Today, at Orwak in Sweden we celebrated our colleague and Olympic medalist Victor Lindgren. The staff had a nice lunch together and Victor was greeted with resounding applause at the gathering afterwards. Victor received flowers and a gift from Orwak and “Victor pastries”, especially designed for the occasion, were served. There was excitement and a definite sense of victory in the air. A reporter from the Swedish Television also attended the ceremony and documented the Orwak family’s celebration of Victor’s success.
Tomas Johansson, Managing Director, and Anna Wright, Plant Director, congratulated Victor
After tough weeks of hard training before and intense days during the Summer Olympics in France, Victor Lindgren has now returned to his hometown Sävsjö in Sweden and to work at Orwak. It was a happy and still slightly overwhelmed Victor who proudly showed his silver medal – a treasure kept in a safe for now – but which should have the honorary place in the display cabinet next to the World Cup gold medal from Baku, Azerbaijan, last year.
Amid the victory rush, it still felt unreal to have made it all the way to top and winning Olympic silver and it is difficult to put the whole experience into words. Victor: “It was like a dream, incredible and incomprehensible! I got my reward for all the hard work and all the hours I spent on the training.”
Victor made his Olympic debut in the qualifier in Chateauroux, a couple of hours’ drive from Paris. Chateauroux is one of the largest shooting centers of its kind in Europe and Victor liked the friendly and accommodating atmosphere there and in the adjacent Olympic village. Teammate Marcus Madsen from Sävsjö was a good support and they ended the evenings with a game of pool as relaxation. They have known each other since Victor moved to Sävsjö as a high school student and they occasionally train together. Victor: “Marcus has taught me a lot!”
It was only a day between the qualifier and the final and with a couple of hours on the bus to Paris, there was not much time for respite or training before the final. Victor: “It was a challenge. I would have preferred to have at least two days to prepare, but on the other hand it was good to get it done and just keep going.”
The final was nerve-wracking with strong competition and small margins. The stress was enormous but at the same time triggering. Victor: “Finals are glorious – a lot of fun! It’s the pressure and the pulse and I boosted my confidence by constantly pushing myself during the game and it took me all the way. When there were only four finalists left, I thought that I simply cannot not screw it up now. I must win a medal!”
After a hard fight, Victor finally conquered the silver medal. It was a rush of emotions and in the first comments after the win, Victor gave a heartfelt tribute to his parents, Jan and Ulrika Lindgren, for their invaluable support and commitment throughout the years. Victor: “They are incredible and mean a lot to me. They have always been there for me and were the biggest supporters and sponsors from the beginning.”
In the days after the Olympic final, the media attention and the series of public appearances were almost overwhelming. On his return to Sweden, Victor received a warm reception at the Olympic Festival in the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, where the Swedish medalists were honored. It was followed by invitations to news and sports studios.
It is a journey in itself and a strange experience to become famous basically overnight, to find yourself in the limelight, to be interviewed, to be invited to TV shows and asked to sign autographs. Is Victor living his childhood dream? Has the aspiration to perform on the elite level been there for a long time?
Victor: “I think there has been a spark in me from the beginning that I might succeed in a very big way. I have been aiming at The Olympics, but I didn’t think it would come so soon.”
After some stressful weeks, Victor is slowly calming down when returning to everyday life and work in Sävsjö. The closest friends from the shooting club in Sävsjö surprised Victor with a party on his return to the apartment. They had decorated festively with flags and greeted him with confetti showers and a homemade cake.
Photo: Hedda Johansson
Victor: “It’s actually quite nice to be back in everyday life. It takes a toll on you to be in the Olympics”. He has returned to Orwak, where he works as a welder, and he finds some common denominators between shooting and welding. Victor: “Both activities require accuracy and precision. At Orwak we deliver quality to the market and my mission in this context is to produce the perfect bale chamber.”
To celebrate Victor, the staff at Orwak had lunch together and at the ceremony afterwards, Victor was greeted with resounding applause, flowers and a gift and in honor of the day, the local bakery delivered “Victor pastries”. It was a warm and cheerful atmosphere as the Orwak family gathered to celebrate Victor.
Victor: ”I enjoy working at Orwak. Everyone has a strong drive and motivation, and we are one team. There is a strong sense of belonging, everyone is helpful, and we all care about each other.”
How does one keep up the motivation and competitive spirit after a World Champion gold and an Olympic silver? First there will be a well-deserved and much-needed break from the hard training in shooting, but it will soon pick up speed again before upcoming competitions. It’s the World Cup in India this fall and next year, in 2025, both the European Championship and World Championship are on the agenda. Then, of course, the sight is set on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles!
Victor: “I have two big goals! One is Olympic gold and the other is to be ranked number one in the world in my sport!”
Victor aims for the stars and we at Orwak wish him every success on the way there!