{"id":484419,"date":"2021-08-01T10:31:24","date_gmt":"2021-08-01T17:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=484419"},"modified":"2021-08-01T10:31:24","modified_gmt":"2021-08-01T17:31:24","slug":"sarah-sjostrom-silver-medal-a-silver-lining-for-her-european-women-who-went-without-gold-for-first-time-since-1972","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/sarah-sjostrom-silver-medal-a-silver-lining-for-her-european-women-who-went-without-gold-for-first-time-since-1972\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarah Sjostrom Silver Medal a Silver Lining for Her, European Women, Who Went Without Gold For First Time Since 1972"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong> was so excited with her silver medal in the 50 freestyle on the final night of swimming at the Tokyo Olympic Games that she celebrated as if she had won gold.<\/p>\n

It has been an extremely tough year for Sjostrom, who had an elbow injury just months before the games. She wasn\u2019t expected to be at her best, and she wasn\u2019t \u2014 though in fairness her best is world-record pace kind of swims and that isn\u2019t a fair standard to hold against anyone.<\/p>\n

Still, she swam well in a lot of events, making several finals, but didn\u2019t medal until the last day.<\/p>\n

It was great to see that kind of emotion from the Swedish star, as her reaction told the story of how difficult the quick comeback was after her injury and just how much winning a medal meant to her. Plus her 24.07 matched her best recent time pre-injury.<\/p>\n

\"Aug

Sarah Sjostrom. Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro<\/p><\/div>\n

But that race was one of the few thrills for European women in Tokyo.<\/p>\n

Sjostrom and Denmark\u2019s Pernille Blume<\/strong> went 2-3 in the 50 freestyle on the final night behind Australia’s Emma McKeon<\/a> and that doubled the number of medals won by European women throughout the meet.<\/p>\n

Italy\u2019s Simona Quadarella<\/strong> won a bronze in the 800 free and Germany\u2019s Sarah Kohler<\/strong> won bronze in the 1500 free.<\/p>\n

So just four medals and Sjostrom’s the only silver.<\/p>\n

For comparison, in 2012, European women won four gold and 14 medals overall. In 2008, they won six gold and 12 total medals. In 2004, it was six gold and a stunning 21 total medals. In 2000, it was eight gold and 20 total medals.<\/p>\n

The last time the European women went without a gold medal was the 1972 Munich Games.<\/p>\n

Several European gold medalists of the past were in Tokyo this week, including Sjostrom, Blume, Hungary\u2019s Katinka Hosszu<\/strong>, Italy\u2019s Federica Pellegrini, Ranomi Kromowidjojo<\/strong> of the Netherlands and Mireia Belmonte Garcia<\/strong> of Spain.<\/p>\n

In 2016, Hosszu, won both IMs and the 100 back, Sjostrom won the 100 butterfly, Belmonte Garcia own the 200 butterfly and Blume won the 50.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s six individual gold medals for European women, who also won seven silver and five bronze.<\/p>\n