gold medal in the team event at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Unfair selection process
The Norwegian combined athlete attacked the federation and its selection process in particular. "I would have liked those responsible to have given us athletes more security. Unfortunately, they messed up a bit with the whole process," criticized Bjørnstad.
Bjørnstad stronger than rival
For sports director Ivar Stuan, however, it's not just results that count, but also consistency, and the 31-year-old wasn't able to show enough of this for Stuan's liking. "Espen always delivers good results, but also has weaker phases," explained Stuan. That's why the federation opted for Einar Lurås Oftebro, who will make his debut at the World Championships, despite his poorer results.
However, there is no bad blood between the two athletes. "Espen and I are good friends, we talked about it after the nomination. His criticism is probably directed more at the federation than at me," said Oftebro.
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