Saturday, February 6
As the international competition season is still at a standstill due to the pandemic, a training competition will be arranged in Eriksdalsbadet on Saturday and Sunday.
Sarah Sjöström shows top form, when she swims 50 meters freestyle on Saturday morning on 24.07. A time that is still the third fastest in the world this year.
Just a few hours later, the accident happens.
In Stockholm it is cold and slippery, and on the way from her car Sarah Sjöström slips and hits her right elbow. She goes to St. Göran’s hospital where her elbow is x-rayed.
The X-rays show that she has a fracture in her elbow (elbow joint), and the doctors announce that she must have surgery.
– The national swimming team’s doctor René Tour explains the swimming star’s fracture during a press conference on 7 February.
Photo: Jonathan Näckstrand / Bildbyrån
Monday, February 8th
The operation of the injured elbow is carried out at St. Göran’s Hospital. Sarah Sjöström is anesthetized during the operation.
– After the operation, they had an X-ray and everyone is very happy with how the elbow joint is in place. It sits just as it should, told the national swimming team doctor René Tour at a press conference in the afternoon.
Tuesday, February 9th
The Swedish swimming star is allowed to leave the hospital and go home. She is in real pain, but the pain will subside in the coming days. She is not plastered, but must not start training in water until the stitches are removed.
Monday, February 15th
Sarah Sjöström does her first interview after the accident.
– I was really, really sad when I got the message that it was a fracture. It took me pretty hard. Especially when they said I was going to have surgery. Then I understood that this would take a while, says Sarah Sjöström for DN.
Friday, February 26th
Three weeks after the accident, the 16 stitches are removed.
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Photo: Jonas Lindkvist
Monday, March 1st
For the first time since the accident, Sarah Sjöström is back in the water. However, she must not strain the injured right arm, but the focus is on leg training. Only twelve weeks after the accident is the doctors’ message that she can strain her right arm as usual.
– I do not directly love to run leg kicks, said one laughing Sarah Sjöström to DN.
– But at the same time I am so happy to be back in the water, and does that mean I can only swim legs, I just like the situation.
Thursday, April 8
The international swimming competition Swim Open begins in Sjöström’s home pool. For the first time, Sarah is not competing, but the training is going well. She has not had any setbacks.
– DN is present when Sarah Sjöström trains rehab on Bosön.
Photo: Jonas Lindkvist
Friday, May 2nd
DN is part of one of Sarah Sjöström’s training sessions on Bosön.
– We are ahead of schedule even though there are still some things I have to take it easy with, such as various triceps exercises, told Sarah Sjöström.
During the interview, she also reveals that she has set a date for competition comeback. On June 1-2 in French Canet, Sarah Sjöström will compete again.
Tuesday, June 1
The day for comeback is here. At nine o’clock this morning, the Mare Nostrum competitions begin in Canet, France. The competition lasts for two days. On Tuesday, Sjöström will swim 50 meters freestyle and on Wednesday 100 meters freestyle.
Read more: “The first step will be to put on the competition swimsuit”
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