Swedish sprint queen Sjostrom finds room for improvement
Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) looks to fine-tune her tactics in the 100m freestyle final today at Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
Getty Images
The Swede unleashed a thunderous 52.67 seconds to equal her own Championship record from Berlin in 2014 to lead second-placed qualifier Femke Heemskerk (NED) by 0.68s. However, Sjostrom believes there is room for improvement, given qualifying time is almost a second down on her own world record.
She said: "I just need to trust that I have the speed and I don't have to go out too fast. I must try to think about the back 50 (m) because that's going to be the most important challenge for me tomorrow."
Pernille Blume (DEN) will be absent after touching the wall rather than executing a tumble turn and finished 10th overall. World 200m freestyle champion Federica Pellegrini (ITA) claimed the final spot.
Olympic silver medallist Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (GBR) leads the 200m individual medley final qualifiers ahead of Katinka Hosszu (HUN), who won gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Hosszu has had a public break-up with husband and coach Shane Tusup (USA) which led to a disrupted lead-up to Glasgow. She said: "I found out this year that I am still in love with swimming and I am happy to be here and keep training for Tokyo [2020 Olympic Games]."
Adam Peaty (GBR) is on course for his third gold medal of the Championships in the 50m breaststroke, while Evgeny Rylov (RUS) looks to add the European gold to his world title in the 200m backstroke. Mykhaylo Romanchuk (UKR) and defending champion Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) are fastest into the 800m freestyle with the Italian looking to respond after illness sabotaged his bid for gold in the 1500m. He finished in the bronze medal position.
World bronze medallist Ben Proud (GBR) heads the 50m freestyle heats with 200m champion Kristof Milak (HUN) starting his bid for a butterfly double in the 100m.
Sjostrom starts her day with the 50m butterfly heats in which she holds the world record while Yuliya Efimova (RUS) takes on the 50m breaststroke in search of a clean sweep of the breaststroke events.
