Sjostrom Ties World’s Best In The 100 Butterfly in Boras

Yesterday at the Swedish National Championships Sarah Sjostrom took home gold in the women’s 200 freestyle, today she returned to the pool to win the women’s 100 butterfly in a time of 56.50. Sjostrom, who has been red hot since winning the World Championships in Barcelona last summer, equalled her world’s top ranked time that she put at the Sette Colli Trophy in June.

She originally broke Therese Alshammar‘s 2009 meet record of 57.56 in the prelims qualifying for the final in a time of 57.35, which was her fourth fastest time of the season.

Her lifetime best of 56.06 was recorded at the 2009 World Championships in Rome with her textile best being 56.50. She has shown incredible consistency throughout the year, something that bodes well for the Swedish star at the upcoming European Championships.

Louise Hansson, who won her second silver of the evening, finishing second in the 200 backstroke, was the only other woman to break the one minute barrier finishing in a time of 59.20. She was followed by Stina Gardell who posted a time of 1:00.38.

Simon Sjodin started off his campaign in Boras by winning the men’s 200 butterfly in a new meet record time, today he one upped himself. Sjodin took home gold in the men’s 400 IM in a time of 4:19.68 breaking Erik Persson‘s national record of 4:19.82 which he set just four months ago.

Sjodin improve of his lifetime best of 4:20.96 which he posted in 2011.

Kristian Kron picked up the silver finishing in a time of 4:24.96, just off of his lifetime best of 4:24.43 which he put up last year.

Former national record holder, Persson, collected the bronze in a time of 4:25.63, well off his season’s best of 4:19.82. Persson’s time was faster than his lifetime of 4:25.96 going into the season. He had an incredible swim at the Swim Cup in Eindhoven winning the silver and dropping more than six seconds off of his lifetime best.

Michelle Coleman won her first event of the competition taking the women’s 200 backstroke in a time of 2:12.99 breaking Henriette Stenkvist 2011 meet record of 2:13.32. Coleman was well off of her season and lifetime best of 2:10.56. That does need to be looked at in perspective, because just like Swedish teammate Kron, Coleman dropped a significant amount of time at the Swim Cup in Eindhoven in April, going into the meet with a lifetime best of 2:14.37.

Louise Hansson took the silver in a time of 2:14.94 followed by Ida Lindborg and Therese Svendsen who tied in a time of 2:19.17.

In the women’s 50 breaststroke Jennie Johansson picked up her second victory of the competition touching first in a time of 30.39 breaking her own meet record of 30.65 which she set in 2012. Johansson’s time is a season’s best beating her time of 30.56, which currently ranks second in the world to Ruta Meilutyte who posted a 29.90 in June.

Johansson was also just off her own national record of 30.23.

Una Finnman finished second in a time of 31.92. It was a good day for Finnman who qualified for the final in a time of 32.11 beating her best time of 32.16 which she posted in 2008. She was followed by Jessica Billquist who hit the wall in a time of 32.10.

Mattias Carlsson took the men’s 100 backstroke in a time of 55.97 just off of his season’s best of 55.47. He was followed by Axel Pettersson who collected the silver in a time of 56.59 and Fabian Berman finished third in a time of 57.31.

Sebastian Holmberg took the men’s 50 butterfly in a lifetime best time of 24.21. Holmberg posted his previous best of 24.50 in 2012. Christoffer Carlsen finished second in a time of 24.35 just ahead of Jesper Johnsson who touched in a time of 24.37.

Laura Lajunen took the women’s 800 freestyle in a time of 8:55.83.

Full results can be found here.