Sarah Sjostrom continues to roll on through her winter training in Sweden, including her second-straight met in Uppsala at the 2nd stop on the Swedish Grand Prix.
She started things out on day 1 with a 1:56.57 in the 200 free, which is within two-tenths of her own National Record that was set in Shanghai. That put her three-and-a-half seconds ahead of fellow teenager Michelle Coleman in a 2:00.21. Coleman is more a sprinter than a middle-distance swimmer, but that cleared her lifetime best by two-and-a-half seconds. This shows that she’s still developing as an overall swimmer, which is not a surprise given her age, and continues to look more-and-more like the answer to Sweden’s relay prayers in London.
Sjostrom’s swim, when taken in context of her 54.17 100 free to begin day two of the meet, is even more exciting. We know that Sjostrom can go a 53.0 in-season (she did so in December in Eindhoven), so it’s scary to think about what that 200 can come down to. The concern is building that Sjostrom might be resting for multiple in-season meets, but given the whole body of work (she’s been putting up lifetime bests at every meet, and racing every-other weekend just about) it’s hard to believe that she could sustain this high level on constant “rest” training.
In that 100 free, Coleman took 2nd in 55.26, and Nathalie Lindborg, who had a short-lived stint as the future of Cal sprinting, took 3rd in 56.16. The Swedes have struggled for some time without high-level sprinters, but they know have three aged 20-and-under who could break 55 on Olympic relays. Tack on the 15-year old Louise Hansson, who was not at this meet, at a 56 and Therese Alshammar for as long as she cares to hang around, and they’re a future force.
Back to the first day of competition, only a quick-cool-down after her 200 free, Sjostrom marked a 57.91 in the 100 fly. That puts her as the top time in the world this year. With how well the top women have been swimming this 100 fly world-wide (Vollmer, the Brits), it could shape up to be one of the best battles in London.
Martina Granstrom also had a great time in the 100 fly in 58.70 for 7th in the world and a lifetime best, and Israel’s Amit Ivri also jumped into the top 10 with a 58.81.
Sjostrom had a very light week of racing, as those were her only three events, but there were a few other notable swims as well as many of Sweden’s elite were at this meet.
Jennie Johansson swam a 1:07.86 to win the women’s 100 breaststroke, and that time puts her 3rd in the world this year. That’s within half-a-second of her lifetime best. Joline Hostman, who is the 200 breaststroker to Johansson’s sprinting, took 2nd in 1:09.30.
The Swedish breaststroke field is crowded, but Johansson seems to be emerging as a big favorite to take the much-sought-after medley spot.
Granstom, she-who-was-second to Sjostrom in the 100 fly, was in great form in this meet. Besides that runner-up swim, she came within two-tenths of her National Record in the 200 fly (2:08.22) and cut three seconds off of her lifetime best in the 200 IM (2:15.17). She only finished 11th in the 200 fly in Shanghai, but don’t be surprised if she makes enough noise to challenge for a final in London.
The top performances on the men’s side came from Israel’s Jonathan Kopelev in the backstroke races. Coming off of good swims at the Euro Meet a few weeks ago, he lit up the 50 back in 25.12 for the 2nd-best time in the world behind only Camille Lacourt, and also touched in 54.54 in the 100 back. Rumor is that the 20-year old Kopelev will be travelling stateside to swim in the NCAA next fall, so be on the lookout for him to have American success along the lines of former Cal Bear Guy Barnea.