\u201cIf you want to race good you have to practice often and this year with the (pandemic) it\u2019s been a different year.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

$\"Gian$
Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia Dalberto\/Lapresse<\/p><\/div>\n
Alshammar has two children aged eight and three with partner and coach Johan Wallberg<\/strong>, who also guides triple Rio 2016<\/strong> medallist Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
She decided to make a comeback at the start of the year after having retired in 2016.<\/p>\n
She continued:<\/p>\n
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\u201cBecause of the (pandemic), I trained more but also racing was much harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was not many competitions to find and I was never good at the 100 in the last part of my career.<\/p>\n
“So the 100 hurts more than I could remember.<\/p>\n
“Even today \u2014 coming out was okay; coming home was terribly hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Alshammar, a two-time world champion, will be in Tokyo as a candidate for the International Olympic Committee\u2019<\/strong>s athletes\u2019 commission.<\/p>\n
She teaches five and six-year-olds to swim in Stockholm although it’s about giving them confidence and happiness in the water rather than unearthing the next Olympian.<\/p>\n
She said:<\/p>\n
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\u201cNo. I\u2019m looking to help people find joy and happiness in sports and healthy habits for life.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can make someone who cannot swim feel comfortable and safe in the water, it\u2019s the biggest smile on my face and it\u2019s a great reward for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
“We call it starfish. All they do is lay on their back with their arms out and smile.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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