Svenska Spel has named the 60 Swedish athletes that will be funded by its Elite Sports programme, continued in partnership with Riksidrottsförbundet (RF), Sweden’s Sports Federation.
The Class of 2026 will be provided with financial assistance and specialist support to help them combine competition with post-secondary education.
Each athlete will receive SEK 60,000 (£4,500), bringing the total value of the awards to SEK 3.6m (£2.7m). Recipients will also have access to the federation’s sports psychology and sports medicine services.
The class represents 38 sports associations and 42 disciplines. It includes international championship medallists, World Cup competitors and athletes competing at the highest level of their sports.
Among the selected, Svenska Spel highlights mogul skier Elis Lundholm, golfer Meja Örtengren, powerlifter Axel Isberg, jiu-jitsu athlete Josefine Modig, cross-country skier Anton Grahn and ice hockey player Hilda Svensson – branded as “Sweden next generation of elite athletes and Olympic medal prospects”.
Education comes first…
The scholarship attracted 280 applications from athletes across 52 sports associations. Of the 60 recipients, 37 are women and 23 are men. Elite funding qualification ensures that all participants must be in education or vocational training to receiving funding
Anna Iwarsson, Chairwoman of Riksidrottsförbundet, said financial and personal support was essential for athletes seeking to perform for their national teams. She added that the financial conditions facing most elite athletes remained difficult.
“By providing support for their development and well-being, we create the conditions for world-class results,” Iwarsson said. “Studying and playing sports, having dual careers, also provides a foundation for sustainable lives during and after a sports career.”
For Lundholm, the award will ease the cost of maintaining both commitments.
“Elite sports are expensive and as a student it will be tough to make ends meet financially,” the mogul skier said. “The scholarship will therefore be a great help for me to continue my commitment to both sports and studies.”
The Elite Sports Scholarship forms part of Svenska Spel’s long-standing partnership with the Riksidrottsförbundet. The partners position education alongside sporting performance, giving athletes a route into work after their competitive careers end.
Anna Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Svenska Spel, said the recipients included some of Sweden’s most promising and established athletes.
“When Swedish athletes compete for medals in the international arena, we come together and get involved, while new role models can inspire more children and young people to find their way to sports.
“Among this year’s scholarship recipients are some of Sweden’s most promising and established elite athletes, and we are both happy and proud to be able to contribute to giving them better opportunities to strive for the top while investing in their future through studies.”