Fina WC Gwangju 2019 – Day Seven – Sjostrom fliesh high 10 years after winning first world gold at Foro Italico

Sarah Sjostrom won 50m butterfly gold exactly 10 years to the day after she won her first world title on the penultimate night of the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.

It was a third successive gold for Sjostrom in the one-length event while Ranomi Kromowidjojo claimed her second silver in a row behind the Swede.

Bruno Fratus won his second consecutive silver in the 50m freestyle and Chad le Clos claimed bronze in the 100m butterfly

Kromowidjojo rose ahead of the field in the 50m butterfly but Sjostrom, next to the Dutchwoman in lane four, moved on to her shoulder at 25m before propelling herself in front to touch first in 25.02 with Kromowidjojo 0.33secs behind

Exactly 10 years ago a 15-year-old Sjostrom won her first world title in the 100m butterfly at the Foro Italico in Rome.

She said: “They told me! That’s very cool. I’m very happy that I could win another gold medal especially after such a tough programme I’ve been having, I don’t think I ever had such a tough programme in a big championships like this before.”

Sjostrom has won eight world titles in all since 2009 and of whether she still gets the same buzz, the 25-year-old said: “I think I’m the same. I think it’s similar. Maybe not. 

“When I won my first world champs when I was younger I didn’t really understand what was going on and the process around it. It’s almost like you get used to it after a while, it’s bad. 

“But it feels extra good after you have been winning two bronze and a silver medal it feels extra good winning a gold medal.”

Fratus won his second silver in a row – and third medal overall – to claim joint silver in the splash and dash in 21.45.

“I got a World Championships silver in 2017. In 2018 they put four screws around my shoulder. In 2019 I came back for a silver again.

“It’s still a little slower than I wish I had swum but I can’t complain about that. I’m on my third podium in a row. Just keep going, keep working.”  

Le Clos was third in the 100m fly in 51.16, one place ahead of 200m champion Kristof Milak.

The South African said: “Tough field. My performance for myself I was happy with the bronze but my time was a bit slow for me personally but I can’t complain – two bronze medals at the World Champs.”

Margherita Panziera was fourth in the 200m backstroke, locked out of the medals by by 0.05secs, with Katinka Hosszu eighth.

Sjostrom and Cate Campbell occupied the top two slots into the 50m freestyle final with Kromowidjojo and Bronte Campbell also through.

Xu Jiayu was sixth into the men’s 50m backstroke final but Jeremy Stravius missed out in 11th.