A ski baby is on the way.

Former ski star: Baby joy after a serious stroke of fate

A ski baby is on the way: A Swedish former World Cup star will soon become a father for the first time. The story behind it is particularly emotional.

July 29, 2024

From: det

"We are enjoying the summer, but we are longing for November": These are the words Mattias Hargin wrote on Instagram on Sunday. The former slalom star also posted a photo showing him with his fiancée Lovisa. With the sun setting and wonderful colors, they both look at Lovisa's belly, which has a visible baby bulge. In a few months, Hargin, who has been retired from skiing since 2019, will become a father for the first time.

That alone would be a nice story. But Hargin's past makes it even more emotional. The Swedish ski hero, who has made it to the podium ten times in the World Cup and won the slalom in Kitzbühel, among other things, had to endure an unbelievable tragedy in his life.

Fatal accident after the wedding

In 2016, Hargin married his long-time girlfriend and freeride skier Matilda Rapaport, but just two months after the fairytale wedding in Switzerland, a tragic accident occurred. During a video shoot in the mountains of Chile, Matilda was buried under an avalanche and lost her life.

Mattias Hargin was a slalom star. © APA/epa / ANTONIO BAT

"You are mine forever, Matilda, I love you more than anything," Hargin wrote at the time. An immensely difficult time began for him, during which he even considered giving up skiing. An idea that he rejected because of his Matilda. "We shared so much, especially the love of skiing. That's why I realized that it was right to carry on."

Hargin fought his way back into life after this tragedy. And he has found happiness again, not only in sport, but also in his private life. In December 2022, the Swede announced that he was engaged to his new girlfriend Lovisa Falkenberg, and their baby will follow shortly. A very emotional story.