Paris Olympics, Day 5 Finals: Swedish Legend Sarah Sjostrom Flies Home To Claim Golden Touch Thriller In 100 Free

Sarah Sjostrom: Photo courtesy: Deepbluemedia

Paris Olympics, Day 5 Finals: Swedish Legend Sarah Sjostrom Flies Home To Claim Golden Touch Thriller In 100 Free

A last-minute decision to swim the 100 freestyle has turned into gold for Sweden’s superstar Sarah Sjostrom, who produced the finish of a lifetime from Lane Seven to win her maiden Olympic title in the event.

Fourth at the 50-meter turn, the 30-year-old world-record holder sizzled down the second lap in 26.90, clocking 52.16 to out-touch the USA’s Torri Huske (52.29) by 0.13, with Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey (52.33) taking bronze in a La Defense Arena thriller – 0.17 separating the three medalists.

Sarah Sjostrom: Photo courtesy: Deepbluemedia

Sjostrom had decided to come into these Games with all her eggs in the 50 freestyle basket, making a late call to put her hand up for one last shot at Olympic glory in the blue ribband 100 freestyle – after winning bronze in Rio in 2016. Eight years between drinks, what a celebration this will be, especially if she can add 50 freestyle gold to her Olympic medal haul.

“This is unbelievable,” Sjostrom said. “I didn’t think I would swim the 100 free, honestly. After the freestyle relay on the first day, I told my coach straightaway, ‘I don’t think the 100 free is for me. I want to rest until the 50.’

“He was like, no way. You need to go out there and see what you can do, no matter the outcome. I didn’t know what exactly I could do, and definitely didn’t know what everyone else could do. I’m super proud of myself that I tried this.”

Sarah Sjostrom: Photo courtesy: Deepbluemedia

The look of absolute shock on her face when she realized she was the 2024 Olympic champion will be published around the world – the princess of the pool in Sweden, again the queen of the lanes on the Olympic stage.

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

“I talked with my coach about every five meters of the race – five meters here, what should I do? That’s always been my challenge when it comes to the 100 free because I need to focus on the breathing pattern.

“When I do the 50 free, there is no problem because I put my head down and I spin my arms and I go fast. I have to take those breaths and I managed to do that and followed my plan the whole way. “

Sjostrom is no stranger to thrilling finishes, placing just 0.29 behind joint Olympic champions Penny Oleksiak and Simone Manuel in another classic final in 2016.

Rio was her calling card, where she took gold in her then specialty, the 100 butterfly, and silver in the 200 freestyle. She is also one of the world’s greatest female swimmers with 14 long-course world championships.

Now Paris will be a crowning glory for one of the greats, the first Swedish swimmer to win the 100 freestyle gold, adding her name to some of world swimming greats. The event was first won by Australian Fanny Durack in Stockholm in 1912.

Huske, who already has gold in her pocket after her Night Two triumph in the 100 butterfly and silver in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, looked set to steal gold No. 2, leading until the final touch out in Lane One. The ever-present Haughey challenged in the center of the pool.

Sarah Sjostrom: Photo courtesy: Deepbluemedia

Paris has seen the 21-year-old Huske, from Arlington, Virginia and a loyal Stanford Cardinal, produce the meet of her life already after winning her first Olympic medal, silver on the U.S. 4x100m medley relay in Tokyo.

Huske revealed her adjustments from her seventh-place qualification from the semifinal to Olympic silver in the final.

“I think the thing that I really changed was my race plan. I just really had to commit to it and trust it, which I think is sometimes hard,” said Huske.

“In the semifinal, I went a little bit hard on my legs the first 25, so I knew I had to rein it back and just really trust that I could finish the race. And that’s what I did.

“And as proud as I am of my 100 fly, I think I’m equally as proud of my 100 free. After semis, I realized everyone was so close and it was anyone’s game. I love to race and I think the competition brought out the best in me, so I’m just excited to have represented my country well.”

And her thoughts on Sjostrom? Huske gushed.

“Sarah’s the greatest. I’m so happy for her. she’s been a really accomplished swimmer. She’s so sweet and so kind, and (the gold) couldn’t have gone to a nicer person.”

Australia’s 200 freestyle golden girl, Mollie O’Callaghan, was seventh at the 50-meter turn and gave the leaders too much headway, missing gold by 0.18 and bronze by the narrowest of margins – 0.01 – in an extraordinary blanket finish for the ages.

Sjostrom, Huske and Haughey spoiled the Aussies party, with Shayna Jack placing fifth in 52.72.

For the 26-year-old Haughey, the first Olympic swimming medalist for Hong Kong with her Tokyo silvers in the 100 and 200 freestyles, was again close to that elusive gold. Haughey said her strategy was to stay a bit more controlled the first 50 and really build her legs for the second 50.

“I think I did a good job and I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” she said. “I knew the last 10 meters would be very, very competitive, so you have to put your head down and touch the wall first. In the end, it’s not a gold but I’m still happy with it.”

And for the 20-year-old O’Callaghan, there was the agony of a fourth-place finish by an absolute fingernail, just 48 hours after the ecstasy of that gold medal moment to beat fellow Aussie Ariarne Titmus in the 200 freestyle. That was her second gold, after joining Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris on the opening night for victory in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

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