Above shot captured of Sarah Sjostrom in her natural habitat, courtesy of Jennie Johnasson.
Thanks to Northern European correspondent Chris DeSantis for contributing to this report.
Sarah Sjostrom is slowly (more like with a vengance) becoming one of the most well-rounded swimmers in the world. Today, at the Swedish Short Course Junior National Championships, she took down the Short Course National Record in the women’s 200 IM with a 2:08.17.
That swim took down the old mark held by USC swimmer Stina Gardell at the 2009 World Cup, in a rubber-suit.
This time for Sjostrom lops over a second off of her pervious career-best and moves her into the all-time top 30 (and logically speaking, she was unlikely rested for this meet).
The only lacking leg in this swim was the breaststroke, which was just ok, but aside from that she looked outstanding throughout the four strokes. Her splits:
27.31 – 32.45 – 38.90 – 29.51
At still only 18 years old (remember, this is a Junior National Championship meet), Sjostrom is still searching to expand her event horizons beyond the 100 fly that she’s so famous for after breaking the World Record at only 15. Though that 100 fly record has stood since then, that doesn’t mean that she’s not still making huge leaps forward. In the last three months alone she’s set personal-bests in 9 different events. That includes her 53.0 in the 100 free from Eindhoven in December.
Sjostrom would come back about 20 minutes later and take the 50 breaststroke in 31.54. That’s her weak stroke, but she’s been swimming it fairly frequently (she was 4th at Senior Nationals in this 50) which has to lead one to believe that a 200 IM is in her future in London or Rio (despite having never been better than 2:16 long course).
She also split a 51.76 on the 3rd leg of Sodertorns bronze-medal winning 400 free relay. That’s her best-ever short course time, either rolling or flat-start.
@aswimfan, She posted a 2:12 at the Swedish Grand Prix (LCM) last year in April. That was definitely unrested. I would not be surprised if she could end up going 2:04, 2:05 in the 200 fly. I think Sarah is capable of doing anything she puts her mind to. I mean, posting a 31.5 in the 50 breaststroke without being a breaststroker is pretty impressive. And I know a lot of people never thought she would be a great IMer (myself included) and look at her now…
DDiaz, Sjoestrom is amazing but I don’t think the 200 fly is in her schedule and even if it is, there’s no indication she can go with the fastest girls (2:04-2:05), I don’t think she has swum 200 fly in any championships, has she?
I agree with John26 analyses, her shanghai performance seemed a bit baffling in light of what she’s done after that.
For Sjostrom, I think the ingredients for a popping 200IM has always been there: she was the lead off of the Swedish medley relay in Beijing, coupled with her fly and free exploits in the last 2 years.
The biggest uncertainty I have with Sjostrom is her ability to drop time through taper. She has shown repeatedly that she can swim 156mid in the 200free and 57low in the 100fly during training. But Shanghai suggested that she doesn’t drop much time. However this is not to say she is incapable of it– I’d like to remind that she was no where on the radar in 09 before breaking DeBruin’s WR.
I’m extremely curious as to whether she had missed her… Read more »
Sarah could definately come out of London with 3 golds. The 100/200 Free are both relatively open and she is a name in both frame’s, and her fly exploits speak for themselves. Could we see Pellegrini miss a medal in the 200FR? I think so. Schmitt has shown great speed and endurance already this year, Franklin has swam the fastest textile time and Sjostrom has dropped a second in the 100FR and I think she could go 1.54 and become olympic champ over 200FR.
Threats to her in various events are obvious….Vollmer,Franklin,Pellegrini,Halsall, coutts etc.
She is young, and for me, she is the big IF in women swimming.Everyone is talking about Missy, but i do not think is impossible for Sarah to blast amazing times in 100 and 200 free and 100 and 200 fly.