With little time left until the Olympics, Erik Persson is showing good form.
The Swede impressed greatly and swam home to gold on the 200 metres breaststroke at the European Championship in Belgrade.
It means a lot, he says to SVT.
30-year-old Erik Persson has a collection of medals at home – but one he had been missing:
A gold from a long-course championship.
On Thursday evening, the wait was finally over.
Persson impressed greatly as he took home the gold on the 200 metres breaststroke at the European Championship in Belgrade. He opened the final strongly and took the lead at 100 metres, a lead he never relinquished.
Persson swam to the finish in 2.09,45 and shared the gold with Bulgarian Lyubomir Epitropov.
It was great, says Persson to SVT and continues:
I wanted to be aggressive (at the start) and be with the field, then I would see how far it would take me.
Persson says the gold is long-awaited.
It means a lot, I've been chasing it for a long time, he says.
Earlier on Thursday, Swedish athletes Nina Janmyr and Elna Widerström secured silver in the synchronised 3m springboard.
The Olympics in Paris will sneak-start on 24 July and officially open on 26 July. Erik Persson has been selected.
