Westman writes history despite obstacles

Frida Westman was one of the brightest athletes of the World Cup opening in Wisla. The Swede reached the podium on Sunday – something that hadn't happened for the past 30 years. And she wants to keep going even further.

A long time ago, Jan Bokloev stunned and forever changed the world of ski jumping. He invented the V-style and won the Crystal Globe in 1988/89 as the only Swede. After three decades, Westman brought Sweden back on the map of ski jumping.

She achieved the first World Cup podium for her country for 30 years and the third place of Mikael Martinsson at a home event in Oernsköldsvik.

"I'm really happy and emotional about this. It feels unbelievable," the 21-year-old athlete said.

She grew up in ski jumping spirit. Her father, Magnus Westman, now a FIS judge, was an athlete, too. He was the Swedish World Cup and Olympic team member at the beginning of the 90s. But the daughter already outdid him. She made her competition debut last winter and already one year later celebrated her first podium.

Frida showed a sensational performance in Wisla. She was among the best from the first day and set a new women's hill record in Friday's qualification round. Then she came in fourth on Saturday and in third on Sunday.

"I didn't expect that, but I knew I was better this summer. I thought about Top 10," Westman claimed after achieving her first podium.

She didn't put too much pressure on her before the event. "I just want to do good jumps and have fun," the Swede said in a television interview after the qualifying. And that attitude brought her a breakthrough result.

Her Norwegian coach, Roar Ljoekelsoey, the former double Ski Flying World Champion, was amazed, too.

"We knew her jumps were better, especially the flight part, so we hoped for good results, but we did not know how strong she was comparing to other athletes. We didn't take part in many events last summer," the Norwegian said.

He might have been not sure what to expect but knew at the end of the first day Westman could finish high in Wisla.

"Especially in the qualification round. I saw she jumped as good as the rest of the athletes."

Westman needed to pave her way to the podium through many adversities. She had two serious knee injuries and devoted everything to her career, moving to Trondheim, where the World Ski Championships will be organised in 2025.

"I wanted to be the best ski jumper in the world so I thought I had to move if I wanted to live this dream," she explained.

"At home, I didn't have the environment, people and coaches. That's why I moved. You have to do that to be a ski jumper."

There she met her current coach. Ljoekelsoey worked in Tronderhopp, but Westman was part of another training group. Once she made progress, their ways came together.

"At first, I didn't have him. I was in another group. When I moved up to another group, I got Roar," Westman said.

The environment is much more convenient in Norway, although Falun hosted the World Championships in 2015. And so, when Friedman moved to Trondheim, she could finally show her full potential.

Without having teammates, she can still compare to others which is essential while preparing for a new season.

"She jumps in Trondheim with other athletes. They are mostly guys," her coach claimed.

The hills in Trondheim are now under construction as they will host the World Championships. But it isn't a setback in Westman's career.

"We practice close to Trondheim, and we can also travel to Lillehammer," Ljoekelsoey explained.

The fourth and third place achieved in Wisla made Westman one of the top contenders. She aims to be the best, but Roar keeps calm being asked about her chances of even reaching the Crystal Globe.

"It's maybe a bit too high! Let's take it step by step," he said.

The young Swede hopes she stepped on the right path to make her dreams come true. She avoids telling how high she can end up this season, but her goal is obvious.

"I always believed in myself and believed I could be the best. And now I'm so close to that," Westman didn't doubt Wisla.

She will be back in action at the beginning of December in Lillehammer where the next ladies' World CUp events happen.