It was her fastest race at the distance since her comeback after becoming a mother, and three hundredths faster than in Rome in June.
If she keeps up that pace in the final, she can complete a major success with a double European Championship gold in her return to the championships in Paris. It was here that she also won a double Olympic gold before the two-year championship break when she gave birth to her son Adrian.
Dutchwoman Milou van Wijk, who was fastest in the heats, was 24 hundredths behind in 24.07.
Other contenders such as Polish third-placed Katarzyna Wasick, Italian fourth-placed Sara Curtis and Dutch fifth-placed Marrit Steenbergen could only conclude that Sarah Sjöström is in great shape.
Never swam faster
None of the competitors in the final field has a personal best faster than Sjöström's semifinal time. Only Wasick has gone under 24 seconds (23.95).
For Sjöström, it was the 40th race in her career under 24 seconds, according to SVT.
One crucial detail was a good start for the Swede.
"I used to get more for free because I was so strong and fast. Now there is a lot of focus on details so that I can swim good races. I am not as strong and fast as I used to be," says Sarah Sjöström.
“Nice feeling”
Halfway through the race, Sjöström was flying away from her competitors.
It's always a good feeling when you get away, but at the same time I'm very good when I have someone in front of me too. You saw that in Rome (in June) when Gretchen Walsh (the new world record holder) was a few tenths ahead of me, I can still push myself.
Sjöström was already thinking in the morning that she would get faster with each race, just like in the 50-metre butterfly.
There's probably a little more, but it's about putting all the details in place and doing what I have to do. I'll talk to "Toni" (coach Antonio Lutula) and see if there's anything else to improve, you want to swim the fastest in the final.
