Paris Olympics, Day 8 Semifinals: Sarah Sjostrom Blasts Olympic Record of 23.66 in 50 Freestyle

Paris Olympics, Day 8 Semifinals: Sarah Sjostrom Blasts Olympic Record of 23.66 in 50 Freestyle

Just 23-plus seconds separate Sarah Sjostrom from another Olympic gold – the one she wants the most.

After cruising through the morning prelims, Sjostrom stormed through the semifinals of the 50-meter freestyle at the Paris Games on Saturday night. The 30-year-old Swedish star, who has won 95 major international medals during her career, registered an Olympic-record time of 23.66 at La Defense Arena to easily nail down the top seed for the final. The effort is the third-fastest time in history.

Although the 100 butterfly was the event that placed Sjostrom on the international stage, the 50 freestyle has become her baby in recent years. Its has allowed Sjostrom to display her brilliant combination of technical excellence and pure power, which is unmatched in the sport. Sjostrom now owns the six-fastest times in history and has cracked the 24-second barrier an incredible 38 times, with the rest of the world accounting for only 28 sub-24 marks.

Earlier in the week, a sensational finish carried Sjostrom to the title in the 100 freestyle, an event she initially planned to skip. Because she wanted to be rested and in optimal form for the 50 freestyle, the Swede felt contesting the 100 freestyle would cause interference. But after she learned that two off days would follow the 100 freestyle, Sjostrom expanded her program, the late decision proving beneficial.

With that surprise gold medal in hand, Sjostrom has gone to work on her primary objective for the week: Victory over one lap of freestyle. Really, only a stunning mishap will prevent Sjostrom from earning the third Olympic title of her career, and her sixth overall medal. Sjostrom was a -400 betting favorite in multiple sportsbooks, meaning an individual would have to wager $400 on a Sjostrom triumph to win $100.

“I’m just focusing on myself, not everyone else,” Sjostrom said. “I know there are a few girls that can definitely go under 24 (in the final). Some of them have relay today, so maybe they are saving energy. I’m just swimming in my lane. Whatever everyone else is doing, I don’t know.

“I’m not going to force (chasing a world record). When it comes to Olympic finals, it’s going to be a bonus if I break the world record. That would be amazing. But I’m not going to focus too much on that. I’d like to do my fastest swim in the final. (A) 23.65, that’s faster. We will see tomorrow.”

Heading into the final, Sjostrom is a half-second clear of American Gretchen Walsh, who is the second seed after a semifinal swim of 24.17. Walsh earned Lane Five for the final ahead of Poland’s Kasia Wasick (24.23) and China’s Zhang Yufei (24.24), who were first and second in the first semifinal. Australian Shayna Jack advanced in the fifth position behind a time of 24.29.

Another Aussie, Meg Harris, was sixth in 24.33 while Slovenia’s Neza Klancar and China’s Wu Qingfeng tied for seventh in 24.40.

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