Therese Alshammar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Therese Alshammar

Therese Alshammar in January 2013
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Tessan
Nationality	Sweden
Born	(1977-08-26) 26 August 1977 (age 47) Solna, Sweden
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	62 kg (137 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	butterfly, freestyle
Club	Täby Sim
College team	Nebraska Cornhuskers (1997–1999)
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 2 1 World Championships (LC) 2 5 1 World Championships (SC) 10 3 4 European Championships (LC) 10 7 4 European Championships (SC) 15 6 1 Total 37 23 11 Olympic Games Silver 2000 Sydney 50 m freestyle Silver 2000 Sydney 100 m freestyle Bronze 2000 Sydney 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2007 Melbourne 50 m butterfly Gold 2011 Shanghai 50 m freestyle Silver 2001 Fukuoka 50 m freestyle Silver 2001 Fukuoka 50 m butterfly Silver 2007 Melbourne 50 m freestyle Silver 2009 Rome 50 m freestyle Silver 2011 Shanghai 50 m butterfly Bronze 2005 Montréal 50 m butterfly World Championships (SC) Gold 2000 Athens 50 m freestyle Gold 2000 Athens 100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Athens 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Athens 4×100 m medley Gold 2002 Moscow 50 m freestyle Gold 2002 Moscow 100 m freestyle Gold 2002 Moscow 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2002 Moscow 4×100 m medley Gold 2006 Shanghai 50 m butterfly Gold 2010 Dubai 50 m butterfly Silver 2004 Indianapolis 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2006 Shanghai 50 m freestyle Silver 2010 Dubai 100 m butterfly Bronze 1997 Gothenburg 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m medley Bronze 2004 Indianapolis 50 m freestyle Bronze 2006 Shanghai 4×100 m freestyle European Championships (LC) Gold 1999 Istanbul 4×100 m medley Gold 2000 Helsinki 50 m freestyle Gold 2000 Helsinki 100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Helsinki 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Helsinki 4×100 m medley Gold 2002 Berlin 50 m freestyle Gold 2004 Madrid 50 m freestyle Gold 2006 Budapest 50 m butterfly Gold 2010 Budapest 50 m butterfly Gold 2010 Budapest 50 m freestyle Silver 1997 Seville 4×100 m freestyle Silver 1999 Istanbul 50 m freestyle Silver 1999 Istanbul 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2002 Berlin 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2002 Berlin 4×100 m medley Silver 2006 Budapest 50 m freestyle Silver 2010 Budapest 4x100 m medley Bronze 1997 Seville 50 m freestyle Bronze 2008 Eindhoven 50 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Budapest 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Budapest 100 m butterfly European Championships (SC) Gold 1999 Lisbon 50 m freestyle Gold 1999 Lisbon 100 m freestyle Gold 1999 Lisbon 4x50 m freestyle Gold 1999 Lisbon 4x50 m medley Gold 2000 Valencia 50 m freestyle Gold 2000 Valencia 100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Valencia 4x50 m freestyle Gold 2000 Valencia 4x50 m medley Gold 2001 Antwerp 50 m butterfly Gold 2001 Antwerp 4x50 m freestyle Gold 2001 Antwerp 4x50 m medley Gold 2002 Riesa 4x50 m freestyle Gold 2002 Riesa 4x50 m medley Gold 2006 Helsinki 50 m butterfly Gold 2006 Helsinki 4x50 m freestyle Silver 1998 Sheffield 50 m backstroke Silver 1998 Sheffield 4x50 m medley Silver 2001 Antwerp 50 m freestyle Silver 2005 Trieste 4x50 m freestyle Silver 2006 Helsinki 50 m freestyle Silver 2006 Helsinki 4x50 m medley Bronze 2005 Trieste 4x50 m medley

Malin Therese Alshammar (born August 26, 1977) is a famous Swedish swimmer. She has won many medals, including three at the Olympic Games, 25 at World Championships, and 43 at European Championships. Therese is really good at short races, especially in freestyle and butterfly swimming. Her coach is Johan Wallberg, who was also a Swedish swimmer. She is the first woman and third person ever to swim in six Olympic Games!

Therese's Swimming Journey

Therese Alshammar was born in Solna, Sweden, in 1977. Her mom, Britt-Marie Smedh, was also an Olympic swimmer. Therese started swimming with the Sundbybergs IK team.

Early Swimming Days

When she was younger, Therese was a backstroke swimmer. In 1991, at age 14, she won her first national title in the 50-meter backstroke. The next year, she won her first major national title in the 100-meter backstroke.

She joined the Swedish team for the 1993 European Aquatics Championships and the first 1993 FINA Short Course World Championships. She did well, helping her team win a silver medal in a relay race.

Swimming in the USA

In 1997, Therese moved to the United States. She studied at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and swam for their team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers swimming and diving team. She even won a gold medal there in the 100-yard freestyle.

She also trained at The Race Club, a special swimming club for top swimmers. This club was started by Olympic swimmers Gary Hall Jr. and his dad. Only the best swimmers in the world could train there!

Olympic Success

Therese won her first international medal, a bronze, in 1997. It was for the 50-meter freestyle race. This became her best stroke.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, she became a big star. She won two silver medals in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races. She also won a bronze medal with her Swedish relay team.

After the Sydney Olympics, Therese continued to be a top swimmer in short-distance races. She won two silver medals at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly. In 2002, she won the 50-meter freestyle at the 2002 European Aquatics Championships.

World Records and More Medals

In 2005, she won a bronze medal in the 50-meter butterfly at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships. She later won a gold medal in the same race at the World Championships in Shanghai in 2011.

In 2009, Therese broke her own world record in the 50-meter butterfly. However, she was disqualified because she was wearing two swimsuits. A new rule had just been made that swimmers could only wear one suit.

On July 31, 2011, she won a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships. This made her the oldest woman to win an individual gold medal at a long-course world championship!

Competing in Many Olympics

Therese competed in the London 2012 Summer Olympics in the 50-meter freestyle, finishing 6th.

In June 2016, she made history by becoming the first female swimmer to compete in six Olympic Games. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, she swam in the 50-meter freestyle. She placed 15th in the semifinals.

Therese was also chosen to be the flag bearer for Sweden at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

About Therese's Life

Therese Alshammar is in a relationship with her coach, Johan Wallberg. They had a son in June 2013. She grew up in a place called Duvbo in Sweden.

Awards and Honors

• Radiosportens Jerringpris: 2010
• Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal: 2011
• Victoria Scholarship: 2000
• FINA Swimmer of the Year: 2010
• H. M. The King's Medal 8:e with ribbon

Swimming Clubs

• Sundbybergs IK
• Stockholmspolisens IF
• Järfälla SS
• SK Neptun
• Helsingborgs SS
• Täby Sim

See also

In Spanish: Therese Alshammar para niños

• World record progression 50 metres butterfly
• World record progression 50 metres freestyle
• World record progression 100 metres freestyle