Anton Persson on his first roller ski intervals after surgery

Anton Persson
Just over a year ago, the Swedish traditional cross-country skier Anton Persson tore his cruciate ligament. After two surgeries, he is on his way to a comeback.

Just over a year ago, the Swedish traditional cross-country skier Anton Persson tore his cruciate ligament. After two surgeries, he is on his way to a comeback.

During the Swedish National Team training camp in Falun a year ago, Anton Persson confided to Langd.se that he had torn the cruciate ligament in his right knee a few months earlier. However, the plan was to continue the season, but at the end of January, he decided to end the season:

“I had a good period in the fall, but it got irritated again when I got on snow. The muscles in the leg became overloaded. And after being in perhaps my best form ever in Bruksvallarna, it just got worse and worse,” says Persson during the press conference at the National Team’s training camp in Meråker, Norway.

The athlete chose to have surgery:

“It was a tough period, even though it was nice to have decided to operate. I had read a lot before the operation, but it was worse than I could have predicted. It was like learning to walk again. And having three weeks without moving was tough for me, who is used to moving around every day. In May, we had a second operation, but it has worked well since then,” says Persson.

What have you been able to train?

“I have been doing a lot of sitting SkiErg (double poling machine). I think I’ve done the most of anyone in the world. I ran 10×1000 meters three times a week, so I was pretty strong in my arms there for a while. Then I borrowed Calle (Halfvarsson) kayak. There were many long runs when the weather was nice in June. But you lose strength in both legs when you can’t run. Right now, I am at 60-70 percent on the jump tests we run. You have to get up to 90 percent to run a “real” competition according to the protocol we follow, and it is a security for me as a skier to know that when I am ready for competition, I can rely fully on my knee.”

On Thursday, Persson did his first interval session:

“I must say that I was higher up in the ‘results list’ than I thought,” says Persson.

One person who has been impressed by Persson’s work to get back during rehab periods is coach Mattias Nilsson:

“Anton has done a very good job, and if it continues to go well, we will see him ski fast this winter. But we will have to be more patient than usual. This is the right time to work patiently and build basic capacity for the awaited championship cycle,” says Nilsson.

The upcoming winter season is a major championship-free. Still, three seasons follow with the World Championships in Trondheim, the Winter Olympics at Milano-Cortina (Val di Fiemme for the cross-country skiers), and the World Championships in Falun in 2027.

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

Show sharing buttons

Subscribe to our newsletter

Most read

  • Trondheim Johaug
    1

    Norwegian national team for the Trondheim World Championships 2025 

    by Leandro Lutz
    21.01.2025
  • 1

    Cross-Country World Cup standings after Les Rousses

    by Leandro Lutz
    20.01.2025
  • team Haavard Solaas  Taugboel
    1

    National team profile head-hunted by Ski Classics top Pro Team

    by Ingeborg Scheve/Translated by Katerina Paul
    01.04.2025
  • Janteloppet
    1

    Northug shrugs off criticism after Janteloppet: “What criticism?”

    by Ingeborg Scheve
    12.04.2025
  • Moa Lundgren
    1

    Moa Lundgren’s season plans

    by MÅRTEN LÅNG/Leandro Lutz Translation
    14.05.2024

More Articles

  • Team ELON Eva

    Team ELON Midt-Norge for season 2025/2026

    The Norwegian Ski Association has named the cross-country skiers for their Team ELON Midt-Norge for the season 2025/2026. 
    by Leandro Lutz
    10.05.2025
  • Kasper Stadaas joins Team Aker Dæhlie

    by Leandro Lutz
    09.05.2025
  • Lager 157 Ski Team bids farewell to longtime team member Marcus Johansson

    by Maja Eriksson/Leandro Lutz
    09.05.2025
  • How to improve your double poling on roller skis

    by ProXCskiing.com
    09.05.2025
  • Roller Ski Guide 2025

    by ProXCskiing.com
    09.05.2025