Sara Hector: The setbacks behind my smiles

Alpine skier Sara Hector had been waiting for a long time to stand on the top of a World Cup podium. But, as she beat double Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin in both runs in an exciting Giant Slalom race in Courchevel in December 2021, a huge smile covered her face.

It was the first time that a Swedish woman has won a World Cup event since Olympic champion Frida Hansdotter triumphed in January 2017.

“It’s amazing. It’s incredible, and I’m so surprised, too. It was such a big fight and I didn’t think I was so fast. I feel so awesome. It’s crazy. I’m so proud,” she said at the time.

The victory comes after a series of serious challenges.

Despite her big injury lay-off, and her mother’s health struggles with a progressive nervous system disease, the 29-year-old has racked up three podium finishes this season (including her first World Cup win in seven years) and she can she be considered one of the main medal contenders ahead of the GS race at Beijing 2022.

Olympics.com caught up with Sara Hector after her recent good results.

MORE: Olympic Alpine Skiing at Beijing 2022 - Top things to know

Sara Hector: Believing in hard work

Olympics.com: What do the recent results mean to you? People just look at the stats on the FIS website - but what’s behind these three World Cup podiums?

Sara Hector: When you work for achieving something for a really long time, it feels amazing to be able to do it. I love skiing and I’m just so happy that I get to do it every day.

To me, it means that the work I have been doing, and believing in, has been right. I’m very proud for the steps I have made. I’m also very thankful for all the great support I´ve gotten during these times. Without a team believing in me, and working hard, it wouldn’t have been possible, so that makes me so grateful.

Olympics.com: We saw Mikaela Shiffrin warmly congratulating you after your win in Courchevel. Everybody seemed so happy for you that day! Alpine skiing is an individual sport but how important is friendship in the alpine community?

Sara Hector: It was so overwhelming that [everyone] was so happy for me. I believe it might be because they have seen me working hard for a long time, but I cannot answer for the feelings of others.

I have also been around on the tour for more then 10 years and, during that time, I had the chance to get to know a lot of people. [I’ve had] the chance to make friendships over countries and continents and there are so many super nice girls out there. I believe it makes the sport even more fun than it already is!

Sara Hector: 'It is in the attitude'

Olympics.com: You are always smiling and exuding positivity - where does this attitude come from? What’s the mantra of your life?

Sara Hector: [Laughs] I don’t know! I don’t like to be grumpy, maybe that? But I’m not, for sure, only happy [all of the time]. But, since my injury, I have been working with a phrase, “It is in the attitude”. For me, that means if you stay focused, believe in yourself, concentrate on what you are doing well, and work hard, then everything is possible.

I believe that it is important to work with your attitude towards others and not just towards yourself. I have been trying to do that and I believe it has been important to me to be able to do well in sport. I’m really not a natural-born talent. I have achieved these results through hard work over a number of years. With this I hope I can inspire young athletes too, to work hard. It is developing on more than one level and, no matter what you do in life, sport is a great education.

Injury and health challenges for mother Maria

Olympics.com: How did the serious knee injury in 2015 change you?

Sara Hector: I have learned a lot about my body and how to handle setbacks. I've had to change a lot in my programme because of that and sometimes it has been very hard. I was kind of stuck in what I believed I had to do to be good and so perhaps this is something that has [changed].

Olympics.com: We read about the disease affecting your mum Maria and how you’ve been supporting her… how much has this experience made you grow?

Sara Hector: Yes, she is an inspiration for me. She is positive, always trying to make the most of the day and staying grateful for what she has in the present.

She is supporting me and always trying to help me with the best, or sometimes the worst [laughs], advice. It’s tough to see someone you love fight that much to be able to do normal things like walk and talk and, sometimes, it makes me very sad. [But], perhaps, it has given me perspective on life.

Olympics.com: Talking about your family, your last name sounds Spanish...

Sara Hector: "Hector” has been in my family for a long time. It might be from France from what I have understood, but [it was] a long time ago. I´m very Swedish and [I don't speak Spanish]: the only languages I speak are Swedish, English and German.

Sara Hector: Away from the slopes and Olympic hopes

Olympics.com: What do you like to do off the slopes? We saw you riding motorcycles and cycling…

Sara Hector: I grew up in family with two parents as teachers and I believe it has made me someone who always searches for new ways to develop and learn new things. I normally have quite an up-tempo life. I have been busy building a house with my boyfriend and studying full time at university this last semester. I’m training a lot too.

If I have some free time, where I’m not working or training, I love to spend time on the ocean either sailing or jet skiing. I’m also now a part-owner in a hotel in my home village. In the winter, I am happy with spending all the energies I have on skiing. Time goes very fast in the winter, and I am so happy that I get to do what I love… then it´s mostly about recovery.

Olympics.com: At PyeongChang 2018 - where you finished 10th in the giant slalom - you looked very disappointed and had to fight tears on Swedish TV. How different do you feel now? What have your learned from that experience and what are your goals for Beijing 2022?

Sara Hector: I have learned quite a lot about myself and about my approach to the sport since that time. My goal is to ski as fast as I can and to stay focused to what is important to me. I just want to be there and know that I have trusted myself and my beliefs for a long time. And, also, I have done what I believe has been the best for me… then going for it as good as I can.