– It is clear that we are aware of it. Norway has not worked hard enough for Grace. We have laid out the entire system ourselves. If we had followed their plan, there would have been no WC gold, says manager David Garcia to news. As a national team athlete, Bullen has never reached a WC final before. She has European Championship gold, European Championship silver and gold from the U23 WC, but has never been successful in a WC – until now. It happens after Bullen broke with the national team and moved to Georgia. It comes as no surprise to the manager. SUPPORT: David Garcia has served as manager of Bullen for many years. Photo: PRIVAT/David Garcia – Naturally, there is a connection. Norway did not want to facilitate the preconditions. She depends on world-class trainers and sparring partners, and Norway couldn’t provide that, says Garcia. Realized the potential It was in July that Bullen shared the news that she was leaving the Norwegian national wrestling team to be followed by Georgia. It happened after she was left as the only female athlete, and without a coach. The proposals that the national team put forward were not good enough for Bullen. – The association has not given me an offer that can produce results. They have made offers, but none of them were good enough for me. They support me financially if I go to the polls, but on the coaching front they cannot support me, Bullen told news earlier this year. READY: Bullen from Serbia on Thursday morning, a few hours before the biggest highlight of her career. Photo: PRIVATE news has not been in contact with Bullen out of consideration for the final later on Thursday. On several occasions, Bullen has spoken out about the conflict with the union, which she believes does not take Norwegian top wrestling seriously. Therefore, the manager believes that a possible WC gold will come with an aftertaste, considering the history. – Norway has a long-term plan for young wrestlers in the next 10-15 years, which is great, but for Grace, who is competing for WC and Olympic gold, it was not optimal, says Garcia. He says that the very best in the world want to train with Grace, and that the choice to leave Norway has brought out her full potential. – The potential is completely revealed. If you want to take care of the few talents you have, then you should reach out. Norway could not do that. They try, but the fact is different, he says further. MOVE: Bullen has got a new training group to spar with. Photo: Private – On Thursday alone, Bullen is in her first World Cup final, and can thus repeat the feat that her former coach, Gudrun Høie, did back in 1998. Then she won World Cup gold for Norway, and is currently the last gold one female, Norwegian wrestler has teke. The last time Norway won a women’s medal in the WC was by Lena Aanes back in 2005. She won a bronze medal. Bullen meets Anastasia Nichita from Moldova, and you can watch the final itself on news 2, or on news TV, from 18.00. See the semi-final for Bullen here. Regardless of the outcome, Bullen and Garcia will enjoy the win. – We will enjoy the journey we have had in the last seven, eight months. It has been incredibly tough and lonely. It has only been Grace and me, together with the wonderful sponsors who have mainly financed Grace’s plan. In addition, the Georgian national wrestling team has lined up night and day for Grace, he says. SUPPORT: Here is Bullen in the first round of the WC, together with her Georgian coach. Photo: screen dump Exclusively positive Morten Sandnæs, who is secretary general of the Norwegian wrestling federation, rejoices that Bullen has finally reached a WC final. – It is exclusively positive that Grace is in a WC final. We have been waiting for this for many years, and it is finally happening, says Sandnæs to news. – Manager David Garcia says they “feel it”, when Grace now represents Norway in a final. Do you have a comment on that? – I have no comment on that. They have to take care of that themselves, he says. He does not see Bullen’s World Cup final as a direct consequence of the breach with the association. – We have never experienced anything wrong with the union. She has chosen to stand outside the national team, and we support Grace in her choice. We continue to help her financially, and do what we can, he says. Bullen receives, among other things, financial support from the cooperation partner of the association Thon, by virtue of being an ambassador for the value project Like opportunities. – Then she gets direct and indirect support, which is more than some of the boys, for both trainers and accommodation from the association and the Olympiatoppen, Sandnæs has previously told news. Sport manager Erik Rønstad will not comment on the matter. He is present in Belgrade, Serbia, and follows Bullen’s championship. – Now is focused on sport and Grace’s preparations for tonight’s final, he writes in an SMS to news.
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Trur Bullen’s WC success gives an aftertaste after a bitter dispute
