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#SpeedSkating

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Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Minsk (BLR) 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

He was an undisputed champion in the junior ranks, but it took him a while to reach the very top as a senior. Sverre Lunde Pedersen made his international senior debut in the 2009/10 season, and became an Olympic Champion in 2018 when he led Norway to Team Pursuit gold on PyeongChang. One month later he spoiled a golden opportunity to win the World Allround title in Amsterdam with a dramatic crash in the final 10,000m. Redemption is a big motivation.

Little Sverre was only three year's old when he started Speed Skating. He followed his father's footsteps. Jarle Pedersen competed in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid and finished 6th in the 500m.

"I come from Os, a small city just south of Bergen. It's about half an hour's drive to the rink in Bergen. My father and my older brother were members of the Speed Skating club and I joined them. As a kid I also liked to play football, but I quit at age 13 or 14. I suffered from growing pains in my knee and it was too painful to play football, while I could still go Speed Skating and cycling."

Pedersen's talent for Speed Skating became apparent at a young age already.

"My first international competition was the Viking Race in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, when I was 11 years old. I skated versus amongst others Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) and Thomas Krol (NED). Between the age of 11 and 15, I participated in the Viking Race every year and I won every single distance. The last year I was eligible for the Viking Race, I skipped it because I was selected as a reserve skater for the Team Pursuit at the Olympic Games in Vancouver (2010)."

Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) WASSC 2018(c)International Skating Union (ISU) 930426636

Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

Then 16-year-old Pedersen did not skate in Vancouver, but he became World Junior Allround Champion in 2011 and 2012. Moving up to the senior ranks proved to be difficult, however.

"It was much harder than I thought. It took me years to really reach the highest level. I had to be patient and it was challenging not to win every time. Of course, I knew before that sometime others will get faster, but it's a hard thing to see others from the same age or younger beat me.

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Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Erfurt (GER) 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

"What kept me confident was the fact that I still improved every year, even though I was not at the highest level yet. My coaches and the people around me always kept telling me to work very hard. My father and the other trainers at the club in my youth always told me that you have to train hard to stay on top. Even if you win, don’t behave like some super star, but keep working because the others are catching up."

This down to earth mentality was important in the Pedersen family.

"My parents are the most influential people in my Speed Skating career. They taught me everything: how to behave like a good person on and off the ice.

"I have an older sister, who never skated, and an older brother. We have always been a close family. That means a lot to me."

Apart from his parents and his siblings Pedersen still has friends, who have been around since the early days on the Speed Skating rink. Both Sindre Henriksen and Håvard Lorentzen were his peers at FANA IL Skating club in Bergen.

Sverre Lunde Pedersen, Havard Bokko and Sindre Henriksen (NOR)WCSS JPN 2018(c)International Skating Union (ISU) 1071331148

Sverre Lunde Pedersen, Havard Bokko and Sindre Henriksen (NOR) at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Tomakomai (JPN) 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

His father was national coach of Norway when Pedersen joined the selection, but in 2014 Sondre Skarli took over the coaching duties, before Bjarne Rykkje and Edel Therese Hoiseth took over after the 2018 Olympic Games.

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Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Erfurt (GER) 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

"Sondre Skarli used to be an assistant to my father and after he took over he has been very important. I knew him very well and while I was developing as a Speed Skater he was developing as a coach. When I grew older, I noticed that I could train at higher intensity."

In the 2016/17 season Pedersen found out that this high intensity can also become too much of a good thing.

"We tried to work hard and harder and I thought my body could handle everything, but I worked too hard in fall training. I had never had that experience before, but it made me aware of the need to rest. Since then I've tried to seek the balance."

Finding that balance led to Pedersen's most successful season in 2017/18, with the Olympic gold as the pinnacle of his career so far.

"Before the Team Pursuit gold, which is my most memorable prize, I also cherish the bronze in the 5000m, which was my first Olympic medal.

Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) WASSC 2018(c)International Skating Union (ISU) 930496842

Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

"The World Allround Championships in Amsterdam obviously were the biggest disappointment. I was in such a good shape and the 1500m on Sunday morning was amazing. I still don't know what exactly happened with that crash in the 10,000, but it was devastating.

"What helped me a lot is that we had the World Cup Finals one week later in Minsk. I won all three distances I skated and that helped me to close off the season with a good feeling."

The missed World Allround title still hurts, however.

"I grew up watching Allround Skating on television, with Sven Kramer (NED)] and Håvard Bøkko (NOR)]. I like it a lot and the World Allround title is a big goal for me."

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Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Salt Lake City (USA) 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)

With Pedersen and Lorentzen spearheading the new generation, Norwegian Speed Skating has found a path to winning ways again. Pedersen does not want to speak of a revival, however.

"Even though we've had maybe a decade without big prizes, Håvard was always there. He was really good, but he had to fight against Sven, the best of all time.

"Of course, it's great to be part of this new generation, winning medals. The interest for Speed Skating in Norway is growing again, but we have to keep up the good results because it's a tough competition for attention with other winter sports like biathlon, cross country skiing and alpine skiing."