Saturday, August 9, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Sweden wins eleven medals at Paris 2024 Olympics

Published 13 August 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Sjöström and Mondo delivered.
4 minute read

With a total of eleven medals, including four gold, four silver and three bronze, Sweden is making a strong and solid impression at this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. The Swedish athletes have not only lived up to expectations, but in many cases have exceeded them with unexpected and somewhat historic performances.

The Summer Olympics in Paris were a success for the host country, France. In terms of both performance and attendance, this year’s games have been a huge success, despite some initial gnashing of teeth and skepticism from the local population.

For Sweden, many were convinced that Armand Duplantis and Sarah Sjöström would be the focus of this year’s Olympics, but behind the scenes the table tennis masters wanted something different.

One of the most remarkable performances came from Truls Möregårdh, who won a sensational silver medal in the table tennis singles tournament. Möregårdh, who was considered a long shot before the tournament, defeated some of the world’s best players on his way to the final.

He also helped his teammates Kristian Karlsson and Anton Källberg to a silver medal in the team competition. This success marks Sweden’s first Olympic medals in table tennis since 2000, making their efforts particularly memorable.

King Duplantis

In the world of athletics, Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis continued to make history by not only defending his Olympic gold medal in the pole vault – something that had only happened once before (Bob Richards; 1952/1956) – but also setting a new world record with an incredible 6.25.

Already one of the most celebrated Swedish athletes of modern times, Duplantis added to his status with this incredible feat.

Sarah Sjöström was once again at the top of her game when it mattered most. With gold medals in both the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, she once again proved why she is one of the world’s best swimmers.

Sjöström also made history by becoming the first Swedish swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals at the same championships, further cementing her legendary status.

Not to be outdone, beach volleyball players David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig saved the best for last. After a shaky start to the tournament, they stepped up their game in the playoffs.

The duo dominated the final and delivered a performance that no Swedish volleyball player had ever achieved before. Their triumph on the sand is a milestone that puts Swedish beach volleyball on the international map.

Sweden’s best Olympics since 2000

Sweden has won a total of eleven medals at the Olympic Games in Paris – the best result at a Summer Olympics since Sydney 2000.

The eleven medals reflect excellent performances by outstanding athletes such as Victor Lindgren, shooting (silver), Rebecca Netzler/Vilma Bobeck, sailing, 49er FX (silver), Jenny Rissved, mountain biking (bronze) and Tara Babulfath’s bronze in judo.

Together with the above-mentioned gold medals, it is fair to say that Sweden is one of the most successful nations at this year’s Olympics. Sweden finishes in a fine sixteenth place, which is the best result since Los Angeles in 1984.

This puts Sweden ahead of all our Nordic neighbors such as Norway (18th), Denmark (29th) and Finland, who did not win any medals.

USA and China lead the way

The three countries that have won the most gold medals at the 2024 Olympics are the United States (40 gold medals), China (40) and Japan (20).

The USA (126 in total) has continued its dominance with particular success in athletics and swimming, while China (91) has excelled in events such as table tennis, gymnastics and weightlifting. Japan (45), which has had a strong medal presence since the Tokyo Olympics, has continued to lead the way in judo and wrestling to secure its place among the most successful nations.

Host nation France has put in a strong effort with several impressive performances, especially in its traditionally strong sports such as judo and fencing. French athletes have shown a high level of competitiveness at home, resulting in a significant medal haul of 64, including 16 golds.

In addition, the organizers managed to deliver a well-organized and memorable Games, despite the high expectations and challenges of being the host nation. At the same time, the Paris Olympics were not without controversy, from the much-criticized Opening Ceremony to women’s boxing, where sometimes heated debates about hormone levels and gender identity enraged many.

Ethan Hunt wraps it up

The icing on the cake was provided by none other than Ethan Hunt (aka Tom Cruise), who, in true Mission: Impossible spirit, took the Olympic flag from Paris to the 2028 venue of Los Angeles.

Cruise is a renowned sports enthusiast and the combination of M:I and the Olympics is a stroke of genius, just as when James Bond 007, accompanied by Queen Elizabeth, opened the London 2012 Summer Games, Cruise brought the 2024 Summer Olympics to a magnificent and action-packed close.

Unlike the much-criticized opening ceremony, the closing ceremony was a dignified affair, generally free of any political messages. Not least, the tribute to the thousands of volunteers who made the complicated arrangements possible was a fine and appreciated gesture.

The next Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in four years. Hopefully with new Swedish successes in the trophy cabinet.

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65-year-old Lisa sets world record in ultrarunning

Published 6 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Lisa Amundsson ran 282 kilometers in 48 hours.
1 minute read

Retiree Lisa started running at age 50. Now she has set a world record in ultrarunning, running for 48 hours straight.

It was in 2010 that Lisa Amundsson began running training after reading a newspaper notice stating that anyone can run a marathon. She then ran the Stockholm Anniversary Marathon in 2012 and the New York Marathon in 2014. Since then, Lisa has continued running more, and even longer distances. Now Lisa, who retired this year, has broken the world record for women aged 65 to 69 in ultrarunning. She ran what’s called an ultramarathon, covering 282 kilometers in 48 hours.

Now I’ve managed the nights better, but a few years ago it was really tough, she tells Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

It was at Viadal Ultra, held in Skåne (southern Sweden), that Lisa broke the world record. This is an ultrarace where participants run as far as they can within a specified time – in Lisa’s case, 48 hours.

Couldn’t run a kilometer

Today, she runs between 70 and 100 kilometers a week. But training hasn’t always been fun or easy for Lisa. She used to think running was “pure torture”.

Fifteen years ago, I couldn’t even run a kilometer, she says.

Lisa’s best advice for starting to run is to begin slowly and join a running club. Once you get going, you can sign up for a smaller race to train for, but it’s important to have realistic goals, listen to your body, and not worry too much about times.

Let it take the time it takes.

Icelandic actor breaks world record in deadlift

Published 28 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
2 minute read

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson has set a new world record in deadlift. The Icelandic “Game of Thrones” actor lifted a total of 505 kilograms.

The 36-year-old, who is often called Thor because his first name is the Icelandic name for the thunder god, has now broken the previous record set by British strongman Eddie Hall in 2016, when he lifted 500 kilograms in deadlift.

During Saturday’s Eisenhart Black Competition, held in Germany, Björnsson lifted 505 kilograms. The lift was performed with a lifting suit, belt and straps, and after a brief struggle with the weight, Björnsson managed to rise to full height with the barbell.

To my fans: I love you. To my haters: You helped make this happen too“, the Icelandic strongman writes on X.

Previously, the Icelander, who is also known as “The Mountain” in the TV series Game of Thrones, lifted 501 kilograms, but that was outside of competition and therefore did not count as an official record.

Björnsson and Hall have been in conflict with each other for several years. This came after a strongman competition that Hall won by one point ahead of Björnsson, who in turn claimed he had been robbed of victory. But now Hall congratulates the Icelander for his achievement.

Massive respect to Thor for making history & setting the official WR at 505kg. That’s one hell of a pull. Records are made to be broken“, Hall writes on Instagram.

Florida defends their Stanley Cup title

Published 18 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Florida Panthers – Stanley Cup champions 2024–2025.
2 minute read

The Florida Panthers defended their Stanley Cup title on Wednesday night after a convincing victory over the Edmonton Oilers, who were their opponents in the final for the second year in a row.

On Wednesday night, the team secured its second consecutive Stanley Cup title in front of a raucous crowd in Sunrise, Florida. The Edmonton Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, put up a fight but were ultimately defeated by the Panthers’ superior physicality and discipline.

With a 5–1 win in the game and a 4–2 victory in the final series, the Panthers made history as the NHL’s first back-to-back champions since 2021, becoming the first team since Florida neighbors Tampa Bay to win the Stanley Cup two years in a row.

Home advantage proved decisive, with the Panthers winning three of the last four games, two of them at home, and scoring a total of 14–5 in their victories. Looking at the final four games of the series, Florida won the goal tally by a clear 16–8.

Sam Reinhart was the big hero of the game, putting in a historic performance with four goals in the final – a feat that only five players have ever achieved in NHL history. His third goal, which completed his hat trick, saw hats and the classic plastic rats rain down on the ice in a tribute to Panthers tradition and the fans’ joy.

In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky put in a solid performance, saving 28 of 29 shots, which contributed greatly to the team’s triumph.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman presented the trophy to team captain Aleksander Barkov and praised the Panthers for their performance.

Power factor

Florida has long been considered an underdog but has quickly established itself as a power factor in the league. The final series also confirms a long-term trend reversal: there has been no Canadian Stanley Cup winner for 32 years, and teams from the southern United States – not least Florida – dominate the league.

Facts: Florida Panthers

  • Founded: 1993
  • Home arena: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
  • Stanley Cup titles: 2 (2024, 2025)
  • Team captain: Aleksander Barkov
  • Head coach: Paul Maurice
  • Club colors: Red, blue, gold, and white
  • Nicknames: “The Cats,” “Panthers”
  • Nordic players on the team in 2024/25: Gustav Forsling (defense, SWE), Jesper Boqvist (center/forward, SWE), Aleksander Barkov (center/captain, FIN), Anton Lundell (center, FIN), Eetu Luostarinen (center, FIN), Niko Mikkola (defense, FIN)

Hockey legend Ovechkin added to Ukrainian “kill list”

The war in Ukraine

Published 11 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Alexander Ovechkin is an outspoken supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
2 minute read

Russian hockey legend Alexander Ovechkin, who recently became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, has been added to Ukraine’s notorious “enemy list” on the website Mirotvorets (Peacemaker).

Mirotvorets is a database that publishes personal information about individuals who allegedly threaten Ukraine’s security, but has been condemned by human rights groups and described as a “kill list”, as several people listed there have been assassinated or died under unclear circumstances shortly after.

According to Mirotvorets, Washington Capitals star Ovechkin has been included for allegedly working to “whitewash Russia’s reputation” in front of the international community through his participation in international sporting events, as well as for justifying “aggression against Ukraine among foreign audiences”.

The 39-year-old forward is also accused of “deliberately violating” Ukraine’s border, which likely refers to his vacation on the Crimean Peninsula in 2015 – a year after the region voted in a referendum to reunite with Russia.

It is now easier to find people who are not included on the Mirotvorets database, so there is really nothing to discuss, commented Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Founded “Putin Team”

Russian MP and 2006 Olympic gold medalist in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova expressed surprise on the news channel VseProSport that Ovechkin’s name was only added now.

– It is strange that they did not add Ovechkin to the Mirotvorets database earlier. Alex created the Putin Team (movement in support of Vladimir Putin’s candidacy in the 2018 presidential election in Russia), and for that alone he should have already been on the list.

Zhurova added that she does not believe the listing will have any major consequences for Ovechkin:

– He will not face any restrictions in his daily life or experience problems with entering the US, where he plays for the NHL team Washington Capitals.

Linked to several assassinations

In April, Ovechkin scored his 895th goal in the NHL regular season, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s previous record of 894 goals. Since then, he has added to his tally and now stands at 897 goals.

Ovechkin’s contract with the Washington Capitals runs until the summer of 2026. Earlier this year, he mentioned that he was considering returning to Russian club Dynamo Moscow, where his professional career began.

The website Mirotvorets has been described by critics as a “kill list”,  as several people who have appeared on it have later been murdered. Yulia Gorbunova, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, warns that the list poses a real threat to the lives of those on it. In April 2015, for example, the website published the home addresses of Ukrainian writer Oles Buzina and former member of parliament Oleg Kalashnikov – just days before both were killed in separate attacks.

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