On Sunday, the World Championship in Singapore begins and for the first time since the breakthrough in 2008, Sarah Sjöström, who will become a mother in August, is missing from a World Championship in long course.
When the Swedish team had a press conference on Friday, it was noticeable. TT's reporter was, along with a photographer from Bildbyrån, the only Swedish media representatives.
Despite Sjöström, who will return to swimming and is aiming for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, not being present, she was still a given topic of conversation.
Sjöström herself has already chosen her stand-in in Singapore on 50 meters butterfly.
"Not anyone else"
Sara Junevik, sixth in the world this year.
She told me when she announced her pregnancy that we must have the gold, you must take after, we cannot have anyone else taking it, she says and laughs.
I just said: "no, no, I'll do my best". I have the name and the country, Junevik adds, who was sixth in the World Championship 2023.
National team captain Martina Aronsson also highlights Junevik as the one who could fulfill her prophecy.
If anyone can strike like a bolt from a clear sky, it's Sara Junevik.
Louise Hansson, 100 meters butterfly, and Erik Persson, 200 meters breaststroke, have taken World Championship medals in long course, have the potential, but are, just like Junevik, no obvious medal swimmers.
Two medal-less World Championships
The World Championship in long course has been decided 21 times and Sweden has only been medal-less twice – 1975 in Colombian Cali and 1986 in Madrid.
Should it become a third time, says Martina Aronsson:
One has to be comfortable with it, we're starting over a bit now ahead of Los Angeles 2028. It's about beating personal best and seasonal best, that's the goal this year.
Besides Sjöström's sabbatical year, seasoned Michelle Coleman has also ended her swimming career.
But it's not just the swimmer Sarah Sjöström who is missing, the person is too:
We miss her, she always comes in with confidence and courage and an aura, but it's nothing we talk about. We focus on what we are and what we need to do to succeed, says Aronsson.
Long-distance swimmer Victor Johansson:
When I joined the national team for the first time in 2016, Sarah was very quick to take me in, she was very kind, and after a while, I started calling her Mama Sarah. So it's a bit fun that she's soon going to be a mom. We miss her, but she's coming back, no question about it.
