Cross-country: Another nightmare race for Halfvarsson — Olympics now far away

Originally published in SVT Sport on January 03, 2026

Calle Halfvarsson just can't seem to get going this season. After finishing 38th in the Scandinavian Cup in Hakunila, Finland, his dream of making the Olympics looks to be all but over.

“I will live on hope until the day I get a message that says: ‘No, you will not be selected,’” Halfvarsson said.

In Friday's sprint in Hakunila the Olympic-hopeful Halfvarsson was knocked out already in the quarterfinals. Saturday's 20-kilometre classic went no better. The Swedish veteran was hopeless from the start and was beaten by more than 40 competitors. When the 36-year-old crossed the line he was 2 minutes 25 seconds behind the winner, Norway's Edvard Sandvik, which put Halfvarsson in 38th place.

“What I'm doing here and now is not enough. It's pretty far from enough. But I know the history: I was sick for a total of five weeks this autumn and also recently a few weeks ago. I know why there is sand in the machine,” he told Finnish broadcaster Yle.

Olympics drifting away: "Living on hope"

For Halfvarsson the dream of the Olympics in Milano–Cortina, which start in a little over a month, therefore appears to be over. The race weekend in Hakunila was only his second of the season, and so far he has not started a World Cup race. At the Swedish season opener in Gällivare he also struggled and did not perform.

Despite that, the Swede is not ready to give up yet.

“I will live on hope until the day I get a message that says: ‘No, you will not be selected’. Then that's how it is, then you have to set your sights on the future and what happens after the Olympics. But I'm living on hope, and there are a few races left so we'll see,” he said.

Häggström best Swede: “Should look promising”

Instead it was Johan Häggström who was the top Swede, finishing ninth, 48.3 seconds back. Häggström now hopes to secure an Olympic spot.

“Of course it should look promising, but we have races tomorrow and next weekend there's the Swedish Cup in Falun that I will race. So there are a few races left where you need to show you're ready,” he said.

As usual it was a Norwegian display at the top of the results; the first non-Norwegian did not appear until eighth place on the results list.