Sarah Sjostrom Returns to Water After Becoming Mother
A little more than a month after giving birth to her son, Adrian, Swedish superstar Sarah Sjostrom has returned to the water. The six-time Olympic medalist announced her return through social media, with the Instagram post showing Sjostrom performing both freestyle and backstroke. Sjostrom welcomed her son in late August with husband Johan de Jong Skierus.
The 32-year-old Sjostrom is one of the most-decorated swimmers in history, with 96 medals won in major international competition. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Sjostrom captured double gold in the 50-meter freestyle and 100 freestyle, her victory in the longer event emerging as one of the top storylines of the Games.
Sjostrom is the world-record holder in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, along with the 50 butterfly. During her career, she has won 25 medals at the World Championships, including a record 23 individual visits to the podium. Meanwhile, she is only four medals shy of 100 for her career in international action.
The Swede competed in her first Olympic Games in 2008 in Beijing and won her first gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she prevailed in the 100 butterfly. As Sjostrom returns to the pool, the 2026 season will allow for a lower-key move back into competition. There is no global-championship meet next year, with the European Championships serving as the top meet for Sjostrom, if she decides to race in Paris.
