In a longer chronicles he described a trip he took to Norway with his family some time ago. Those descriptions are being put under scrutiny now in light of the winter weather that has hit the UK in recent days. The cold wave was given the name “Troll of Trondheim”.

After describing the cold, snow and train delays due to moose on the track, which Lawson personally experienced while visiting the country, he continues to talk about his fascination with the heroes of the sport.

“What can we learn from Norway – where trains are always on schedule (unless there’s a deer in the way)”, was the headline the Briton used in an article published in the Daily Mail.

Lawson first goes back to 1981, when Norway beat England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo. He quoted commentator Bjørge Lillelien’s famous words after the win: “Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!”

Namely with reference to the British Prime Minister at that time.

However, this chronicle is not so much about sports history as it is about today’s Norwegian sports heroes. The columnist was amazed to see how such a small country could have so many of the world’s top athletes.

– Spectacular

At first he could hardly understand how Norway produced sporting heroes like Erling Braut Haaland, Magnus Carlsen and Viktor Hovland.

– The most spectacular of all world chess champion since 2013 is Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. We’re used to it now, but the idea of ​​a Norwegian world chess champion once seemed unfathomable. When you consider the resources Russia, India, and China have devoted to producing masters in this field, Carlsen’s enduring supremacy is staggering, Lawson writes.

Golf ace Hovland also amazed him:

– Hovland said after his last success: Growing up in Norway wasn’t necessarily great for golf, and I think you just have to make do with what you have. These things just build character. I imagine something like this also affected the progress of Norway’s Casper Ruud, who rose to second in the world rankings in September, he further wrote.

Lawson is also dealing with William Buick, a British and Norwegian jockey, who won the British championship earlier this year.

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Voluntary concept

The chronicle also, naturally enough, deals with Haaland and his immense achievements as both a Borussia Dortmund player and a Manchester City player.

Given the excitement and fascination with Norway’s many athletes, journalists are trying to get a sense of how many big names have emerged. Looking for answers, he asked Norwegian diplomat Wegger Christian Strømmen, who lives in London.

He thinks about it all in historical perspective:

– When Norway became an independent country in 1905, its first ambassador in London was polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen. Heroic figures respected for their daring physical feats, such as Nansen – and Roald Amundsen – were instrumental in defining Norwegian identity, Strømmen told a Daily Mail columnist.

And continued:

– But just as important in my view is the Norwegian concept of “perseverance” itself – that of a community coming together to work towards a common goal. This mutual support was key in farming and fishing communities throughout our history.

The diplomat added:

– But in the end, it is the unique talent and hard work of each individual that creates the results and achievements we are so proud of.

The columnist, for his part, ended the chronicle by jokingly saying that the weather in Norway was the reason the athletes thrived. He then encouraged England to go out and enjoy “Troll of Trondheim”.