"I wasn’t prepared for how tough it could be" - Olympic champion Sarah Sjostrom announces pregnancy with husband Johan de Jong Skierus

Olympic gold medalist swimmer from Sweden Sarah Sjostrom surprised everyone with her recent announcement. The 31-year-old swimmer took to her Instagram profile to announce her pregnancy alongside her husband and fencer Johan de Jong Skierus.

Sjostrom shared her experience on Instagram in a long post as she wrote:

"Life’s greatest adventure is about to begin! We are beyond excited to announce that our family is growing, and we can’t wait to meet our baby in August ❤️ I knew that many women experience challenges during the first trimester (and throughout pregnancy 😳), but I wasn’t prepared for just how tough it could be."

Sjostrom added:

"These past weeks have been some of the most mentally and physically challenging I’ve ever faced. I am more in awe than ever of what women go through. I’ve always admired the strength of women, but now I understand it on a whole new level."

The Swedish swimmer also revealed that she is not leaving swimming, and that she aims to balance her family and her passion equally. Sjostrom wrote further:

"My dream is to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics and make it to my sixth Olympic Games. 🏆 Thank you for all the love and support. We can’t wait to share this journey with you ❤️"

Sarah Sjostrom was dating Swedish fencer Johan de Jong Skierus for more than a decade before they finally announced their engagement in late 2022. It took them almost two years to tie the knot in September 2024.

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Sarah Sjostrom talks about her initial 'hate' for swimming

Sarah Sjostrom opens up on her choice for swimming [Image Source : Getty]

Sarah Sjostrom is one of the most prominent European swimmers, who can give even the likes of Katie Ledecky a run for their money. However, not many know that the Swedish swimmer once hated swimming and tried to stay away from it.

In her conversation with the Olympic channel in September 2020, Sjostrom said:

"When I first started, I didn't like swimming. I hated getting water in my goggles. I didn't like being cold, so I used to hide in the showers!"

However, she eventually liked the sport and won her first European Championship title at the age of 14. Sjostrom also revealed that she is into sport climbing though she wouldn't take it up as a sport in the immediate future. In her words,

"It helps with arm strength. But I won't compete in it at the Olympic Games. I know it is a new discipline and I joked about it on social media."

Sarah Sjostrom had a near-perfect campaign at the Paris Olympics. The 31-year-old swimmer won gold in the women's 50m freestyle and the women's 100m freestyle events.