The Week That Was: Sjostrom to Take Three Months to Recover, Brits Return to Racing in Manchester

Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

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The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.

Sarah Sjostrom completed her successful elbow surgery in the wake of an unfortunate incident where she fell on the ice, and will take three months to recover. Her rivals have refused to write her off because of this, stating she may come back stronger and hungrier with 159 days until the Olympics.

Many of Britain’s best returned to racing this weekend in Manchester in a tune-up before the British Trials and the Olympic Games.

Read below the five biggest stories in The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.

The Week That Was #1: Sarah Sjostrom Undergoes Successful Elbow Surgery

Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

By Liz Byrnes

Sarah Sjostrom has undergone successful surgery for a broken elbow although national team doctor Rene Tour warned that a full recovery may take at least three months putting her Olympic 100 fly defence in doubt.

The Swede sustained the injury to her right elbow when she slipped on ice on her way to Reimersholme, south of Stockholm, on Saturday and she was quickly transported to hospital where the fracture was diagnosed.

On Monday she was operated on at Sankt Göran Hospital during which screws and a metal plate were inserted.

Tour spoke to reporters at a virtual press conference, saying:

“What happened today is that Sarah had surgery on her elbow and according to the reports, everything has gone very well.

“When performing an operation like this, you can choose to be awake or to put the patient to sleep.

“In this case, she has chosen to sleep under general anesthesia. X-rays afterwards are good.”

Cate Campbell has warned the swimming world not to count Sarah Sjostrom out of this year’s Tokyo Games despite the Olympic champion’s devastating fall and subsequent elbow surgery.

Campbell was quick to praise her respected rival saying at the Australian Dolphins Relay Blitz Meet at Bond University of the Gold Coast yesterday: “I saw a pale faced Sarah with her arm in a cast and my heart just dropped for her.

“It was devastating really….but you can never count Sarah out ‘do that at your own peril’ and if she needed any extra motivation to get back she will get there… she’s as tough as they (come) and I wish her all the best.

“Thank goodness they don’t have ice (where we live) in Australia…..It isn’t a final without Sarah Sjostrom in it but just heart-breaking for her.

“I know she will do everything in her power to get back; we try and look for meanings but sometimes life just doesn’t go you way.

“It’s a wake up call for everybody of just how privileged we are in a position we’re in to qualify for an Olympic team because it can literally change in the blink of an eye…”

#2: Molly Renshaw Swims World Leading 200 Breast, Peaty Makes Long Course Debut in Manchester

Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

By Liz Byrnes

Molly Renshaw equalled the British 200br record in a time of 2:22.08 that would have secured bronze at Rio 2016 and Adam Peaty went 58.82 in the 100 breaststroke on the first night of finals at the Manchester International Swim Meet.

World 200 back bronze medallist Luke Greenbank, Laura Stephens, Marie Wattel and Felix Auboeck also produced some notable performances that rattled the fledgling world rankings at the Manchester Aquatic Centre.

The Week That Was #3: European Championships to Go Ahead in May But With No Spectators

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By Liz Byrnes

The European Championships will go ahead in Budapest, Hungary, in May but without spectators, LEN announced on Wednesday.

The event will run from 10-23 May in the Hungarian capital with some nations using it as a qualifying meet for Tokyo 2020.

The Duna Arena – which hosted the 2017 World Championships and the 2020 International Swimming League – will stage the swimming, diving and artistic swimming with the open water at Lupa Lake.

It had initially been scheduled for May 2020 before being rearranged in March last year to run from 17-30 August.

However, it was announced in May that the event would be pushed back to 2021 with the pandemic wreaking havoc.

LEN president Paolo Barelli recently wrote to all the national federations confirming the championships would take place as scheduled.

In a statement released on Wednesday by the governing body, Barelli said:

“LEN is working hard with the Hungarian organisers to ensure that all required sanitary measures will be put in place, respected and fully enforced to guarantee the smooth running of the Championships and the safety of all athletes, coaches, officials and staff.

“This is indeed LEN’s priority.”

#4: Claire Curzan Equals Own National High School Record in 100 Fly

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By John Lohn

In what was a unique performance, American upstart Claire Curzan tied her own National High School record in the 100-yard butterfly on Saturday afternoon. Representing Cardinal Gibbons High School at the North Carolina 4A Championships, Curzan notched a time of 50.35 to equal the time she produced at last year’s state-championship meet.

The fact that Curzan tied her mark was not a shock, considering she entered the weekend with a personal-best time of 49.73 from USA Swimming competition and figured to give the record a push. In her record-tying performance, Curzan covered the first half of the race in 23.34, and came home in a split of 27.01.

The Week That Was #5: Fabio Dalu Breaks NCAA D2 Record in 1650

mckendree

By Andy Ross

McKendree sophomore Fabio Dalu became the first man outside of NCAA Division I to break 15:00 in the 1650 in the GLVC Championships as he swam a 14:55.42 to break the NCAA Division II record by five seconds, erasing Mitch Snyder’s 15:00.51 from 2009. The time for Dalu was also a best time after his 15:02 last season. The time also puts Dalu 12th overall in the NCAA, ahead of Notre Dame’s Jack Hoagland (14:59.49).

Drury took home the men’s team title with 1652.5 points over Indianapolis (1546.5), Lindenwood (1393.5), Missouri S&T (1237.5) and McKendree (1120.5).

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