Maja Åskag is one of the top prospects for funding in Sweden ©Getty Images

The Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) has added 16 athletes to its Top and Talent support programme for 2023, giving prospects assistance in their bid for glory at future Olympic Games.

Athletics has four athletes added to the group, including shot putter Axelina Johansson who finished third at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Track and Field Championships earlier this year, as well as seventh at the European Athletics Championships.

Andreas Almgren comes into the programme off the back of finishing fourth at the European Championships in the men's 5,000 metres, while women's hammer thrower Grete Ahlberg is recognised for making the World Championships final.

Maja Åskag may be the most exciting prospect in the country, having won the World Under-20 Championships gold medals in the women's long and triple jump.

Canoe slalom's Isak Öhrström will be looking to return to the Olympics after becoming the first Swedish athlete in the sport to compete at the Games, back in 2016.

He is expected to return for Paris 2024.

Isak Öhrström, who competed at Rio 2016, will be aiming to return to the Olympics at Paris 2024 ©Getty Images
Isak Öhrström, who competed at Rio 2016, will be aiming to return to the Olympics at Paris 2024 ©Getty Images

Marlena Jawaid is selected after finishing sixth at the Junior World Championships last year and reaching the top 40 in the women's world rankings, while equestrian athlete Jens Fredricson, who was part of the jumping team that qualified for the Tokyo Olympics by winning World Championship gold and finishing 10th individually, is also in the mix.

Julia Borgström, the 21-year-old cyclist, is ranked 84th in the world - enough to gain support.

Emil Järudd and Hanna Jonsson were seventh at the World Championships this year in Nacra 17 sailing, while Marcus Dackhammar and Ida Svensson were sixth at the European Championships last year too.

Thinking towards the future, triathlon duo Andreas Carlsson and Tilda Månsson have been selected, with the latter becoming a gold medallist at the European and World Championships.

Rickard Levin Andersson claimed silver in trap this year to secure a shooting quota spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics for Sweden, and 17-year-old beach volleyball player Jacob Hölting Nilsson took European Under-22 Championships gold this year, making him a potential star of the future.