Sarah Sjöström Triumphantly Clinches 100m Freestyle Gold

Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjöström clinched gold in the 100-meter freestyle at the Paris Olympics, marking her second career gold medal. Despite initial reservations, she swam a focused, triumphant race, edging out competitors. Now, she gears up for her preferred event, the 50-meter freestyle, set for Sunday.

Sarah Sjöström pulled off her goggles, took a quick glance up at the scoreboard and released every emotion. She pounded the water in triumph, sat up on the lane line and raised her chin and arms high.

The vaunted Swedish sprint swimmer hopped out of the pool, waved, then covered her face, overcome that she had won the 100-meter freestyle Wednesday night.

Sjöström began her decorated Olympic career at age 15 in Beijing, and now she's an Olympic champion again at 30 in Paris.

Pretty impressive for someone who didn't even want to swim the 100, an event in which she has held the world record since 2017.

"This is unbelievable. I didn't think I would swim the 100 free, honestly," Sjöström said. "After the freestyle relay the first day I told my coach straightaway, I was like, 'No, I don't think 100 free's for me, I want to do the 50, I want to rest until the 50.' And he was like, 'No way, you need to go out there and see what you can do no matter the outcome.'" It's her second career gold medal in her fifth Olympics.

(With inputs from agencies.)