Sarah Sjöström swims double distances during the Olympics.
That surprises some experts.
– I don’t think it’s flashy about her, says Anna-Karin Kammerling.
Sarah Sjöström is one of Sweden’s greatest hopes for gold during the Paris Olympics. She has bet everything on winning gold in the 50 meter freestyle, and has also made the unusual decision to opt out of distances in which she had a medal chance. But on Monday, a dream message came from the Swede.
The dream message during the Olympics
Even before the competitions, Sjöström opened up to possibly swimming the 100 meter freestyle as well, if the schedule was good. Sjöström swam that distance in a team race this weekend, and she was on the starting lists, but she said that no definitive decision had yet been made.
But yesterday the news came that Sjöström will compete in the distance, which means that Sweden suddenly has another great medal chance in swimming. The decision was made by Sarah considering that the 50m freestyle is not until Sunday, which had given her a little too many rest days. It can also benefit her competition on Sunday to feel the longer distance already now.
The expert’s surprise
But not everyone had expected that Sjöström would actually stand up. Radiosport’s swimming expert Anna-Karin Kammerling is surprised – and worried about Sjöström’s form.
– During the team competition, I don’t think it flashed like we’re used to seeing her, she says.
But she is convinced that Sjöström herself feels that the form is there, otherwise she would not have applied.
– But apparently she feels somewhere herself that there is more to give, and I think she is absolutely not interested in sixth place. When Sjöström is swimming, then it’s the medals that count, says Kammerling.
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