European Championships, Budapest, day 7 finals:
Women 50m freestyle
Therese Alshammar (SWE), 33 later this month, claimed the 66th big intl medal of her career in a championship record of 24.45 ahead of Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) and Fran Halsall (GBR), on 24.66 and 24.67. The win marked Alshammar's eighth appearance on the podium in this event and fourth gold medal among them. Relay silver later in the session took the Swedish sprinter's treasury to 67 big orbs at Olympic, world and European (long and short) levels.
Coached by Johan Wallberg, Alshammar, who has been asked about her age and longevity in the sport at every turn this week, said: "It's going so well for me, why should I retire? The 2012 Games are my goal." Along the way she is mounting milestones yet: her victory in Budapest extended Sweden's historic, record gold count to 5 at European long-course championships. Schreuder said: "This is my third 50m final. I started with 6th, then got 4th ... and I got silver..." Beaming smile, nothing more to say.
Halsall, 100m champion here, was unhappy with her performance, but by the time she emerged with medley relay gold later in the session was happy to have set a British record: no Brit had ever won five medals at one championship before.
"I had a short rest and coming into this week felt really weird. I wasn't sure where I was with my stroke and speed," said Halsall. "I wasn't happy with the way I raced that. I got too excited and my stroke was too choppy. But its my first international medal on the 50. I just expected more of myself."
History unfolding:
Effect on race on all-time top 10: 0
Euro podiums:
- 2010: 24.45cr - 24.67
- 2008: 24.09 - 24.71
- 2006: 24.72 - 24.89
Euro finals:
- 2010: 24.45 - 25.44
- 2008: 24.09 - 25.44
- 2006: 24.72 - 25.50
- Most Euro wins: Therese Alshammar (SWE), 4
- Most Titles/Nation: SWE, 5
- Tightest Podium: 1995, 2000 - gold to bronze - 0.1sec
From the archive: Swedish swimmers have won most titles - 4 - since the event was introduced in 1987, and three of those crowns belong to the most successful woman over 50m free in European waters. Beyond the three gold medals, Alshammar has also reached the podium on four other occasions - in other words, the double Olympic silver medallist of 2000 has never missed a medal at all seven championships held since 1997. Alshammar has many other strings to her bow, including once being voted Sweden's sexiest woman. The prospects of her return to the podium an eighth time in Budapest 2010 are strong: Alshammar is third best European so far this year and has the second-best time ever on the clock from 2009, behind Steffen's world record (23.73 and 23.88).
Records
Shiny suit era
- WR/ER: 23.73 Britta Steffen (GER) Jul 2009
February 1 2008
- WR/ER: 24.13 Inge de Bruijn (NED) Sep 2000
