Watch as Sara Junevik swims home the EC gold in the player above.
Most of the really well-deserved Swedes opted out of the EC in Belgrade, for example Sarah Sjöström, Michelle Coleman and Louise Hansson.
But tonight there were two Swedish medals – within the space of just ten minutes.
Sara Junevik, 24, took the first in the 50 meter butterfly.
Matched the favorite print
Junevik, whose previous main achievement was a European Short Course 4x50m medley gold from 2017, was one of the medal favorites as she was fastest of all in the semi-finals.
And she matched that favorite print in the final. She pulled away in the second half and won comfortably in a time of 25.68 – a new personal best for her and victory by four tenths down on runner-up Roos Vanotterdijk, Belgium.
– There is so much relief coming through my whole body right now! To be able to go in and run a race and set a personal record… I’m so, so happy, she tells SVT Sport.
Sending with patience
In 2018, Junevik won gold at the Youth Olympics in the 50 meter butterfly, but thus had to wait until 2024 for his first individual senior gold.
– I think it will take a while to make it sink in. It takes a long time, so patience is what I send to those back home who also want to succeed, she says.
SVT Sports expert Lars Frölander was very impressed with Junevik’s performance.
– It feels like it was a perfect race! Good start, good rise, she gets good speed. Good rhythm and a very nice finish.
Swedish bronze soon after
The 50-meter butterfly is not an Olympic discipline, but Junevik’s main goal during the championship is to qualify for the Olympics in the 100-meter butterfly later this week.
Just ten minutes later came the next Swedish medal. This through 19-year-old Olivia Klint Ipsa, who took bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke in a time of 1.07.73 -1.32 after the victorious Estonian Eneli Jefimova.
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Watch as Olivia Klint Ipsa swims home the EC bronze. Photo: Johanna Säll / BILDBYRÅN
– Great fun that I could come third, but the race itself was not good. It was lucky that I came third this time, but I am not satisfied with the race, she says.