Tilde Johansson Faces Tough Competition for 2025 World Athletics Championships

Tilde Johansson is striving to secure a qualification spot for the upcoming 2025 World Athletics Championships, amid fierce competition in the Swedish long jump category. In the recent Swedish Championships held in Karlstad, Johansson finished fourth, narrowly missing a medal by just six centimeters. The gold went to 18-year-old Ayla Hallberg Hossein with a jump of 6.56m, followed closely by Khaddi Sagnia and Maja Åskag, who managed jumps of 6.55m and 6.54m, respectively.

Johansson's personal best stands at 6.51m, placing her fourth in the national rankings as the top three jumpers have achieved distances of 6.75m, 6.69m, and 6.57m. "It’s very frustrating; fourth is almost the first loser, but I would feel worse if I wasn’t in the fight," Johansson remarked on her close finish. Looking ahead, she is set to compete in the Sollentuna GP and a street meet in Copenhagen, both critical for enhancing her qualification prospects for the World Championships scheduled for mid-September.

With the Swedish Athletics Federation establishing a qualification standard of 6.65m, none of the athletes have yet met this benchmark this year. Head coach Kajsa Bergqvist noted that the final selections will be made as late as possible, highlighting the competitive nature of the upcoming selections. Johansson, while recognizing the pressure, expressed a calmer outlook: "I don’t feel stressed about the World Championships; it will be a bonus." Her journey towards potential qualification continues as she prepares for the next set of competitions.