The super Swede claimed a record-breaking 21st career world medal, moving clear of American legend Michael Phelps' mark, at the World Aquatics Championships 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan.
(2023 Getty Images)
Super Swede Sarah Sjoestroem blasted to victory in the women’s 50-metre freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan, on Sunday (30 July) breaking the great Michael Phelps’ record for most individual swimming world podium finishes.
The 29-year-old Sjoestroem raced to her 21st individual medal at the world long-course championships in style, hitting the wall in a time of 23.62 seconds, just 0.01s off the world-record mark she set in the semis a day earlier. The six-foot swimmer edged Shayna Jack (24.10s) of Australia into second place with the People’s Republic of China’s Zhang Yufei touching third in 24.15s. Reigning Olympic champion Emma McKeon of Australia had to settle for fifth place with 24.35s.
Sjoestroem now boasts three world gold medals in the splash-and-dash event adding to the titles she won in Budapest in 2017 and in 2022.
The day before, the Swedish sprint queen secured her fifth consecutive world title in the women's 50m butterfly event. Just 20 minutes later she eclipsed her own world 50m freestyle record in the semi-finals clocking a blistering 23.61 seconds, chopping 0.06s of the previous mark.
“I am super happy with that. It was very busy yesterday with the world record and the gold medal,” Sjoestroem said.
Her performances in Fukuoka highlighted her incredible staying power winning a medal at every world championships, bar one, since her 2009 debut. In 2009, Sjoestroem won her first 100m butterfly world title as a 15-year-old.
At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, she stormed to gold in the same event before adding silver in the 200m freestyle and bronze in the 100m event. Five years later in Tokyo 2020 (in 2021) she claimed the second step on the podium in the 50m freestyle event.