LOUISE HANSSON

Louise and Sophie Hansson are swimming siblings who have stood atop the European podium as solo champions and together as relay gold medallists.

Louise claimed her first individual long-course title in the 100m butterfly at Rome 2022, 15 months after sister Sophie won the 100m breaststroke at the European Championships in Budapest.

The pair then joined forces and made up half of the Swedish quartet that won the women’s medley relay title.

That came eight months after the sisters won the women’s 4x50m medley relay at the World Short-Course Championships, matching the USA’s world record of 1:42.38.

Louise is the eldest of three swimming siblings with sister Sophie and brother Gustaf, who competes in the US collegiate system, while father Lars-Olof also swam before turning his hand to coaching.

She told www.roma2022.eu: “Of course I was an inspiration for my sister Sophie, I want to believe that!”

“I started swimming, being the oldest one. Our father was a swimmer when he was young, we both took from him. Our youngest brother, Gustaf, also swims. My dream is to see him joining the national team with us one day.”

Louise trains in Loughborough, England, where she moved after winning three NCAA titles while at the University of Southern California.

Now her sights are on making her third Olympic team, telling Swimming World:

“Next goal is definitely the Paris Olympics. I am staying with the Loughborough team the next two years.”

“We have a pretty solid plan on what we want to get done as we continue to work hard and race fast.”