Sarah Sjöström was completely dominant in the qualifying heat of the Swim Open in Stockholm. She was the fastest of all in her competition comeback and advanced to the final in the 50-meter freestyle. In the final, Sjöström finished second, two hundredths of a second behind Siobhan Haughey, and improved her time from 24.62 to 24.32. She recorded 24.62 in the Swim Open at Eriksdalsbadet in Stockholm and was three tenths ahead of multiple Olympic and World Championship medalist Siobhan Haughey from Hong Kong.
The competition was interrupted by activists who jumped into the water with banners just before the 50-meter freestyle final.
Eighteen-year-old Ludvig Bartolek from Helsingborg set a new Swedish junior record in the qualifying session with a time of 53.72. He lowered his personal record in the 200-meter freestyle in the qualifying session with a time of 1:48.95, which was 46 hundredths faster than his previous personal best, and advanced to the final with the sixth fastest time. Bartolek is qualified for the summer's senior European Championships in Paris.
Other notable results included Robin Hanson finishing third in the 200-meter freestyle final. Johannes Liebmann won the 1500-meter freestyle final with a time of 14:39.67, the fastest time in the world this year, while Victor Johansson finished fourth in that event with a time of 15:16.52. Louise Hansson and Sara Junevik shared the victory in the 50-meter butterfly on Thursday evening.
The Swim Open began on Thursday and ends on Sunday, with competitions held at Eriksdalsbadet in Stockholm. The stands were full and there was great jubilation when Sarah Sjöström was introduced, even though it was only the qualifying heats. The Swim Open is the first competition for both Louise Hansson and Sara Junevik since they returned to Sweden.
Sjöström has a good margin to the European Championship qualifying limit of 25.50.