The SUPPORTER Olympic Women’s campaign celebrates notable women athletes from our partner countries who have proudly represented or will represent their nations in the Olympic games. These athletes have made significant contributions to their respective sports and are powerful role models advocating for gender equality in sports.

One such athlete is Sara Sjöström, a Swedish swimmer specializing in sprint freestyle and butterfly distances. Born on August 17, 1993, Sjöström is one of the most decorated swimmers in the history of swimming. She had her breakthrough at the age of 14, winning a gold medal in her favourite distance, the 100-meter butterfly, at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships. The same year she participated in the Summer Olympics Games in Beijing, China. As of 2024, 16 years later, she has won 23 individual medals at the World Championships. Despite all her success, swimming wasn't her ‘cup of tea’. A nine-year-old girl joined a friend and fell in love with swimming, competition, and the inspiring environment. The way Sara takes on her swimming and performance with a unique combination of ease and attitude makes her a role model for many athletes. A broken elbow from falling on ice in February 2021 never stopped her from in her abilities to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo the same summer.