#1YearToGo: Modin on course to end gold medal drought

“Winning three medals in Finsterau was much more than I could expect or hope for. After two horrible years during which I have been struggling with injuries and guides, and even thought of throwing my skis to the fire, I thought of this season as a comeback.”

Sweden’s Para Nordic skier Zebastian Modin is hoping to put an end to his gold medal drought at the Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, from 9-18 March 2018.

The 22-year-old, who won one bronze at Vancouver 2010 and two silvers and one bronze at Sochi 2014, believes his standout performance at February 2017’s World Para Nordic Skiing Championships in Finsterau, Germany, will act as catalyst for further success.

“I am very satisfied with my performance at the Worlds,” said Modin, who won three medals in the men’s cross-country skiing visually impaired , a gold in the sprint and two silvers in the long distance and mixed relay with guide Johannes Andersson.

“Winning three medals in Finsterau was much more than I could expect or hope for. After two horrible years during which I have been struggling with injuries and guides, and even thought of throwing my skis to the fire, I thought of this season as a comeback.”

Almost four years passed until Modin could win again. The Swedish secured three victories at a World Cup in Cable, USA, in 2013, and only topped the podium again at a World Cup in Vuokatti, Finland, in December 2016.

“Finsterau 2017 was my biggest goal of the year. To be back fighting at the top feels so great and I am happy to have won my first world title. Now I want to build on this and get ready for next season,” he said.

Modin will now compete at the third World Cup in PyeongChang, South Korea, a competition that will also serve as a Test Event for next year’s Paralympic Winter Games.

“I was mentally and physically tired after the World Championships so enjoyed two easy weeks back at home, which made me very well,” he said. “Now I am looking forward to racing again and fight to finish as the World Cup overall winner, something I have never achieved before.

“But the most important thing is to test the tracks in PyeongChang to ski fast next year at the Paralympic Winter Games.”

Modin has been thinking of qualifying for the 2018 Paralympics right after the Closing Ceremony of Sochi 2014.

“I have Paralympic medals but not a gold, which is why I have set that as my goal for PyeongChang 2018, even though I know it will be tough to win,” he said.

The PyeongChang 2018 Test Event will also act as a World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup between 10-15 March. The World Cup Finals then take place swiftly afterwards in Sapporo, Japan, from 18-22 March.

Live results from both competitions will be available at World Para Nordic Skiing’s website.

The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games will take place between 9-18 March and will feature up to 670 athletes, a 24 per cent increase on the 539 athletes that competed at Sochi 2014.