The Karlsson/Dahlqvist duo is becoming a very likely scenario for the team sprint at the 2022 Olympics in February: 

Linn Svahn is out for the season with a shoulder injury she sustained at the World Cup in Ulricehamn, Sweden, in February 2021. Early this fall, Svahn had surgery on the shoulder. This week, she had another surgery, and will not compete this winter.

Also, Jonna Sundling, who won the team sprint with Dahlqvist at 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, is injured. The reigning team sprint world champion took a fall at the season openers in November. 

With both Svahn and Sundling on the injury list, “Team MDFK” with the two best buddies Dahlqvist and Karlsson is looking like a shoe-in for Sweden at the Olympics.

“That’s a really cool goal to aim for. Skiing three legs in a classic sprint would fit me well, so that’s certainly something to aim for,” Karlsson says to Swedish broad caster SVT Sport. 

The team sprint is scheduled for February 16, four days after the distance relay and four days prior to the final 30-kilometer.

“I looked up the race schedule for the Olympics even last season, so the team sprint has been on my mind for a while,” Karlsson says. 

Dahlqvist is also excited about the idea.

“In our national team, everyone’s friends, no matter who my sprint partner is. But to race the Olympic team sprint with ‘Team MDFK’ would be a golden opportunity,” Dahlqvist says. 

However, Swedish national team director Anders Byström doesn’t make any promises yet.

“It sounds like an interesting idea, but we have not thought about the entries for the team sprint at the Olympics quite yet. First, we have to select the Olympic team and see who makes the cut. But I am confident that Frida (Karlsson) would do well in a team sprint.”