Gold, silver, and bronze at the last Olympic Games in Beijing 2022. Three gold medals and one bronze at the World Championships in Trondheim last year. The 31-year-old from Umeå is the medal machine you can always rely on. Quite simply, Sweden’s strongest card in the cross-country skiing tracks of Val di Fiemme?

Jonna Patricia Marie Sundling, born December 28, 1994. She is the skier national team head coach Anders Byström keeps a close eye on, the one with the greatest medal chances.

Much of the attention around Swedish women’s cross-country skiing often focuses on Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson. Jonna Sundling tends to keep a lower profile, even though she was the big winner at the Swedish Sports Awards Gala this year.

She competes relatively sparingly and has been sidelined at times by injuries and illness.

First to test the Olympic tracks

Sundling was the first Swedish skier to arrive at the Olympic tracks in Lago di Tesero, Val di Fiemme. There, she also unveiled Sweden’s new Olympic racing suit for the first time.

“I love it. As soon as I got it home, I thought: ‘I feel kind of fast in it,’” Sundling said Sporbladet, admitting that she has a really good feeling in the suit, even though it has received criticism from some.

Also Read: That’s why the Swedes always wear white racing suits

She believes that feelings can make a difference.

“It’s mostly about your physical form, of course. But if you feel good, or fast and confident, it can definitely help your mindset,” Sundling added.

As the first Swedish cross-country skier on site, Sundling was also asked about the upcoming Olympic courses.

“Tough and decisive,” was her initial assessment to SVT.

An advantage over Skistad?

That could prove decisive as the 31-year-old looks to defend her sprint title. Norway’s Kristine Stavås Skistad is her main challenger outside Sweden, but Skistad would prefer easier courses that allow her to use her explosive finishing speed.

Read More: The detail that could cost Skistad gold in the Olympic sprint

Sundling says the preparations and the so-called Olympic bubble feel much the same as they always do.

“It’s like stepping into a slightly different world—a mix of everything, nerves, joy, and a lot of excitement. Most of the time, it’s a good feeling. So far, the nerves are manageable,” Sundling said ahead of the Olympic start.

And if she were to win again, it would not be her first triumph at this venue. Back in 2014, Jonna Sundling won both the sprint and the relay at the Junior World Championships, right here in Val di Fiemme.

Winner of the Jerring Prize

At the Swedish Sports Awards Gala, Jonna Sundling won the prestigious Jerring Prize, voted for by the public and therefore especially meaningful to active athletes.

The relatively reserved Sundling grew up in Tvärålund, a small village outside Umeå. Over the past ten years, however, she has, like many members of the Swedish national team, been based in Östersund.

Since the 2021 World Championships, she has won every international sprint title, four in total, including both the Olympics and World Championships. Last year, she also won both relays. She claimed bronze in the skiathlon as well, underlining that she is much more than just a sprinter.

From her hometown club Tvärålund, her breakthrough came at IFK Umeå, among others, alongside Linn Svahn. She later moved to powerhouse club Piteå Elit, where she is now teammates with Olympic teammates Ebba Andersson and Emma Ribom.

Most of the Swedish elite skiers are based in Östersund. Linn Svahn, Ebba Andersson, and Emma Ribom live on Frösön, the island just outside the city center. Jonna Sundling, Frida Karlsson, and Moa Ilar live in the city.

Read More – Olympics 2026: Complete guide to the classic sprint

These are the medals

Olympic Games

• Gold – Sprint (freestyle), 2022 Beijing
• Silver – Team sprint, 2022 Beijing
• Bronze – 4×5 km relay, 2022 Beijing

World Championships

• Gold – Sprint, 2021 Oberstdorf
• Gold – Team sprint, 2021 Oberstdorf
• Gold – Sprint, 2023 Planica
• Gold – Sprint, 2025 Trondheim
• Gold – Team sprint, 2025 Trondheim
• Gold – 4×7.5 km relay, 2025 Trondheim
• Bronze – 20 km skiathlon, 2025 Trondheim

U23 World Championships

• Gold – Sprint, 2016 Rasnov

Junior World Championships

• Gold – Sprint, 2014 Val di Fiemme
• Gold – 4×3.3 km relay, 2014 Val di Fiemme
• Gold – 4×3.3 km relay, 2013 Liberec
• Silver – 4×3.3 km relay, 2012 Erzurum

Youth Olympic Games

• Silver – Sprint, 2012 Innsbruck

Also Read: Program for cross-country skiing at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Cross-country skiing schedule – Olympics 2026

Saturday, February 7: 20km Skiathlon C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Women

Sunday, February 8: 20km Skiathlon C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:30 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

Tuesday, February 10: Sprint C Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Women
• 9:55 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 12:15 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Thursday, February 12: 10km Interval Start F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 10km Interval F, Women

Friday, February 13: 10km Interval Start F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:45 CET: 10km Interval F, Men

Saturday, February 14: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Women

Sunday, February 15: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Men

Wednesday, February 18: Team Sprint Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Women
• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Men
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Women
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Men

Saturday, February 21: 50km Mass Start C Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Men

Sunday, February 22: 50km Mass Start C Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 10:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Val di Fiemme, a classic Nordic skiing venue, promises thrilling racing on courses steeped in Olympic history. Fans around the World will have the chance to cheer on athletes across all distances, from explosive sprints to grueling marathons.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.