New record attempts await on Sunday

Andreas Almgren comes directly from his amazing 5000 meter race in Bislett to the Stockholm Olympic stadium. In the same arena, Henrik Larsson believes he can become the first Swede under 10 seconds and according to Almgren, Samuel Pihlström can threaten his Swedish record for 1500 meters.

During Friday, the annual national press conference was held before the BAUHAUS gala with the top names in Swedish athletics. There was a lot of interest in the meeting and especially great interest in the recent Swedish record holder, from yesterday in Oslo, Andreas Almgren.

- Today I feel okay, a bit overrun, but that's how it should feel. I have 48 hours to get fresh and it will go well, he says.

Almgren comes from a tough training week where he sprinted 18 miles. The goal is to be as good as possible during the championships that await this summer where the European Championship, next week, is the first.

- I think I have great medal opportunities and it feels good. I can do the race the way I want now instead of relying on the power. Now I have a toolbox to work with and it's inspiring, he says.

However, Andreas is not the only top Swedish runner. Last winter, Andreas Kramer became the first Swedish men's runner to win a medal at a World Championship when he came second in the 800m in Glasgow. The stable runner has started the season well and has already gone under 1.45 in the 800m.

- In this race, I hope that it goes faster from the start compared to in Ostrava. It's a good starting point and you have to thank for that, he says and continues:

- On Sunday, it's about finding a good position, being invisible and putting in an extra gear on the run.

Henrik Larsson wants to become historic
Last summer, Henrik Larsson became the first Swede to reach the semi-finals in the 100 meters since 1936. Last winter he was in the World Championship finals in the 60 meters and the winter before he won a medal at the indoor European Championship.

- It went quickly in the last training session yesterday. The goal is to go out and do a good race, he says before the gala.

- As long as I don't get a lot of bad flow and bad weather, it should be possible to break the dream limit of 10 seconds.

Larsson, who already holds the Swedish record in the 100m, sees, like many others, the BAUHAUS gala as a good opportunity to measure himself against the best.

- The level of sprinting in Europe has risen a lot from when I was little, which is fun, but I feel comfortable with being able to settle for a final place at the European Championship anyway.

Swedish sprinting has also progressed on the women's side. Julia Henriksson has started the season by setting the second best time ever by a Swede in the 100m and at the Nordic Championships she was below the Swedish record but in too much of a tailwind. Right now, she is only three hundredths off Linda Haglund's 44-year-old Swedish record. On Sunday, she runs both 100 and 200 meters.

- No one has been close to the Swedish record before, so it would be a big dream to be able to take it, she says.

At the BAUHAUS gala, she will meet Shericka Jackson, Daryll Neita and Marie-Josée Ta Lou.

- On Sunday there will be good opposition so I should be able to push my times.

Bengtström qualified directly for the Olympics
It only took one race for Carl Bengtström to qualify for the Olympics in the 400m hurdles. In the season debut he struck with 48.61 and a few weeks ago he got the ticket to Paris. Right now he is half a second off Sven Nylander's Swedish record for the distance and at the Bauhaus gala he will face the toughest possible opposition when Alison Dos Santos will start.

- Perfect to get a good last pass before the championships, says Bengtström.

Another who started the season well is Simon Sundström. The World Championship finalist has already managed to do 8.19 this year and is thirteenth on the even European list. After suffering a stomach bug after the Diamond league competition in Marrakesh, he is now looking forward to the Bauhaus Gala.

- It is always powerful to run at the Stadium, says Sundström.

Samuel Pihlström was also present during the press conference. The Swedish indoor 1500m record holder has started the season by beating a personal best in the 1500m. His 3.35.15 is the fourth best of all time in Sweden.

Last winter, the 23-year-old, who is known for his finishes, was eighth in the World Championship final in the 1500m.

- The Olympic qualification of 3.33.5 is the goal for the Bauhaus gala, he says and explains that the form is on the rise.

He doesn't want to talk about times, but according to Andreas Almgren, Pihlström has every opportunity to threaten his Swedish record of 3.32.00 during the summer.

To give the runners even better conditions, there will be "wavelights" during the races. Lights that allow the runners to see what speed they must maintain throughout the race. The supplement has, according to some, been a big part of the results in running progressing as much as they have in recent years.

- It feels good that Andreas says that wavelights make it better because I run with it for the first time on Sunday, says Pihlström.