For The Record: OLYMPIC GAMES: 2000: gold (100m butterfly); 1996: silver (4 x 200m freestyle relay); 1992: silver (4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2004, 2008, 2012: participant; LONG COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2001: gold (100m butterfly), silver (50m butterfly), bronze (100m freestyle); 1994: gold (4 x 200m freestyle relay), silver 100m butterfly); 1998: silver (100m butterfly), bronze (100m freestyle); SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2000: gold (100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 4 x 100m freestyle relay); 1999: gold (100 freestyle, 100 butterfly), silver (4 x 100m medley relay), bronze (4 x 100m freestyle relay); 1997: gold (100 butterfly), silver (4 x 100m freestyle, 4 x 200m freestyle relay); 1993: gold (4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2006: silver (4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2002: silver (4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2008: bronze (4 x 100m freestyle relay); LONG COURSE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1997-2010: 3 gold, 6 silver, 8 bronze; SHORT COURSE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1998-2005: 9 gold, 4 silver, 3 Bronze;
From Arne Borg in the early part of the 20 th century to Gunnar Larsson in the 1970’s to Sarah Sjostrom in the current era, Sweden has produced its share of international stars in the pool. A name that is also highly celebrated by the Blue and Yellow is that of Lars Frölander, a butterfly and freestyle standout whose career was notable for both its elite performances on the global stage and its longevity.
A six-time Olympian, spanning every Games from 1992 through 2012, Frölander etched his name as a headliner in the 100-meter butterfly. While his prowess in that event accounted for his most noteworthy achievements, Frölander also excelled in the 50 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle, and as a prominent figure on Swedish relays. Frölander took home one medal each from his first three trips to the
Summer Games. As an Olympic rookie in 1992 in Barcelona, Frolander claimed a silver medal in the 800 freestyle relay, as Sweden finished behind the Unified Team and in front of the United States. Four years later, at the Atlanta Olympics, he again earned a silver medal in the 800 freestyle relay. Heading into the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Frölander was considered one of the leading contenders for gold in the 100 butterfly. After all, he was the silver medalist in the event at the 1994 World Championships in Rome and
followed with another silver medal in the 100 fly at the 1998 World Champs in Perth.
At the 2000 Games, Frölander perfectly executed his movement through the rounds. After posting the fifth-fastest mark in prelims, he was third in his semifinal, managing the fourth-fastest overall time. When it came time for the final, Frölander made sure he had saved his best for last. At the midway point of the biggest race of his career, Frölander sat in third place, trailing the Australian duo of Michael Klim and Geoff Huegill. But Frolander was strongest over the closing 50 meters and got to the wall for
victory, and Olympic glory, in a time of 52.00. Klim followed for the silver in 52.18, with Huegill earning bronze in 52.22. The next summer at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Frölander retained his grip on world dominance in the 100 butterfly, thanks to another gold-medal showing. That edition of the World Champs also saw Frölander capture a silver medal in the 50 butterfly and a bronze medal in the 100 freestyle.
Beyond the 2001 World Championships, Frölander remained a consistent presence on Swedish relays and qualified to represent his homeland at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
In addition to his three Olympic medals, Frölander was a 21-time medalist between the long-course and short-course versions of the World Championships. Add in 33 medals from the European Championships (long course/short course) and Frölander’s career tally of major international
hardware sits at an impressive 57 medals.
A collegiate standout at Southern Methodist University, Frölander was inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. While competing for the Mustangs, Frölander was a multi-time NCAA champion and was named NCAA Swimmer of the Year in 1998. Eddie Sinnott, his SMU coach was one of his biggest supporters through his entire career, even after he left SMU and returned to Sweden. They remained close, talking regularly and meeting up at different international meets, until Sinnott’s recent
passing in February of this year.