"It feels great and honorable," said Sarah Sjöström in a press release.
Sjöström receives the award not only for her career as a swimmer, but also for opening a debate about maternity care.
"Sarah Sjöström showed courage and contributed to an important conversation when she openly talked about the transition to motherhood during pregnancy and her dramatic birth. This made her an even stronger female role model," the statement says.
This is the first time since 2014 that an athlete has received the award. That time, it was skier Charlotte Kalla.
