PARIS: Evergreen Swede Sarah Sjostrom proved the adage that form is temporary and class is permanent as she upset a top-quality field to claim the women’s 100-metre freestyle gold at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday (Jul 31).
Sjostrom only committed to racing the 100m weeks before the Games but showed she still has what it takes as she swept to her second gold medal at the age of 30, eight years after winning the 100m butterfly at the Rio Olympics.
Sjostrom had plenty of ground to make up at the turn but put in a sizzling final 50 metres, sweeping down lane seven to touch the wall in 52.16 seconds at La Defense Arena, 0.13 seconds ahead of American silver medallist Torri Huske.
Siobhan Haughey took bronze for Hong Kong.