Swedish Athletes Spark Controversy at 2025 World Athletics Events

At the 2025 World Athletics Championships, Swedish athletes faced a mix of triumph and disappointment. Perseus Karlström ended his streak of consecutive medals by finishing 13th in the 20 km race walk, stating that he still takes pride in his performance despite the outcome. He emphasized frustrations within the walking community regarding gold medalist Caio Bonfim's technique. Meanwhile, Daniel Ståhl qualified for the discus final with an impressive throw of 69.90 meters, while Fanny Roos advanced to the shot put final with a notable throw of 19.24 meters, reinforcing her position as one of the world's leading shot putters.

The excitement surrounding these events is contrasted by recent news regarding the upcoming Ultimate Championship. Announced to be the richest athletics event in history with 1.5 million SEK for winners, the championship has controversially excluded events such as discus and shot put, leaving notable athletes like Ståhl and Roos unable to compete. Roos expressed her disappointment, remarking, "It's sad that shot put is not included..." She highlighted issues related to sponsorships for throwing events compared to more popular sprinting events. Despite the absence of these events at the championship, top decathlete Mondo Duplantis confirmed his participation, ensuring some Swedish representation in the upcoming elite contest.