“Don’t you have women in Norway?” asked the German press manager in the interview zone in Budapest. Then he started laughing. But beneath the obvious joke was an equally obvious point. Which in Norway does not elicit particularly big smiles. He passed by while news was talking to German sprint star Gina Lückenkemper, double European champion from Munich last year. Now she was angry with the starters inside the stadium in Budapest after being knocked out in the semi-finals of the 100 metres. The German sprinter Gina Lückenkemper reached the semi-finals of the WC. Last year she won gold in the EC. Photo: JEWEL SAMAD / AFP She had nevertheless caught on to the Norwegian challenges in bringing out women who can compete at the very top level. As we have managed to some extent on the men’s side. “Everything must be equal,” she said. And aimed at the prerequisites. This has also been a challenge in Germany. Now the success of Lückenkemper and others has contributed to change. The code no one can crack In Norway, we are obviously going backwards into the future. And no one knows how to reverse the trend. Which sports director Erlend Slokvik also admits. He talks about “processes” and “long-termism”, but also doesn’t have the answers to how to get results quickly. As many expect from the association, when Norwegian athletics succeeds so exceptionally well – as long as we are only talking about men. Sports director Erlend Slokvik in the Norwegian Athletics Federation has experienced great triumphs on the men’s side. The women fare worse. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB On the current senior national teams under the Norwegian Athletics Federation, the gender distribution is 17-5 in favor of men. No radical steps have been taken to achieve a greater degree of balance. The same disheartening honesty was expressed by the top sports director, when last autumn news showed the discouraging figures for female representation at the top of Norwegian sports. “Unfortunately, we have not been able to crack the code”, Tore Øvrebø said then. Seen from the outside, the feeling of a kind of resigned resignation seems perhaps the most disturbing. Although those involved are unlikely to vouch for this description of the situation. Norwegian medals in global championships since 2000 WC in Budapest in 2023 Gold: Karsten Warholm, 400 meter hurdles Silver: Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 1500 meters Bronze: Narve Gilje Nordås, 1500 meters WC in Eugene in 2022 Gold: Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 5000 meters Silver: Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 1500 meters Bronze: Eivind Henriksen, Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 Gold: Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 1500 meters Gold: Karsten Warholm, 400 meters hurdles Silver: Eivind Henriksen, Olympic Games in Doha in 2019 Gold: Karsten Warholm, 400 meters hurdles World Championships in London in 2017 Gold: Karsten Warholm, 400 meter hurdles Bronze: Filip Ingebrigtsen, 1500 meters Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 World Championships in Beijing in 2015 World Championships in Moscow in 2013 Olympic Games in London in 2012 World Championships in Daegu in 2011 Silver: Andreas Thorkildsen, javelin throw World Cup in Berlin in 2009 Gold: Trond Nymark, 50 kilometer race Gold: Andreas Thorkildsen, javelin throw World Cup in Beijing in 2008 Gold: Andreas Thorkildsen, javelin throw Silver: Kjersti Tysse Plätzer, 20 kilometer race World Cup in Osaka in 2007 Silver: Andreas Thorkildsen, javelin throw WC in Helsinki in 2005 Silver: Andreas Thorkildsen, javelin Olympic in Athens 2004 Gold: Andreas Thorkildsen, javelin WC in Paris in 2003 WC in Edmonton in 2001 Olympic in Sydney in 2000 Gold: Trine Hattestad, javelin Silver: Kjersti Tysse Plätzer, 20 kilometer race Hanne Haugland thinks it will go well in the end Optimism in Norwegian athletics on the women’s side has been focused on young talents such as Henriette Jæger and Andrea Rooth. The latter has stated that the goal is Olympic gold. And maybe that type of perspective is needed to succeed. “In Jamaica, you don’t get opportunities, you create them,” says 400-meter runner Candice McLoad. In Norway, the world often looks a little different. The opportunities are there on paper, the resources too, but they are not being utilised. Hanne Haugland is one of the few Norwegian women who has actually succeeded in winning World Cup gold, as she did in height in 1997. Today, she is the Olympiatoppen’s responsible for athletics and one of those who feels the development of Norwegian athletics most closely. Hanne Haugland was one of four Norwegian women who took a total of five WC gold medals in the 80s and 90s. Photo: NTB Her thoughts on the overall situation for female athletes are both interesting and include a greater degree of optimism for the future: – I think that we who are around the athletes must give recognition to women who dare to bet. Sometimes I think that women “take in” other people’s expectations to a greater extent than men. For example, in relation to when it is expected that you have to move on in life. It does not make sense to engage in this top sport. This also involves creating security in a way that is unique for women who want to invest. Including who are the coaches. Hanne Haugland is one of the few former female stars who now uses her expertise as a manager. There is clearly a need for more, especially among young athletes. It is not a new issue – nor a simple one – but at the same time one that the union has not been able to prioritize high enough. Very heavy World Cup numbers Because the World Cup numbers are merciless against the Norwegian women’s effort. In the original World Cup squad, the numbers were 17–10 in masculine favour. Of the 9 women who started, only the 33-year-old WC debutant, Line Kloster, made it through the trial heats. Line Kloster reached the semi-finals in Budapest. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB In the semi-final of the 400 meter hurdles, she too had no chance – and went out, in a time one and a half seconds behind her personal record set last year. During the WC in Eugene in 2022, Norway had one female finalist, Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal in the 5000 metres. This time, our best long-distance runner for a number of years was also unable to progress from the attempt. Instead, she traveled home – and set a Norwegian record in the 5 kilometer street race last weekend. Those who have fun. And those who have found their way. One who remained in Budapest was Dutch Lieke Klaver, who together with her teammates finished the WC with a spectacular WC gold in the 4×400 metres. The Netherlands has had several female stars in recent years. The Dutch team celebrates that Femke Bol decided the 4×400 meter relay at the finish line during the last day of the WC. Photo: ALINA SMUTKO / Reuters Klaver’s succinct analysis of the reason for the success is simply: “We have fun”. Norwegian women do not seem to have it in the same way at the moment. But the WC gave Norwegian athletics a new female profile. Her name is Mari Ann Ingvaldsen and she is a trainer. Symptomatic of a shooting star who is also not a woman. The son Håvard Ingvaldsen, at the age of only 20, was very close to setting a new European record already in the attempt. Nevertheless, perhaps Ingvaldsen and other female coaches can successfully contribute with the necessary inspiration. Norway got a new profile in the WC when Håvard Ingvaldsen went to the final in the 400 metres. He is trained by his mother Mari Ann Bentdal. Photo: Anders Engeland / news “Someone has to knock on the door,” says Britain’s former Olympic and world champion, Christine Ohuruogu, when we ask her. “And then it goes in cycles.” Finland is one of the countries that is in a very positive cycle. Out of a squad of 40 athletes in Budapest, a total of 27 were women. Norway was once there too. Our first five World Cup golds were all won by women. In the 1980s and 90s. Now the Norwegian Athletics Federation and their president Anne Farseth will enter several demanding evaluation processes. How to improve opportunities for female championship success becomes one of the two most important. “We have found our way”, says the Finnish pole vault bronze medalist in Budapest, Wilma Murto, to news. Which is certainly nice for the Finns. Unfortunately, however, the road does not swing through the neighboring country of Norway for the time being.
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