European Championship Final Awaits Sjöström: "It's My Advantage"

It looks like it's going to be a super thriller when Sarah Sjöström is chasing an Olympic Games medal on 100 meters freestyle. Only 23 hundredths separated the top six in the semifinal. Then the routine will help the Swede. I have swum so many Olympic Games and World Championship finals. It's my advantage, says the 30-year-old who had the sixth time.

» Updated:

» Published:

European Championship Final Awaits Sjöström: "It's My Advantage"
Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT

Share this article

Michelle Coleman missed the final and had the 12th time.

Sjöström improved her time from the trials, where she was the fastest, by 12 hundredths to 52.87.

In her semifinal, four swimmers were lined up like a string of pearls at the finish.

Sjöström came third, 12 hundredths behind gold favorite Mollie O'Callaghan, Australia, who won the heat.

In the first semifinal, Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong, recorded the fastest time with 52.64.

Everything suggests a thrilling race on Wednesday evening at 20.30.

Sarah Sjöström, 30, was the oldest in the semifinal field and thinks she can take advantage of her experience.

When you start to push yourself in an Olympic Games final, maybe they get lactic acid, I might be able to get through it in a different way since I've swum so many Olympic Games and World Championship finals. Maybe that's my advantage, says Sjöström.

"A bit risky"

She experimented in the semifinal by changing her breathing pattern.

I had a few points I worked on, I breathed a little less on the first length than I usually do. It worked well, she says.

Sjöström had initially not planned to swim the 100 meters freestyle in the Olympic Games, only focusing on the half distance individually. There, she is a big gold favorite.

Now she's doing her first championship swim on 100 meters freestyle in two years.

I'm not a huge 100-meter swimmer anymore, so I'm trying to find my thing. It's a bit risky to test things at an Olympic Games, but I have no other choice, she says.

Miss for Coleman and Persson

Michelle Coleman would have needed to beat her five-year-old personal record (53.04) to reach the final.

Now she recorded 53.75 and was 57 hundredths behind the eighth and final time.

I'm going out and really giving it my all. That's what I'm proud of. The first 50 is super good, the start is great. I would have liked to swim the final, but I did everything I could, says Coleman, who also swims 50 meters freestyle in the Olympic Games.

A disappointed Erik Persson, European Champion in June, missed the final on 200 meters breaststroke.

His 2.10,11 was 22 hundredths from the final.

It's a big disappointment, it feels like I could have cut more time from this morning. It feels heavy, says the 30-year-old, Olympic Games finalist in Tokyo, who is still focusing ahead.

It's just back to the drawing board, he says.

The final field in time order from the semifinal:

Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong, 26 years, 52.64.

Shayna Jack, Australia, 25 years, 52.72.

Mollie O'Callaghan, Australia, 20 years, 52.75.

Yang Junxuan, China, 22 years, 52.81.

Marrit Steenbergen, Netherlands, 24 years, 52.86.

Sarah Sjöström, Sweden, 30 years, 52.87.

Torri Huske, USA, 21 years, 52.99.

Gretchen Walsh, USA, 21 years, 53.18.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Blackstenius Shines as Arsenal Triumphs Over West Ham in Derby

Blackstenius Shines as Arsenal Triumphs Over West Ham in Derby

Turkey Advances to European Basketball Championship Final After Defeating Greece

Turkey Advances to European Basketball Championship Final After Defeating Greece

Sweden Levels Davis Cup Tie Against Tunisia After Dramatic Comeback

Sweden Levels Davis Cup Tie Against Tunisia After Dramatic Comeback

Real Madrid's Antonio Rüdiger Sidelined by Injury Until December

Real Madrid's Antonio Rüdiger Sidelined by Injury Until December

Olympic Gold Medalist Andrei Chemerkin Dies at 53

Olympic Gold Medalist Andrei Chemerkin Dies at 53

Finland Falls to Germany in European Basketball Semifinal

Finland Falls to Germany in European Basketball Semifinal

Newcastle Coach Eddie Howe Discusses Alexander Isak's Departure

Newcastle Coach Eddie Howe Discusses Alexander Isak's Departure

Perseus Karlström Prepares for Tokyo World Championship Heat

Perseus Karlström Prepares for Tokyo World Championship Heat

Ludvig Åberg Drops to Second in PGA Championship at Wentworth

Ludvig Åberg Drops to Second in PGA Championship at Wentworth

Andreas Almgren Aims for World Championship Medal in Tokyo 10000m

Andreas Almgren Aims for World Championship Medal in Tokyo 10000m

Rögle Signs NHL Veteran Defenseman Calvin de Haan

Rögle Signs NHL Veteran Defenseman Calvin de Haan

Sprinter Erriyon Knighton Receives Four-Year Suspension

Sprinter Erriyon Knighton Receives Four-Year Suspension

Mike Powell Suspended from All Athletics Activities by AIU

Mike Powell Suspended from All Athletics Activities by AIU

Mutaz Essa Barshim to Miss Tokyo World Championship Due to Injury

Mutaz Essa Barshim to Miss Tokyo World Championship Due to Injury

Ethiopian Runner Diribe Welteji Suspended Before World Championship

Ethiopian Runner Diribe Welteji Suspended Before World Championship

Nordås Skips Media Ahead of World Championship as Coach Leaves Tokyo

Nordås Skips Media Ahead of World Championship as Coach Leaves Tokyo

Slot Commends Tomasson for Managing Isak's Playing Time

Slot Commends Tomasson for Managing Isak's Playing Time

NHL Reinstates Cleared World Junior Championship Players After Suspension

NHL Reinstates Cleared World Junior Championship Players After Suspension

Greg Norman Departs LIV Tour After Transformative Years

Greg Norman Departs LIV Tour After Transformative Years

Charlotte Kalla Joins SVT as Olympic Games Expert

Charlotte Kalla Joins SVT as Olympic Games Expert