The Swedish butterfly swimmer swam six hundredths of a second slower in the semifinal than in the heats and recorded 25.65.
It became three hundredths too much.
- It's so close. It became a bit too much will probably. I hoped it would be as relaxed as this morning, but it became a bit forced, says Sara Junevik who also missed in the finish with her last arm stroke.
It may have cost her a final spot.
Enormous drama
For it became a hundredth drama without equal in the semifinal. Between fourth-placed Alexandria Perkins, Australia, and Junevik in tenth place, 13 hundredths separated.
The message in the spring that the 50-meter events, just like in freestyle, will become Olympic Games events has already increased the competition and raised the levels.
Last year's World Championship – where several of the best were missing – today's semifinal time would have been enough for bronze.
In the World Championship 2023, where Junevik became sixth, she had a worse time.
- Everyone has really stepped up, that we are all down at 25 seconds is incredible. You haven't seen that before. It's great fun that the event is lifting itself, we probably have Sarah to thank for that. Everyone wants to keep up. The fact that it becomes an Olympic Games event doesn't mean it will go slower, she says.
”So hot”
American star Gretchen Walsh stood however in a certain class and her 25.09 was 23 hundredths before Roos Vanotterdijk, Belgium.
- She takes the gold. If she hadn't become sick to her stomach, I would have bet on a world record too, she's so hot, says Junevik about Walsh.
Sarah Sjöström, the world record holder at 24.43, has six consecutive World Championship gold medals in the event and when she now will become a mother sent her with a twinkle in her eye-encouragement to Junevik: let no other nation win, come home with the gold.
It won't be like that.
- I'll see to it that I come home with good spirit to her and the baby, says Junevik.
