Sandra Naeslund

Sandra Catrin Näslund was born on July 6, 1996, in Kramfors, Sweden. She developed an early interest in skiing, eventually specializing in both ski cross and alpine skiing. Her professional career in freestyle skiing began with her Freestyle World Cup debut in March 2012. Näslund quickly established herself in the sport, showcasing her skills on the global stage.

Throughout her career, Näslund has achieved significant milestones. She participated in the 2014 Winter Olympics, placing 5th in the ski cross event. Her determination led to her becoming Sweden’s first world champion in ski cross at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in 2017 in Sierra Nevada. She continued her dominance, winning the ski cross World Cup titles in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023. A pivotal moment came at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where she secured a gold medal in women’s ski cross, winning both the qualification run and all subsequent elimination heats. This achievement marked her as the first Swedish skier to win an Olympic gold in the ski cross event.

Näslund’s career has also involved overcoming injuries, including multiple incidents affecting her right knee. Despite these challenges, she has consistently returned to competition at a high level. She secured additional World Championship titles in 2021 and 2023 for ski cross, and also a gold medal in mixed team ski cross in 2023, demonstrating her sustained performance and strong competitive spirit. She has accumulated 37 individual World Cup victories and 63 podium finishes.