Swedish Sprinter Nora Lindahl Seeks to Represent Finland in Athletics

Nora Lindahl, a 21-year-old sprinter who has previously competed for Sweden in the Olympics and World Championships, has formally expressed her desire to switch her national athletics representation to Finland. Born to a Finnish father and Swedish mother, Lindahl moved to Esbo, Finland, last autumn after several years living in Luxembourg. She announced in a Finnish Athletics Federation press release, "I ran for Sweden in my junior years, now I want to achieve success for Finland." Lindahl specializes in the 100 meters and 200 meters and has a history of international competition representing Sweden.

The Finnish Athletics Federation has engaged in discussions with the Swedish Federation since late last year regarding Lindahl's transfer and has submitted an application to World Athletics (WA) to authorize the nationality change. Tuomo Salonen, sports director of the Finnish Federation, expressed enthusiasm about Lindahl's wish to switch teams. While a decision from WA is expected early in 2026, a standard three-year waiting period typically applies to national representation changes, especially since Lindahl recently competed at the World Championships in Tokyo. This waiting period may delay her eligibility to represent Finland until fall 2028, potentially causing her to miss the 2027 European Championships and the 2027 World Championships. Lindahl acknowledged these challenges, saying she is mentally prepared for missing upcoming competitions but hopes to compete for Finland in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Lindahl commented on her motivation, saying, "I have always wanted to represent both my countries. Now that my junior career is over, it feels natural to switch. It has felt lonely to represent just one of my countries." The move is unprecedented between Sweden and Finland, highlighting her unique bicultural background and athletics career trajectory.