The swimming star has taken a competition break during the fall – skipping, for example, the short-course World Championship in mid-December – and it is unclear when she will return to the pool.
After the tough championship program in recent years, she needs to rest to allow her body to hold up for a sixth Olympic Games in just under four years in Los Angeles 2028.
Right now, I'm just enjoying myself, says the superstar.
She can look back on the most intense period of her life in recent months.
+ Double Olympic gold on 50 and 100 meters freestyle, with the latter distance standing out. Sjöström, who was a huge favorite on 50 meters, hadn't even thought of swimming the 100 meters but was persuaded by her coach Antonio Lutula.
+ Her wedding to long-time partner Johan de Jong Skierus in Tuscany in September.
The past few months have been completely magical. The wedding turned out to be so much better than we could have ever dreamed of. As for the Olympic Games in Paris, I never could have believed I would come home with two gold medals, she says.
"Pretty normal"
How is life as a married woman?
Pretty normal anyway, we've been living together since 2013, she says with a laugh.
The 31-year-old reveals that she has been interviewed in front of audiences and with replays of the 100-meter final several times during the fall, and the feeling is still that she has to pinch herself.
It was really incredible. I still can't quite believe it happened. It's absolutely one of the biggest wins I've had in my career, and it's so powerful that I did it at my fifth Olympic Games, she says.
After all, Sjöström has made it a habit to win during her career, with three Olympic golds, 20 World Championship golds, and 29 European Championship golds, counting both long and short courses.
"My body is responding well"
Even though Sjöström hasn't competed during the fall, she hasn't been idle in terms of training.
Running, Pilates, and climbing have been on the program:
I wouldn't be able to do that if I swam eight times a week; now I swim four to five times to maintain my water feel and technique. My body is responding well to alternative training.
It's not uncommon for swimming stars who compete a lot to take a sabbatical year after the Olympic Games.
But Sjöström says she hasn't made any decisions about 2025, which includes the long-course World Championship in Singapore.
I and my coach haven't discussed much yet about what's in store for 2025. We're taking this fall first and then the next step when we're ready for it.
Sarah Sjöström has swum seven championships in the past three years:
Short-course European Championship 2021 (in Kazan): 4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze.
Short-course World Championship 2021 (Abu Dhabi): 3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze.
World Championship 2022 (Budapest): 2 gold, 1 silver.
European Championship 2022 (Rome): 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze.
World Championship 2023 (Fukuoka): 2 gold (world record on 50 meters freestyle).
World Championship 2024 (Doha): 2 gold, 1 silver.
Olympic Games 2024 (Paris) 2 gold.
