The Elite Sports Research School
The Elite Sports Research School is a collaboration between the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, and the Swedish Sports Confederation, focusing on performance development and sustainability in elite sports.
A network with a clear purpose
The Elite Sports Research School has been established through collaboration between the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, and the Swedish Sports Confederation with its Special Sports Federation, to create a strong research network for practice-based research of high quality and great relevance.
The overall purpose of the graduate school is to:
- contribute to the international competitiveness of Swedish sport through research, education and collaboration,
- develop competence and skills for knowledge exchange between sport and academia.
One doctoral student has defended his thesis at the Elite Sports Research School, and four other doctoral students are currently conducting their dissertation research. The doctoral studies are carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Swimming Federation, the Swedish Sports Confederation, the Swedish Gymnastics Federation, the Swedish Orienteering Federation, and the Swedish Ski Federation.
Johan Wallberg, doctoral student in collaboration with the Swedish Swimming Association
Johan Wallberg is one of Sweden's most accomplished swimming coaches and has, among other things, coached Olympic medalists Sarah Sjöström and Therese Alshammar. Johan himself has a background as an elite swimmer and competed in the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. Johan also works as a test and development manager at the National Elite Centres in Stockholm.
Johan has his educational background at GIH, where he graduated from the Coaching Program in 2003 and the Master's Program in 2025.
Karin Hägglund, doctoral student in collaboration with the Swedish Sports Confederation
Karin Hägglund has a background as an elite athlete and national team coach in karate, with five Swedish Championship gold medals and three Norwegian Championship gold medals to her credit as an active athlete. She has also had a civilian career in public health as a project and process manager in municipalities, county councils, and county administrative boards.
In 2005, she graduated from the Health Education Programme at GIH, which was followed by a master's programme in health promotion at Karolinska Institutet. Since 2022, she has returned as a doctoral student in sustainable coaching in elite sports, in collaboration with RF.
Stefan Höög, doctoral student in collaboration with the Swedish Gymnastics Federation
Stefan Höög has a background as an elite gymnast and naprapath. He is active both as a "High Performance Coach" at the Swedish Gymnastics Federation and as a coach with the Bromma gymnasts, who won gold in the Nordic Championships in group gymnastics in 2025.
After graduating as a naprapath in 2017, Stefan has continued his studies in Sports Medicine and Sports Science at Mid Sweden University and Karolinska Institutet. Since mid-2023, Stefan is a doctoral student at GIH.
Lina Spetz, doctoral student in collaboration with the Swedish Orienteering Federation
Lina Spetz has extensive experience in coaching, both through education and practical work. Lina graduated from the Coaching Program at GIH in 2017 and then pursued a Master's degree in Sports Science with a focus on physiology and biomechanics.
With a background as an active orienteer, Lina has followed up with a leadership role at the Swedish Orienteering Federation since 2017. Lina also works together with the AI company Silicon Valley Exercise Analytics, which works with adaptive, data-driven, training programs.
Jonas Enqvist, Ph.D. in collaboration with the Swedish Ski Association / Ski Team Sweden Alpine & Skicross
Jonas is a sports scientist with a focus on optimising human performance through an interdisciplinary perspective, combining biomechanics, physiology and applied sports science. Jonas has a master's degree in physiology from Karolinska Institutet, where he researched the physiological requirements of ultra-cardio training, followed by a PhD in sports science at GIH, with a focus on the biomechanics of high-intensity, sports-related movements.
Jonas has more than 20 years of experience in high-performance sports and has worked closely with world-class athletes, coaches, and medical teams, with a focus on alpine skiing.
Jonas defended his thesis on 19 September 2025 with the thesis Biomechanics of Lower Limb Loading During High-Force and Sports-related Movements.
On this page
Contact
Prefekt för Institutionen för fysiologi, nutrition och biomekanik, docentMarcus Mobergmarcus.moberg@gih.se08-120 53 875
Kontaktinformation
If you as a Special Sports Federation want to know more about the graduate school, contact Marcus Moberg, Head of the Department of Physiology, Nutrition and Biomechanics at GIH.
If you want to know more about a thesis project, contact the respective doctoral student.
