Warm up in
HAWAII
If Karin Lundqvist and her teammates qualify for Rio de Janeiro, it will be the first time a Swedish women’s beach volleyball team has competed in the Olympic Games. Karin has spent all spring in intensive training – in Hawaii!! We called her early one morning to hear how things are going.
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“Things are going well. The big qualifying tournament will be taking place over the midsummer weekend. That’s when 16 European countries will be fighting for a place in the Olympic Games. So it’s important to train hard!” It sounds fabulous to be training in Hawaii of all places. “I’ve spent three years at university here and I love this island. People often describe Hawaii as a paradise – and they’re not exaggerating. The people here are incredibly kind and friendly. The climate is perfect. It’s never scorching hot, but it’s always nice and warm.” What is life as a beach volleyball professional like? “Being a professional is like running your own business. I work with sponsors and set up training schedules. I’m also one of the owners of Play 4 Life, which organises beach volleyball training camps at which players at all levels are welcome. During the three months I’m in Hawaii, around 70 people will be coming to train with us.” What use do you make of digital technology when marketing yourself? “Social media have really helped athletes like us to be more visible and raise our profile. Now I can always update my fans on where I am and how things are going. It brings alive the quest towards the goals I’m aiming for, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for fans to feel
part of it all. I hope I can inspire others to follow their own dreams.” What drives you? “My motivation is loving what I do. I love the adrenaline kick of a competition when I have to perform at the peak of my abilities. But I suppose what I like best is the feeling of constantly developing and improving. For example, when I hit a serve a little better than before – or whatever. I’m motivated by seeing the results from that come from training.” You’re also involved in the “Beachvolley against Cancer” charity. How did that come about? “When Nina Grawender and I were teammates, we felt we wanted to do something meaningful and we wondered if we might be able to get our sponsors, HiQ , on board too. As you know, HiQ is a company that welcomes unconventional solutions. It is a big believer in thinking outside the box. So I asked if HiQ would be interested in a collaboration where they donated the equivalent of our prize money to the ‘Beachvolley against Cancer’ fund. It feels good to help other people in ways like this. It’s the right thing to do.” When are you happiest? “When I have the right balance in my life and can feel that I’m still developing. Results aren’t always the most important thing. As long as I feel I’m giving 100 percent and I’m totally committed, I’m happy. That’s when I feel at my best.”
K ARIN LUNDQVIST BORN: 1981 HEIGHT: 188
cm (6 ft 2 ins) volleyball pro and part-owner of Play 4 Life HOME CLUB: Katrineholms VK SWEDISH CHAMPION: 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 HIGHEST RANKING IN WORLD TOUR: 5th place in Grand Slam Gstaad 2008, 9th in European Championships 2013 RIGHT NOW: Aiming to compete in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics BLOG: www.karinlundqvist.com INSTAGRAM: karinlundqvistbeach JOB: Beach
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