SOPHIE HANSSON

NATIONALITY Swedish
HOMETOWN Ramlösa/Helsingborg
DATE OF BIRTH 02/08/1998
DISCIPLINE Breaststroke
CLUB/COLLEGE Helsingborg Simsällskap/Loughborough University
COACH Ian Hulme/Sverker Maltesjö
FOLLOW SOPHIE ON
“If you believe it, you can do it”

BIOGRAPHY

For Sophie Hansson, family is always close at hand – even on a pool deck thousands of miles away from home.

Sophie’s older sister Louise also represents Sweden on the international stage with the pair competing at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

The sisters formed half the quartet that won gold in the women’s 4x50m medley relay at the 2021 World Short-Course Championships in Abu Dhabi, matching the USA’s world record of 1:42.38.

Brother Gustaf swims in the US collegiate system while father Lars-Olof competed before turning to coaching.

“Being a part of a family like this is a positive thing,” said Sophie. “My sister and I don’t race the same events and don’t really have to compete against each other. People outside compare us more than we do.”

Success in Abu Dhabi followed gold in the 100m breaststroke at the European Championships in May 2021.

Sophie set a national record of 1:05.69 in the semifinal which she matched in the final to become only the second Swedish woman to win the continental title and the first since Emma Igelström in 2002.

“Honestly, I’m speechless,” she said. “But I feel very grateful for all those around me – only a few weeks ago I tried to get my time under 1:07 and now I’m under 1:06 so all my hard training paid off.”

Sophie studied and competed at North Carolina State where she was NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) 100m & 200m breaststroke champion.

She has moved to Loughborough University in Britain but credited her time in the USA as key to her development.

“I don’t think I would be where I am today if it weren’t for NC State,” she said.

GENERAL QUICK FACTS

Favorite sportsperson or team (other than swimming)
Carolina Klüft, the 2004 Olympic heptathlon champion that I looked up to and who inspired me when I was younger
Favorite vacation spot and why
Backpacking in Asia because I loved the culture and the people I met
Public person you admire
I would like to have dinner with tennis player Serena Williams
Favorite book(s)/author(s)
I don’t have a specific author in mind but I love a good romantic novel
Favorite artist or work of art
Although I haven’t seen it myself I really hope I get the chance to see Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel when I’m in Rome for the European Championships
Items you’d want on a desert island
Sunscreen, swim goggles and dice game yatzy
If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be?
Pippi Longstocking, a Swedish character that is a superhumanly strong, a young girl that does things her own way. She was a big part of my childhood, every chance I got I dressed up as her, and yes there are pictures
If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Either being able to teleport myself or to having the ability to not need any sleep
If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
‘Wet bun, dry skin, and the constant smell of chlorine – the story of a swimmer’
What you’d like to do in your life after swimming
Something in business

SWIMMING QUICK FACTS

Proudest moment in swimming
Becoming the European champion in the 100 breaststroke in 2021 and tying the world record in the 4x50 medley relay with the Swedish team with my sister Louise, Sarah Sjöström and Michelle Coleman
Least favorite part of swimming
Waking up early every morning
Funniest moment in swimming
Being at those early morning practices and seeing your friends being ridiculously tired and doing silly things without thinking. One of my favorites was when my teammate forgot to put on both her googles and caps, jumped in the water and didn’t realise until after swimming a full 50
Favorite/least favorite training set and why
Favourite training set is all out 50s with long rest, least favourite sets is long threshold freestyle workouts
Favorite Race/Training suits and why
My favourite racing suit is the Powerskin Carbon Glide with closed back because it really lives up to the name and gives me the best glide in the water
Best piece of equipment and why
The snorkel is my favourite equipment because it gives me a good flow in freestyle
Favorite Food after training
A protein bar and a banana
Most annoying type of swimmer
The swimmer that constantly complains in practice
Favorite Pool in the world and why
I am a huge fan of Duna Arena in Budapest. The atmosphere and audience there is unmatched

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2024 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, DOHA
SILVER 4x100m Medley Relay
2022 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, ROME
GOLD 4x100m Medley Relay
2021 WORLD SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS, ABU DHABI
GOLD 4x50m Medley Relay
GOLD 4x100m Freestyle Relay
SILVER 100m Breaststroke
BRONZE 50m Breaststroke
BRONZE 4x100m Freestyle
2021 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUDAPEST
GOLD 100m Breaststroke
2017 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS, COPENHAGEN
GOLD 4x50m Medley Relay
BRONZE 50m Breaststroke

INSIDE SOPHIE’S BAG

Swim Snorkle III
Powerskin Carbon Glide closed back
Diamonds Swimsuit Challenge back
Bra top
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