Mathilda Karlsson
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 Karlsson in 2011 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mathilda Thanuja Karlsson |
| Born | 27 September 1984 (age 41) Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| Height | 158 cm (5 ft 2 in) |
| Weight | 43 kg (95 lb) |
| Website | www |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Sri Lanka |
| Sport | Equestrian |
| Club | Hof Gronwohld |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 2020 Summer Olympics |
Mathilda Thanuja Karlsson (born 27 September 1984 in Kandy) is a Sri Lankan born Swedish equestrian athlete.[1] Karlsson was adopted by her Swedish parents when she was three months old.[2] She competed for Sweden until 2018, when she switched to her native country. In 2021 she qualified as an individual rider for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, being the first Sri Lankan equestrian at the Olympic Games.She also became the first Sri Lankan to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.[3] Her horse is named as Chopin VA.[4][5]
In 2023, Karlsson was banned from competition from the FEI for failing to attend drug testing. Her suspension lasts until January 14th, 2025.[6]
Mathilda was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka and was adopted by her Swedish parents when she was three months old.[7][2] Spending her childhood being raised in Sweden, she started riding horses at the age of 7 under the Swedish banner.[8] In 2017 she traveled back to Sri Lanka and realised she was a Sri Lankan and also felt she has to do something for her native country.[2]
She lives in Hamburg, Germany where she runs and manages her own equestrian business Grönwohldhof. She also trains, breeds and sells the horses in Grönwohld Hof. Mathilda is fluent in English, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish and German.[9]
Her equestrian centre Grönwohld Hof stables which is in Germany was demolished by a fire in May 2020.[10] Two horses died in the incident and the building which she owned was destroyed completely.[11][12]
