World championships: Swede Sjostrom breaks 52sec barrier

Cate Campbell predicted that Sarah Sjostrom would take down her world 100m freestyle record this week.

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom looks up for her time. Picture: Getty Images.

Just hours before Sarah Sjostrom swept female sprinting into a new era by smashing through the 52-second barrier, Cate Campbell predicted the Swede would take down her world 100m freestyle record this week.

The only surprise for the Australian, who has opted out of these world championships, was that it happened yesterday.

Sjostrom took the first available opportunity to attack the Australian’s year-old mark of 52.06sec, by leading off the Swedish 4x100m freestyle relay.

She stormed down the first lap, turned a body length ahead of the field and kept going away, touching the wall in 51.71sec.

She is now faster than Mark Spitz was in 1971, before his seven gold medal sweep at the 1972 ­Munich Olympics.

“The plan was to go for the world record the first day because I know I am going to be more fresh today than I will be maybe later this week,’’ Sjostrom said.

“I went all out on the first 50 and hoped for the best on the second 50.’’

The Campbell sisters, who have both been at the forefront of female sprinting, said Sjostrom’s performance was a game-changer.

“She 100 per cent deserves it. She’s swimming out of her skin,’’ Cate said. “When you are hot you are hot and you have to ride it while you can.

“I kind of wish she wasn’t such a nice person, then I could hate her a little bit more, but she’s so lovely and she 100 per cent deserves it.

“I’m a little bit sad to see that gone but I’ll forever be the first person who lowered that super suit world record, which is an achievement that I can be proud of.’’

Cate, working on the Seven Network’s coverage in Budapest, said she was inspired by Sjostrom’s performance to keep improving when she returns for next year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

“She’s really pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the sport and it’s definitely fuelled the fire,’’ she said.

“If I do want to mix it with the best I’m going to have to bring my best and I’m very prepared to do that.

“That’s what this year is about. It’s so I can get back to my best so that I’m not limping along and seeing the rest of my career out and living with regrets.’’

Bronte Campbell, who will ­almost certainly cede her world 100m title to Sjostrom later this week after an injury-plagued preparation, said she would also accept the challenge implicit in Sjostrom’s performance.

“She’s been flying this year in both the butterfly and the freestyle, but 51.7 is surprising,’’ she said. “That’s a lot quicker than I thought she would go but I was expecting big things from her. It’s exciting for swimming and it means I’ve got to swim faster now.’’

Despite Sjostrom’s pyrotechnics, the Swedish relay faded out of the medals as the US and Australian teams used their depth to forge to the front in the later legs.

By the anchor leg, Olympic champion Simone Manuel had the slightest edge over Australia’s finisher Emma McKeon and she held on to touch first in 3:31.72, to Australia’s 3:32.01.

The Australian quartet of teenager Shayna Jack (53.75sec), Bronte Campbell (52.14sec), Brittany Elmslie (53.83sec) and McKeon (52.29sec) went close to pulling off the win against the odds.

Bronte has struggled with a shoulder injury and illness leading into this competition but her performance proved she will be in the medal mix in the individual event.

In the men’s sprint relay, American Caeleb Dressel declared his intent to claim the individual 100m freestyle title, setting up victory for his team by leading off in 47.26sec, the fastest time in the world for more than a year.

The young Australian combination of teenager Jack Cartwright, Zac Incerti, Cameron McEvoy and Alex Graham was disqualified for an illegal changeover after finishing in fifth place.