Swimming legend Sarah Sjostrom announced Wednesday that she’s pregnant with her first child and is expecting in August.
She and her husband, Johan de Jong Skierus, got married this past October after 12 years of dating and a two-year engagement.
Sjostrom, 31, said in an Instagram post that the first trimester of her pregnancy has been” some of the most mentally and physically challenging” weeks of her life. “I am more in awe than ever of what women go through. I’ve always admired the strength of women, but now I understand it on a whole new level.”
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The news comes two months after Sjostrom said she was not planning on competing in 2025 after a successful 2024 that included winning double Olympic gold in the women’s and 100 freestyle.
In her announcement Wednesday, the Swede added that she has been able to swim and train “on her good days.”
“It’s been incredible to see what my body is capable of during this journey,” she wrote. “Everything is much slower” now in the water, but I still feel a sense of harmony when I swim, and it’s amazing to move in a way that feels so natural.”
After she gives birth, Sjostrom plans to work her way back into full training with an eye on competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, which would be her sixth straight appearance at the Games after making her debut in 2008.
“Of course, I will fight to compete at a high level again,” she wrote. “I’ve always been inspired by women who continue their athletic careers after pregnancy, and I think it’s curiosity that drives me. It’s not about records or medals.
“It’s about discovering what my body is capable of after recovering from pregnancy.
“My dream is to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics and make it to my sixth Olympic Games.”
One of the most decorated female swimmers of all-time, Sjostrom is coming off winning gold in the women’s 50 and 100 free at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which marked the second and third Olympic titles of her career after winning the women’s 100 fly in 2016.
She also won silver in the women’s 200 free and bronze in the women’s 100 free at Rio 2016, and at the Tokyo Games in 2021, she won silver in the 50 free after breaking her elbow earlier in the year.
Sjostrom is also a 14-time LC world champion, including winning six straight world titles in the 50 fly (2015-2024) and three consecutive in the 50 free (2022-2024). She currently owns long course world records in the women’s 50 free (23.61), 100 free (51.71) and 50 fly (24.43).
She’s always able to come back stronger because she comes back with curiosity rather than expectation, and I think that’s a really important thing that other swimmers, especially those who have been to the top of the sport, would do well to emulate.
-She broke her arm months before Tokyo and her driving factor was her curiosity to see how quickly she could come back. She won a silver medal against all odds, and went 56 in the 100 fly after not being able to swim fly for months.
-She swam the 100 free in Paris because she was curious to see what she could do, and she WON, surprising herself in the biggest way 15 years into… Read more »
I’m sure it’s tough but if you’ve got a supportive partner who takes care of a lot of the work at home with the baby, it’s doable (thinking of Serena Williams e.g.)
Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it can buy support and flexibility.
Sprint GOAT!
Hey, Dana Vollmer pulled it off after a gold and came back to win a bronze. Congrats to Sarah!
And Dara Torrres!
MEOW
Not to get too ahead of ourselves, but has a woman ever medaled after having a kid?
Dana Vollmer in Rio won silver on a 400 free relay and bronze in the 100 fly.
Dara Torres had a kid when she made her big comeback.
I also think Tanya Dangalakova did in 1988. And Galina Prozumenshchikova in 1968 or 1972.
Also, Marleen Veldhuis had a kid in 2010 and won bronze in 2012 in the 50 free and silver in the 400 free relay
Indeed. And Dara was considerably older, being 41!
Congrats to Sarah & her husband, what a swimmer. That look on her face when she won the 100 free in Paris, priceless.
That was my favourite moment of the Games.
Sjostrom finally getting those freestyle golds was the feel good moment of the games for me