Sjostrom trusting post-pregnancy process and channeling Alshammar as she heads for Paris 2026

Speaking to European Aquatics, triple Olympic champion Sarah Sjostrom described her Swedish compatriot Therese Alshammar as an inspirational figure.

The two women overlapped competitively, with Alshammar, Sydney 2000 silver medallist in the 50m and 100m freestyle, taking part in her sixth and final Olympics at the Rio 2016 Games – three years after giving birth to a son, Freddie.

The Rio Games were Sjostrom’s third Olympics, and she came away with a complete set of medals having earned 100m butterfly gold, 200m freestyle silver and 100m freestyle bronze.

Fast forward a decade and, at 32, Sjostrom is also moving towards a sixth Olympic appearance having given birth to a son, Adrian, who made his appearance in August last year.

And she is aiming for Paris 2026 to mark the first big step towards Los Angeles 2028.

As a star guest at last week’s 100 Days to Go press event for Paris 2026, Sjostrom expressed her excitement about returning to the French capital this summer:

 “I have great memories of Paris. I had big expectations in the Paris 2024 50m freestyle but I didn’t expect to win the 100m as well so it was a real dream come true.

“Obviously life has changed a lot since then, I became a mother seven months ago and I just did my comeback a few days ago in Stockholm and once again surprised myself with the results.

“I didn’t think I’d already be back to 24.3 seven months post-partum and now I’m excited to go to the European Championships this summer.

“It’s 18 years since my first European Championships, so I’ll be happy to do it again in Paris.”

The time to which she referred was achieved earlier this month in her racing return at the Malmsten Swim Open in Stockholm, where she earned silver in the 50m freestyle in 24.36.

It was some way short of her 2017 world record of 23.67. But right now Sjostrom, who appeared at last week’s 100 Days to Go press event for Paris 2026, is thinking process rather than times…

As she prepared for her competitive return in Stockholm she offered her reflections on what looked from the outside like a comeback – but felt on the inside like a progression.

“I mean, I never left the pool,” she said. “Honestly, when it comes to training I kept on swimming throughout the whole pregnancy, four times a week.

“I tried to go back to the pool as quickly as possible after, not because I wanted or needed to be fast again. It was not about that. It was just that I enjoy the lifestyle and being able to move my body.

“And honestly swimming is much easier than going for a run so I prefer swimming.”

Speaking about her visit to South Africa in the New Year, she added:

“I enjoy training in the sun outdoors. So we spent five weeks there as a family – with my son and my husband, and my coach Antonio (Lutula) was there also.

“I still feel like I have a lot of work to do. Seven months ago I had a baby so I still need to re-build my body.

“If I swim freestyle in training only with my arms I still feel quite strong, but if I do only arms in butterfly it is quite hard because I need more power from the legs and the kick.

“But in freestyle I can manage even if my legs are not 100 per cent.

“I know that many women face challenges in the first trimester, but I wasn’t prepared for how tough it can be. The last few weeks have been among the most challenging I’ve been through, mentally and physically.

“I am more in awe than ever of what women go through. I’ve always admired the strength of women, but now I understand it on a whole new level.

“I’ve always been inspired by women who continue their athletic careers after pregnancy and I think it’s curiosity that drives me. It’s not about records and medals.

“It’s about discovering what my body is capable of after recovering from pregnancy. My dream is to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics and make it to my sixth Olympic Games.”

Sjostrom’s approach, and the way she describes it, strongly echo those of her Olympian compatriot.

To mark International Women’s Day in 2024 Alshammar – who also recovered from a slipped disc a year after giving birth – recalled:

“Halfway through my career I noticed that I really don’t put much value on results or achievements, I am more a curious and creative type.

“I think maybe I endured injury and came back from having a kid and did my sixth Olympics and I think looking back on that, that was my hardest experience.”

Meanwhile Sjostrom’s enjoyment of what she does is always tangible. Speaking on that subject, she told European Aquatics:

“I would say that the most important thing is to enjoy the process rather than just focusing on the moment you reach your goal.

“The process is where the real work happens, where you grow, learn, and push your limits. If you don’t find joy in that, then even achieving your goal might not feel as fulfilling as you expected.”

The immediate goal for this Swedish icon is a place, and perhaps a medal, at the European Aquatics Championships, where swimming will take place from July 31 to August 16.

Thereafter, all roads lead towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the opportunity to match the achievement of the swimmer who was such an influence upon Sjostrom’s early career…

Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics

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