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Sweden's ten greatest winter Olympic heroes

The Local Sweden
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Sweden's ten greatest winter Olympic heroes
Who do you think ranks among the best Swedish winter Olympians ever? File photo: TT

With the Winter Olympics in Sochi just days away, The Local offers up our picks for the greatest Swedish winter Olympians of all time. How many have you heard of?

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On Friday, athletes from 88 countries around the world will gather in Sochi, Russia for the XXII Olympic Winter Games to show off their skill and endurance on the slopes or on the ice.

Sweden is sending 106 athletes to Sochi, all of whom are hoping to come back home with a gold of their own.

RELATED GALLERY: Ten greatest Swedish winter Olympic heroes

It's no surprise that Sweden, with its relatively wintry climate, generally performs well at the Winter Olympics, having picked up 129 medals, including 48 gold ones, since the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924.

When it comes to medal success, cross-country skiing is the sport where Sweden has had the most success, picking up 63 medals overall, including 27 golds (sounds impressive until you realize Norway has 96 cross-country skiing medals).

It's no surprise, therefore, that there are a couple of cross-country skiers included in our list of Sweden's ten greatest winter Olympians. But a couple of sports where Swedes have excelled might surprise you.

So, take a moment to impress your Swedish friends and in-laws when you tune in to the games in Sochi and have a look at our who's who when it comes to Swedish Olympic greatness.

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