SwimSwam Pulse: 63.6% Think Sjostrom’s 50 Fly World Record Is Most At Risk In Singapore

SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.

Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which of the three long course world records currently held by Sarah Sjostrom is most at risk at the 2025 World Championships:

Question: Which Sjostrom world record is most likely to go down at the 2025 Worlds?

RESULTS

• 50 fly (24.43) – 63.6%
• All are safe – 23.1%
• 50 free (23.61) – 6.6%
• 100 free (51.71) – 6.6%

Sarah Sjostrom is the greatest female sprinter we’ve seen in the past decade, no question. Up until last June, the Swede simultaneously held long course world records in the 50 free, 100 free, 50 fly and 100 fly, and although Gretchen Walsh has taken hold of the 100 fly mark (and lowered it significantly), Sjostrom still owns the other three records and has had ownership of the trio since 2017.

With Sjostrom out of this year’s World Championship field with her first child expected to arrive next month, we asked SwimSwam readers which of her three remaining world records is most at risk in Singapore–or if they’re all safe.

Nearly a third of readers (63.6%) voted for the 50 fly, which, up until a few months ago, Sjostrom lived on a different stratosphere than the rest of the world in as the only woman in history to have broken 25 seconds with her 24.43 clocking from 2014.

However, Walsh joined the sub-25 club at the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim in early May (24.93), and then at last month’s U.S. Nationals, she brought her American Record down to 24.66, putting her within 23 one-hundredths of Sjostrom’s vaunted mark.

Although Sjostrom’s gap is still nearly a quarter of a second, the way Walsh has been obliterating the record book over the last year—including resetting the super-suited SCM 50 fly record by 44 one-hundredths at Short Course Worlds in December—it’s certainly within reason that she could snag Sjostrom’s long course mark.

The 50 and 100 free received identical vote counts, coming in at 6.6% apiece.

The closest any active swimmer has been to Sjostrom’s 50 free record of 23.61 is Walsh and fellow American Kate Douglass, who are three-tenths back at 23.91, and Douglass won’t be contesting the event in Singapore. Joining Walsh on the U.S. side will be Torri Huske, who clocked 23.98 at last month’s Nationals.

In the 100 free, the only other swim outside of Sjostrom’s stunning 51.71 that’s been under 52 seconds is Emma McKeon‘s 51.96 from the Tokyo Olympics, so it’s hard to see anyone getting all the way down to 51.7 in Singapore. However, we have seen numerous 51-point relay splits, including from the likes of Mollie O’Callaghan, Marrit Steenbergen and Huske, who will all be in action at Worlds, so it’s not impossible.

But with that being said, there were still nearly a quarter of readers (23.1%) that firmly believe all of Sjostrom’s records are safe.

Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Which showdown is more highly anticipated?

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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.