"I train because I love my body"

Seven sweaty questions

Emma Igelström will complete her first triathlon, the Ironman in Kalmar in two weeks. The other participants will have to watch out during the race - she describes herself as an "extreme competitor" and "a bastard at long distances".

Emma Igelström, 35, has had a successful career as a swimmer, winning no less than four World Championship golds, one World Championship silver, 12 European Championship golds, two European Championship silvers and three European Championship bronzes. She was also the first woman ever to break the dream barrier of 30 seconds in the 50-meter breaststroke. But since she retired from swimming, she hasn't had a training goal. Until now. On August 15, she will be on the starting line in Kalmar to complete her first Ironman.

How much of a competitor are you?

- I am an extreme competitor but not a bad loser. I no longer let performance dictate how I feel. Today I let the joy of reaching my goals rule, not the fear of failing them," says Emma Igelström, who blogs HERE.

But if you are an extremely competitive person, you must have done something remarkable after a loss at some point?

- Haha, I have always taken losses. I know my coach always gave me a moment of alone time after a bad race. After a loss, I pick myself up quickly and have the ability to turn those bad experiences into revenge.

Many people don't like to compete because they can't handle the pressure on themselves andras expectations. How do I find the joy of competition if I don't have it naturally?

- Don't compete if you don't want to. There is no status in that you should enter races and so on. I try to see every race as an experience and a challenge rather than a competition. To dare to challenge yourself is awesome. You are a winner no matter what.

How do you train?

- I train with joy and emotion. In addition, I see training as a whole. It is not only the body that needs to be trained, but also the mind and heart. I train because I love my body, not because I hate it.

What do you do when your motivation to train is lacking?

- First and foremost, I don't care about being stressed about lack of motivation. If we stress and push ourselves to do things, we will definitely not have the joy. Joy is the most important thing to get sustainability and longevity in training. Find what you are passionate about and dare to try new things. Too many of us train things that we don't really think are fun just because we 'should' do it. All training that happens is good training, the one that does not happen gives nothing, except possibly a bad conscience.

Which sport, besides swimming, are you unexpectedly awesome at?

- I am surprised every day by what my head and body can do. I am a bastard at long distances. The more my head and body are challenged, the better. I will never be the best at any sport again but I feel more awesome today than I did during my swimming career. Every new thing I try and every little development in myself makes me feel more comfortable with myself now.

What's your favorite song to train to right now?

- Right now I'm actually listening to summer chats during my training. Otherwise, I like to train to heavy house, which means I don't have to think and can focus on just doing.

Emma Igelström's favorite breakfast

- I love breakfast! Right now I'm eating Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. I also eat an egg.