The tours were many around Sarah Sjöström’s participation in the 100 meter freestyle.
Now it reveals how close she really was to missing out on the gold distance.
– Det shows her mental strength, says confederation captain Martina Aronsson.
The idea was that Sarah Sjöström would only go to Paris to swim the team race and 50 meter freestyle. It is the distance she prioritizes these days, and since the WC 2022 she has completely opted out of the 100 meter freestyle. But her plan for the Paris Olympics had flaws.
Late decision
Sarah’s coaching team quickly realized that it was not optimal to have so many days between events, as the 50m freestyle is decided as late as Sunday. Sarah Sjöström already opened before the summer that she would possibly compete in the 100 meter freestyle, but until the end it was uncertain whether she would compete.
Sarah Sjöström came to the start in the end. She won the trials, she had the sixth best time in the semi-final – and after a truly brilliant finish in the final in the 100 meter freestyle, she won a sensational Olympic gold. Sarah Sjöström has a bronze in the distance from the 2016 Olympics, and in addition five World Cup silvers. She had never won gold there, until now. The Olympic gold is her second in her career, and Sweden’s first in Paris, and afterwards Sjöström could hardly believe it was true.
The truth about the gold rush
Sarah Sjöström was part of the freestyle team race this weekend where Sweden broke a new Swedish record. But after a good effort from Sarah, she didn’t quite make it in the final. It was making her stand over the individual competition 100 meters free, the one that would later turn out to be a golden distance.
– To be honest, I didn’t think I would swim the 100 freestyle after that. Right after the team race, I told my coach that I wanted to rest before the 50 freestyle. But he said no to that. He said that I have to go out and show what I can do, regardless of the result, says Sjöström to DN.
Sarah Sjöström says that six competition-free days had become too much, the coaches made her realize that. That Sjöström hesitated for so long and then delivered as she did says everything about her, says the national team captain.
– When you hesitate for a moment, “I’m going to do this as I’ve decided”, and then go in and do it the way she does in the final, it shows her mental strength, says Martina Aronsson.
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