Sarah Sjöström Strikes Again, Drops 52.54 100m Freestyle

Sarah Sjöström Strikes Again, Drops 52.54 100m Freestyle

Sarah Sjostrom broke the Swedish National record in the 100m freestyle on Tuesday in Stockholm with a 52.54. This is the fastest time in the world in 2017.

Apr 11, 2017 by Maclin Simpson
Sarah Sjöström Strikes Again, Drops 52.54 100m Freestyle
Have yourself a meet, ​Sarah Sjöström...​ The Swedish sensation has lit the pool in Stockholm ablaze this week with some incredibly fast performances. Her most notable swims included: a stellar 56.26 in the 100m butterfly on Sunday, an even more impressive 23.83 in the 50m freestyle on Monday, and finally a huge 52.54 in the 100m freestyle on Tuesday -- the fastest time in the world in 2017.

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Here are Sjöström's splits compared to ​Cate Campbell's (Australia) world record from July of 2016:

Sjöström: (25.17)(27.37) -- 52.54
Campbell: (24.89)(27.17) -- 52.06

Just like her 50m freestyle Monday night, Sjöström's time of 52.54 in the 100 carries a lot of significance in the context of the history of the event.

1.) It makes her the fourth-fastest ​performer​ of all-time behind ​Britta Steffen​ (Germany) and Australian sisters ​Cate Campbell​ and ​Bronte Campbell.​​

2.) It gives her the 10th fastest ​performance​ of all-time behind the aforementioned women. ​

3.) It is a new Swedish National record -- Sjöström owned the previous record of 52.67 set at the 2014 European Championships in Berlin.

Australia's ​Cate Campbell​ still holds the world record with a 52.06 set at the Swimming Australia Grand Prix in Brisbane, just a month before the 2016 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, Campbell was unable to replicate her performance in Rio as she settled for a disappointing 6th place finish in 53.24.


Also of note, Sjöström's time of 52.54 is faster than the 52.70 ​it took to win the Olympic gold medal in Rio -- which ​Simone Manuel​ and ​Penny Oleksiak​ tied for. Sjöström picked up the bronze with a 52.99.