Swedish golf legend Annika Sörenstam is back in the spotlight.
This time not for her swing, but for joining Donald Trump’s push to make America healthy again.
Forget red hats, this campaign is all about running shoes, push-ups, and getting American kids moving again.
Back to the Presidential Fitness Test
If you grew up in the U.S., chances are you remember the dreaded Presidential Fitness Test — the dreaded mile run, push-ups, and the pull-ups designed to make sure you could prove your strength, endurance, and agility while secretly hoping none of your classmates noticed just how much you were struggling.
In Sweden, the equivalent test was called the beep-test, where students ran back and forth across a 20-meter distance in time with increasingly fast beeps. Although the beep-test is still a part of Swedish Physical Ed, the Presidential Fitness Test was officially phased out in 2013.
The test has been around since the late 1950s, but over time, it faced criticism for being too focused on competition and physical performance rather than overall health and lifelong fitness. In its place, the Presidential Youth Fitness Program was introduced, emphasizing personal improvement, health, and wellness instead of just meeting rigid standards.
Now, thanks to Trump’s latest initiative, it’s making a comeback. Students will once again be tested on their fitness by doing:
40 push-ups
10 pull-ups
A mile run (1.6 km) under 6.5 minutes
Annika’s New Role
At the White House launch, Annika standing next to Trump and other athletes, including golfer Bryson DeChambeau and NFL kicker Harrison Butker, said “Thank you, Mr. President. This is truly an honor.”
Annika has lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years, and even though she’s long retired from professional golf, she’s still one of the sport’s biggest names. Now, she’s using her star power to inspire kids to get moving.
A Swede in the Middle of U.S. Politics
This isn’t Annika’s first headline-making moment with Trump. Back in 2021, she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom from him, just a day after the Capitol riots. Her decision stirred some drama back in Sweden, but Annika firmly defended her choice.
