In the final in Singapore, he struck with 3.44,68 and became the first Swede under 3.45.
A capture of his own Swedish record, set in the trials, by 58 hundredths. In total, he cut his Swedish record by 1.19 seconds on Sunday.
Thoughts went directly a year back in time, to the Olympic Games-miss in Paris when he missed the final in all his three events, 400, 800 and 1,500 meters freestyle.
For a year ago, I got questions why it went so damn bad, now it has changed a bit. Now I am fourth in the world on 400 meters freestyle, a distance I am not really an expert on. I can not really take it in, says Victor Johansson.
"Not driven with golf carts"
Then he had only months before the Olympic Games been World Championship sixth on both 400 and 800 meters freestyle. But the analysis is that he drove too hard with training before the Olympic Games.
He has become better at listening to the body – and handling it.
I have definitely saved myself a bit now when I do not drive with a lot of golf carts, hit my head and lost a lot of brain cells and not swum into the tile and so on, he says with a laugh.
It was his latest long-term injury when he crashed with a golf cart in the summer of 2023.
In Sunday's final, it was just over two seconds to the medals.
World record holder Lukas Märtens, Germany, won on 3.42,35, a tiny two hundredths before Samuel Short, Australia, and 25 hundredths before Kim Woomin, South Korea.
Faster than the top duo
However, the fact is that the Swede was faster than the top duo the second half of the race.
After 100 meters, he was 2.22 seconds behind Märtens – in the goal 2.33 seconds after. So the analysis for the future is simple.
It's just to fix that and it will solve itself. The second half I am with the guys, says Johansson who was last after 150 meters.
Next awaits 800 meters freestyle which starts on Wednesday.
It will be damn fun, it's actually what I train most for. I have only positive thoughts, he says.
