Former Elite Swimmer Emma Igelström Talks about Her Marriage and New Life in Saudi Arabia

Emma Igelström has married her love Adam Kjellström.

For Sportbladet, the former elite swimmer talks about the great wedding happiness and the new life in Saudi Arabia.

– I understand that there are a lot of problems in the country and that there are also things you might not see, but I have never ever noticed anything.

Former elite swimmer Emma Igelström, 43, has married her love Adam Kjellström, 28, something she writes about on Facebook.

“My most obvious YES ever and so I got the best man in the world,” she writes and shows a picture of them together.

Sportbladet has been in contact with Emma Igelström, who the day after the wedding is at Copenhagen airport and tells about the great happiness.

– Not many people knew that, but of course it feels wonderful. It is also more practical because we live in Saudi Arabia. But I never dreamed of being married or having a big wedding so this was perfect. It was just me and Adam and two witnesses and we got married civilly on a crazy Thursday in Kungsbacka. Then we will have a big party next summer.

– However, it is a bit strange to have a husband and be a wife. But it feels like you become an even tighter family and that is absolutely wonderful.

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“Got a great opportunity”

You are on your way to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia where you live, how is life there?

– People had many opinions when we went over there, but I think it’s a friendly country where things are happening. It’s great fun to be on that journey.

How would you describe everyday life there?

– It’s a bit like home, then I’ve got a very nice opportunity. I’m going to start working on creating a higher level of swimming skills among especially women and children, and it’s something where I feel I can be involved and contribute and change, which feels great fun. You can’t help change a country’s culture completely, but if you can contribute a little, it’s great fun.

Saudi women are under male guardianship and women are denied basic human rights. But Emma Igelström has not noticed any limitations.

– Nothing. I probably had a picture that looked completely different and I understand that there are a lot of problems in the country and that there are also things you might not see, but I have never ever noticed anything. They have removed some prohibitions so I can go dressed however I want. Then I can decide for myself if I want to respect their country and tradition and religion. I do, so when we’re outside our home I always wear a t-shirt and something that goes above the knees. But I never wear a veil or am covered in any way. Nor have I felt that it is expected of me or that they look at me strangely because I don’t do it.

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Commuting

Emma Igelström’s husband Adam Kjellström works with building padel courts in the country, which is also the reason why they moved there. For her, it now means commuting between Saudi Arabia and Sweden.

– My eldest daughter still lives in Sweden, so I have been at home half-time. But she will start swimming high school this autumn, then things will be different for the whole family. I will want to be in Sweden for a while, but I don’t think she will need me as much because she won’t be living at home anyway.

Emma Igelström and Adam Kjellström have a son Louie together who was born in August 2021. But it was not entirely obvious when the doctors a few years earlier discovered a tumor in the uterus which, however, turned out to be benign. She underwent surgery and then suffered stomach pains, after which another benign tumor was discovered. In connection with Emma Igelström becoming pregnant, she told Sportbladet that her age combined with the operation could affect the chances of having a child.

– The last time I had a child, I was 27 years old and never thought about the risks. Now there is much more talk about it and that you can have a miscarriage and that it is not even certain that everyone can have children. You feel a different kind of gratitude that it works. It was not obvious that it would even work, said Emma Igelström at the time, who also has a daughter Olivia from a previous relationship.

Emma Igelström is one of Sweden’s most prominent swimmers and during her career she won, among other things, four WC golds and 13 EC golds. She also set seven world records in the 50 and 100 meter breaststroke between 2001 and 2003.