Sarah Sjostrom Set To Fly As Wings Await Her In Rio; Women’s Guide To London 2016

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom emerged as the most decorated of all swimmers by the close of play at the 32nd European Championships in Berlin in 2014: seven medals topped by three golds – and all of that without the 200m freestyle, from which she opted out after a 1:53 split in the 4x200m relay that delivered one of three silvers.

The relay was followed by an empty lane in the solo the next day and this from coach Carl Jenner, who told SwimVortex: “We knew months ago that she wasn’t going to do it. We left it in there just in case as we do with many events but the decision had been taken way back in the spring. She won’t be doing it because at the big meet it doesn’t work with the programme.”

It works for Rio. And so this time round at the European Championships, seven days of racing set to start next Monday at the London Aquatics Centre in Olympic legacy mode, the 50m freestyle is gone – the 200m is on. Femke Heemskerk (NED) is the leader in the club of Ledecky chasers who will take on the four-lapper in London, missing from the race two years after respective gold and bronze Federica Pellegrini (ITA), the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and 2008 Olympic champion  and a six-times World titles podium placer, with gold in 2009 and 2011,  and Katinka Hosszu (HUN), also opting for a reduced program this time round on the way to targeting what would be her first medals at a fourth Games at the age of 27.

Sjostrom stole everyone’s thunder at Berlin 2014. It was a season that saw power and technique harmonised for a 24.43 world 50m butterfly record. The time, set in Boras at nationals, was just outside what it took Sjostrom to take silver behind Fran Halsall (GBR) in the 50m freestyle in Berlin (24.37).

Boras was a perfect storm of a moment, one that even Jenner himself says “I would never have believed had I not seen it happen”. After Sjostrom had set a world textile best in heats a touch over 25sec after taking one breath, Jenner told her that if she tried no breaths just the once to see what happened he felt sure she could break the world record and dip inside 25sec.

Sarah Sjostrom – by Patrick B. Kraemer

Sjostrom was just 13 when Jenner started filming her technique and showing her videos of some of the best in the world. “My aim from the time she was 13 was to get as flat a fly as possible.” The depth of undulation in stroke was ironed out bit by bit as Sjostrom matured and got stronger.

What unfolded in Boras on a golden evening at nationals in 2014 reflected something of a perfect storm. If conditions, pool, the moment were all favourable – Sjostrom was far from being the only one who registered a best time in a line-up wide in standard between world record and last home – then the sprinter was not only in great shape but ready to test for the first time something that had long been in the pipeline.

No breaths it was, the flat-lining supreme and the rate of turnover  jaw-dropping: 21 strokes. Amazing.

“I said to her after the heats, ‘look, just try it, you have nothing to lose’,” said Jenner on dropping of the one breath in the morning.

“It was amazing. If I’d have seen the result sheet and not been there I would have thought ‘they’ve made a mistake – it was freestyle’.”

Sjostrom has not swum back into mind-boggling sub-24.5 waters since but her sub-25sec consistency beat a path to consistent sub 56 form in the 100m, the world record broken in the rounds and final for the world title in Kazan last year eight years after she claimed European gold at 14 in Eindhoven.

Sarah Sjostrom stretching the pace as a ‘fly pioneer by Patrick B. Kraemer

At Berlin, Sjostrom claimed gold in the 100m free, the 50m ‘fly and as a member of the 4x100m free quartet after Denmark was disqualified. She also claimed silver in the 50m free and as a member of the Sweden 4x100m medley relay behind Denmark on the last day of racing to add to the silver lining she was forced to settle for by 0.01sec in the 100m butterfly behind Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen. A bronze in the 4x200m freestyle completed the biggest haul of the meet, though there were two men with four gold medals apiece, Adam Peaty (two solos, 50 and 100m breaststroke, with world records set in the 50m breaststroke and the 4x100m mixed medley relay) and Florent Manaudou (three solos, 50 and 100m free, 50 ‘fly, plus 4×100 free). More on the men later.

Sjostrom arrives in London with 14 podium visits to her name at the continental showcase, 7 gold, 6 silver, 1 bronze. The tally is about to get bigger but it is Rio that will write the lines required to elevate the Swedish sprinters status as she chases her first Olympic medals four years after a frustrating fourth in the 100m butterfly in the London pool she returns to this coming week.

Potted Guide To The Women’s Events

50m Freestyle

Fran Halsall and coach James Gibson by Patrick B. Kraemer

Fran Halsall (GBR) will defend the crown , her entry time a 25.23 from this year, 0.01sec down on the top seed and Olympic champion, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), into the race on her world-titles best of last year.

Jeanette Ottesen (DEN) is the only other sub-24.5 swimmer going into the race. Notable for the absence are silver medallist from Berlin 2014 Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) and Olympic silver medallist of 2012 Aliaksandr Herasimenia* (BLR), bypassing the …

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