Convinced to Compete in 100-Meter Freestyle, Sarah Sjöström Stuns with Gold Victory

The 100m freestyle isn’t her favored race. Initially hesitant, Sarah Sjöström eventually agreed to compete in it.

PARIS, France — Sarah Sjöström peeled off her goggles, glanced at the scoreboard, and erupted with emotion. She celebrated by pounding the water and exuded triumph as she perched on the lane line with arms and chin raised.

Overcome with joy, the Swedish sprint swimmer exited the pool, waved, and briefly covered her face to process the magnitude of her victory in the 100-meter freestyle on Wednesday night.

Sjöström’s Olympic journey began at 15 in Beijing, and now, at 30, she has claimed another Olympic gold in Paris.

Remarkably, this comes in an event she was initially reluctant to swim, despite holding the world record since 2017.

“This is unbelievable. I didn’t think I would swim the 100 free, honestly,” Sjöström said. “After the freestyle relay the first day I told my coach straightaway, I was like, ‘No, I don’t think 100 free’s for me, I want to do the 50, I want to rest until the 50.’ And he was like, ‘No way, you need to go out there and see what you can do no matter the outcome.’”

This victory marks her second career gold in her fifth Olympic appearance. Sjöström clocked in at 52.16 seconds, narrowly ahead of American silver medalist Torri Huske (52.29), and Siobhan Bernadette Haughey from Hong Kong, who took bronze in 52.33.

“My reaction said everything,” she noted. “I didn’t really know where I was exactly when I finished. It took a while, it took a few seconds before I saw that I won. I just felt like I had a really good race and I was so in my zone, 100% focused on all the details that I’ve been working with.”

Initially, Sjöström planned to concentrate solely on the 50m freestyle in Paris. She eventually changed her mind, nudged by her coaches.

Sjöström found herself trailing at the halfway mark. “I didn’t know exactly what I could do and I definitely didn’t know what everyone else could do,” she said. “I’m super proud of myself that I tried this.”

With three current world records in the 50 butterfly and the 100 and 50 freestyle, Sjöström’s resume includes a 100 fly gold from Rio de Janeiro eight years ago.

“I have seven silver medals at the world champs and the bronze medal at the Olympics 2016,” Sjöström said. “So that says a lot. I have no more words.”

During her victory lap around La Defense Arena, she lifted the Swedish flag and paused frequently for selfies with ecstatic fans. Now, Sjöström will rest and prepare for her 50m freestyle, scheduled for Sunday, the final day of swimming at the Games.

The 50 freestyle is her specialty. “That’s always been my challenge when it comes to the 100 free, because I really need to focus on the breathing pattern,” she explained. “When I do the 50 free there is no problem, so I just put my head down and I spin my arm and I swim fast.”