2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Preview Index
BY THE NUMBERS — WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE
- World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 23.67 (2017)
- World Junior Record: Claire Curzan, United States — 24.17 (2021)
- Championship Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 23.67 (2017)
- 2022 World Champion: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 23.98
When Sarah Sjostrom steps up to the blocks for the women’s 50-meter freestyle in two weeks’ time, the Swedish sprint star will be seeking to make history in more ways than one.
At 29 years old, Sjostrom is aiming to become the first three-time world champion in this event, having won last year (23.98) and in 2017, when she clocked the current world record of 23.67. Simultaneously, she’s also looking to overtake Michael Phelps as the most decorated World Championships medalist ever. Sjostrom owns 19 individual medals at Worlds, one shy of Phelps’ 20, with only the 50 free and 50 fly on her slate later this month in Fukuoka, Japan (Katie Ledecky is close behind with 16 individual medals, and is entered in three events at Worlds this year).
Time off last fall translated into sizzling times this season for Sjostrom on the Mare Nostrum Tour. At the Monaco stop in May, she posted world-leading times in the 50 free (23.82) and 50 fly (24.89) on the same day. Her 23.82 50 free marked her fastest time in the event since 2019 and the 11th-fastest performance of all time.
Sjostrom’s results at Mare Nostrum a couple months ago served as a reminder that she’s the favorite to repeat as world champion in both the 50 free and 50 fly. But topping the 50 free podium again this year will be no easy feat with a trio of new medal contenders eyeing an upset.
Can Anyone Stop Sjostrom?
Sjostrom has been in prime form so far this season, but she’ll have to deal with three podium threats who weren’t present in Budapest last year. Abbey Weitzeil comes into this meet scorching hot on the heels of a 24.00 U.S. Open record at U.S. Trials two weeks ago. The 26-year-old Cal grad took zero breaths for the first time in a competition and the new strategy paid off as she dropped .19 seconds off her previous best from the Tokyo Olympics two summers ago. After her victory, which gave her the second-fastest time in the world this season, Weitzeil said she had her sights set on sub-24 territory at Worlds.
Last year’s American representatives, Erika Brown (24.38, bronze) and Torri Huske (24.64, 6th place), finished 8th and 5th at U.S. Trials this year, with Gretchen Walsh snagging the second qualifying spot in 24.31. The 20-year-old rising UVA junior dropped .16 seconds off her previous best from last July.
A pair of Aussies also have their eyes on hardware in this event. Shayna Jack (24.22) edged Emma McKeon (24.26) at June’s Australian Trials, ranking third and fourth in the world this season. Jack pulled out of Worlds last year after breaking her hand in a “freak accident” collision with another swimmer during training while the 29-year-old McKeon skipped the meet altogether with a big-picture view focused on the Paris 2024 Olympics. Jack is still looking for her first individual Worlds medal, though she has claimed six on relays. Jack’s personal-best 24.14 from the 2022 Australian Championships would have won silver at Worlds last year if she was healthy. McKeon is the last woman to beat Sjostrom at a major international meet with her Olympic-record 23.81 earning her gold in Tokyo.
Last year, Polish national record holder Kasia Wasick threw down a personal-best 24.11 in semifinals before taking silver behind Sjostrom in 24.18. This season, the 31-year-old has an even faster season-best time heading into Worlds (24.65 vs. 24.70), so she may have another trick up her sleeve.
Another returning finalist who could make some noise is 25-year-old Zhang Yufei, the second-fastest Chinese woman ever with a 24.29 from 2021. This season, Yufei boasts the eighth-fastest time in the world with a 24.40 from March. She placed 5th at Worlds last year with a 24.57. Yufei pulled out of the 2022 Short Course World Championships midway through the meet with an elbow injury, but she could be a different beast this summer after focusing on lower-body strength and improving her technique on turns and underwaters during her rehab process.
23-year-old Dutchwoman Marrit Steenbergen has been on fire this season, posting a personal-best 24.42 at the Eindhoven Qualification Meet in April. She couldn’t quite replicate that speed at the Dutch National Championships a couple months later, but she should be in a good spot to qualify for the A-final if she can find her peak form again. She’s seeking her first individual medal at Worlds after bringing home two relay medals in 2015 and another last summer.
Other A-Final Contenders
British 27-year-old Anna Hopkin is aiming to return to the A-final after placing 7th at the past two Worlds. Her season-best time is a 24.51 from the British Championships in April, just .17 seconds off her lifetime best from the 2019 World Championship semifinals.
Michelle Coleman will try to make sure Sjostrom isn’t the only 29-year-old Swede in the A-final. She threw down a 24.43 at the Sette Colli Trophy in June, just .17 seconds off her personal-best 24.26 from 2019.
There isn’t a ton of young blood in this race, but 17-year-old Chinese standout Cheng Yujie will attempt to change that. She beat Zhang in May with a season-best 24.53, just about a tenth of a second off her personal-best 24.41 from 2021.
The 100 free is more of Siobhan Haughey’s specialty, but the 25-year-old from Hong Kong still has enough speed to disrupt this splash and dash. She threw down a personal-best 24.56 on the Mare Nostrum Tour in May, shaving .03 seconds off her national record but still reaching the wall half a second behind Sjostrom.
25-year-old Dutchwoman Kim Busch placed second behind Steenbergen at April’s Eindhoven Qualification Meet with a personal-best 24.68.
A pair of Frenchwomen sit right on the edge of the top 25 rankings this season, but they could threaten A-final territory if they approach their lifetime bests from a couple years ago. 30-year-old Melanie Henique has been as fast as 24.70 this season, a few tenths off her national-record 24.34 from 2020, while 26-year-old Marie Wattel is right behind her with a 24.73. Wattel owns a lifetime best of 24.54 from 2021.
SwimSwam’s Picks:
| Rank | Swimmer | Personal Best | Season Best |
| 1 | Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) | 23.67 | 23.82 |
| 2 | Abbey Weitzeil (USA) | 24.00 | 24.00 |
| 3 | Shayna Jack (AUS) | 24.14 | 24.22 |
| 4 | Emma McKeon (AUS) | 23.81 | 24.26 |
| 5 | Kasia Wasick (POL) | 24.11 | 24.65 |
| 6 | Zhang Yufei (CHN) | 24.29 | 24.40 |
| 7 | Gretchen Walsh (USA) | 24.31 | 24.31 |
| 8 | Marrit Steenbergen (NED) | 24.42 | 24.42 |
No way Abbey Weitzel medals in this event, she implodes in every major international meet. I can see 5th – 8th for her only.
Gold. Sjostrom
Silver. McKeon
Bronze. Jack or Wasick
Sarah seeks her third,
Sjostrom’s speed knows no bounds,
History beckons.
-Coleman and Yanyan live, literally yesterday:
“Yeah no one’s getting close to Sjostrom and McKeon, the race is for third behind them”
-SwimSwam picks:
McKeon 4th
Coleman or Hopkin in the final over Steenbergen. Wasick is a bit of a question mark in my eyes- as Yanyan said she’s typically fast in season but has only been 24.6
24.6 is around where Wasick usually is in season.
🥇 Sjostsrom & McKeon tie 23.75
🥉 Jack 23.95
Well at least you admit you’re biased
Shayna Jack is my biggest question mark here. Her 100 is usually solid no matter the meet, but either her 50 is on or her 200 is on – never both. At April Nationals, her 100/200 free was “ON” and her 50 was a bit off. Come World Trials in June, her 200 was off but her 50 was much better than April Nationals. Given the 50 is her only individual event, it would be assumed the 50 + 100 for the relay is her focus for Fukuoka – BUT she has the 3rd fastest 200 on the team by a long shot (1:55.3 from Nationals) and probably wants a relay spot – this creates a tough situation given her… Read more »
Off Topic
The top three swimmers in the 10 kilometer open water swimming competition automatically qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Don’t really see Steenbergen making the final. I think she will focus on the 100/200 free. I could see her actually winning an individual medal in the 100 or 200 free, although it would obviously be a surprise.