Sarah Sjostrom, “I Didn’t Think I Would Swim The 100 Freestyle…” Goes On To Win Gold

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Earlier this year, Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden announced that she would not swim the women’s 100 freestyle in Paris, despite being the World Record holder in the event. Then, earlier this month, she appeared on the entry lists for the event. Even earlier this week, she had her hesitations to swim the event, but tonight, she swam to a gold medal in the event.

“I didn’t think I would swim the 100m Freestyle,” Sjostrom said. “After the freestyle relay the first day, I told my coach straight away, ‘I don’t think the 100m Freestyle is for me, I want to do the 50m, I will rest until the 50m’. He was like, ‘no way, you need to go out there and see what you can do, no matter the outcome’.”

Behind Sjostrom was Torri Huske of the US who won silver out of lane 1. Huske spoke of Sjostrom, “Sarah is the greatest. I’m so happy for her. She is such an accomplished swimmer, and she’s so sweet and kind. It couldn’t have gone to a nicer person.”

Leon Marchand had a huge night, winning the “dirty double” 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke, with just under two hours in between the events. He also swam to Olympic Record times in both.

“I have accomplished many dreams since I’ve been here,” Marchand said. “To make this double was something I felt capable of, but to make it reality is something else. Now I need to realize all of this, enjoy every moment, and focus again because there is the 200m Individual Medley tomorrow.”

Defending Olympic Champion in the event Zac Stubblety-Cook of Australia won silver. He spoke of Marchand saying, “It’s his moment. He’s hungry. He’s on the cusp of being one of the greatest swimmers. We’re just seeing the beginning. Maybe if it was someone else, I wouldn’t be as happy for them, but I was stoked for him to have that moment in front of the home crowd. To see someone achieve that, I can’t complain.”

The men’s 100 freestyle featured a World Record by Pan Zhanle of China, who swam to a 46.40, breaking his own record of a 46.80 that he swam in February. “I tried my best to get the best result,” Pan said. “I was very surprised to break the World Record in the end, and I think it was a magical moment.”

Former World Record holder in the event David Popovici of Romania won bronze and spoke of the new World Record. “Pan smashed the race. Massive props to him,” Popovici said. “That only means that we’re going to try harder and work harder. If we work harder than him, maybe we win gold. I think making an even faster time than Pan’s is possible. There are people alive now and swimming who can do it. It’s just a matter of putting it together and doing it at the right moment.”

Katie Ledecky of the US defended her title in the women’s 1500 freestyle, swimming a new Olympic Record as well. Ledecky now holds the top 20 performances in the event in history.

“I was just really happy with the time, honestly,” Ledecky said. “My three swims prior to this, I kept feeling that the time was a lot slower than it felt. That was the first one that felt like it showed in the time. I’m really happy.”