Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom has moved to the top of the all-time women’s rankings with 23 all-time medals at the European Aquatics Championships, which includes the long course version of the continental swimming championships.
In spite of finishing the meet with an injured thumb, winning the 50 fly in spite of it, Sjostrom added 4 new gold medals to her tally by winning the 50 free, 100 free, 50 fly, and 100 fly. Notably, she becomes the only woman in history to have ever achieved that quartet at a single meet, and the 4th person to achieve just the 50 free-100 free double (Franziska van Almsick in 1993, Theresa Alshammar in 2000, and Britta Steffen).
The 4 new titles lifts Sjostrom to 23 total medals (14 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze), which surpasses the trio at 21: Germany’s Franziska van Almsick (18 gold, 3 silver); Sjostrom’s countrymate Alshammar (10 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze); and Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, who won one more gold medal in 2018, the 200 IM, to bring her total titles to 14.
11 of van Almsick’s 18 gold medals were in relays, as were 12 of her 21 total medals. By comparison, Hosszu has just 2 relay golds and 4 total relay medals, while Sjostrom has 1 relay gold and 8 total medals. Alshammar won 9 relay medals in total.
Sjostrom and Hosszu now each have 14 titles, which leaves them 2nd behind only van Almsick’s 18 as the most-ever by a woman.
Russian swimmer Alexander Popov has the most golds (21) and all-time medals (26 – with 3 silvers and 2 bronzes).
All Time Most Medals – Women – Swimming at the European Aquatics Championships
- 23 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 14 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze
- 21 – Franziska van Almsick, Germany – 18 gold, 3 silver, 0 bronze
- 21 – Katinka Hosszu, Hungary – 14 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze
- 21 – Therese Alshammar – 10 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze
- 18 – Sandra Volker, Germany – 9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze
- 18 – Mette Jacobsen, Denmark – 7 gold, 3 silver, 8 bronze
Long Course beast.
After the meet she said she was happy with the time in the 50 free, with the medals but also that she was disappointed with the times she was doing, especially in the 100 free. And with what C1 is doing over in pan pacs.. she knows what she has to do for worlds next year and 2020
As slow paced as some of the times have been at Pan Pacs because of huge Team USA jet lag, the Euro Champs times were really non-competitively slow on a worldwide basis. Ikee at Pan Pacs knocked Sjostrom off the top World rung in 100 Fly last night, and Sjo ends up with only one top time in world this year and in a non-Olympic event (50 Fly) and with no WRs this season.
Sjostrom is also world number 1 in the 50 free with a 23.74 from the Euros, just 0.07 outside her WR. Blume pushed SS all the way in that event (23.75) and would’ve done the same in the 100 free if she hadn’t messed up her swim in the semis.
It felt that Sjostrom was doing just enough to win the 100 fly in Glasgow. She was over one second clear of the field and had the much more competitive 50 free later that session, which did produce a world class performance. Ikee was faster in the virtual 100 fly but I feel Sarah had more in the tank and could’ve gone faster than Ikee’s winning time from Tokyo had… Read more »
BOKNOWS34, that was a really good answer! Good job👏🏻