It had been two days since Sarah Sjöström won European Championship gold in the 50-meter butterfly in her championship comeback, less than a year after giving birth.
In the 50-meter freestyle, her comeback after giving birth has gone even better and she is number one in Europe this year. But the competition in freestyle is also tougher.
"I feel much more comfortable with freestyle. Butterfly doesn't quite match rhythmically yet, between leg and arm strokes, but freestyle isn't so much about that, it's more about what shape I'm in or how fit I am," she says.
Surprise
Italian Sara Curtis, who set double world records in the 50-meter backstroke at the European Championships, and Dutch Marrit Steenbergen, gold medallist in the 100-meter freestyle, are seen as the sharpest competitors and were tied for second in Europe by time before the European Championships.
It was therefore surprising that another Dutchwoman, Milou van Wijk, was fastest in the trials with 24.13. Van Wijk took silver in the double distance.
“Fast girls”
Curtis (24.33) and Steenbergen (24.34) were third and fourth.
I already know that you can't focus on what times the others are swimming, but I look at my own splits and then it doesn't really matter what the placing is. I'm just happy to be here, I say humbly, actually, says Sjöström and adds:
They are fast girls, but if I can just swim a little faster with each race, it's good for me.
The other Swedes, Sofia Åstedt (25.33), Sara Junevik (25.38) and Louise Hansson (25.78), are eliminated.
However, for Hanna Bergman in the 200-meter medley, there will be a semifinal. Bergman finished 15th in 2:15.07 and will swim again on Friday evening.
