Get to Know the Athlete – Jenny Thomsson

5 jan, 09:18

Jenny Thomsson, Krysseboda PK

Jenny Thomsson is a true shooting sports veteran with deep roots in Swedish marksmanship.

Originally from Småland and today living in Karlskrona, the 47-year-old has quite literally grown up on the shooting range. She picked up her first pistol at the age of seven or eight, which means she now carries around four decades of experience in the sport.

Shooting is not just a passion for Jenny – it is a way of life for the entire family. Her husband and their two children are all shooters, and family life largely revolves around training sessions, competitions and travel plans. Holidays are often planned around competitions, and the family spends much of its free time on the road with their caravan. For Jenny, that combination of competition, travel and shared experiences is both relaxing and fulfilling.

Beyond shooting, there is little time for other hobbies. Physical training and work fill in the gaps, but the sport remains the clear centre of gravity. Having a shared passion, she says, has helped keep the family close and united.

Jenny has competed at the Swedish Cup many times over the years, although she admits she has lost count. The competition began toward the end of her national team career, where she competed a few times before taking a break to start a family. When the children grew older and began shooting themselves, the family naturally returned to the Swedish Cup. All in all, she estimates she has taken part around ten times.

Her own competitive career includes many highlights. Jenny qualified for the junior national team at a young age, memorably upsetting more established shooters during her very first national team trial. From there, she progressed into the senior national team, competing across Europe and gaining invaluable international experience. One particularly special memory was attending an Olympic youth camp in Atlanta during the Olympic Games – an opportunity to observe, learn and be inspired at the very highest level of the sport.

Those experiences, she believes, help her today as a parent – although coaching one’s own children is never easy. While she tries to share her knowledge and perspective, she laughs that children do not always listen best to their parents. Supporting rather than directing has become her approach.

Jenny also feels that the Swedish Cup continues to develop in a positive direction and believes the competition has taken another step forward this year.

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