Sarah Sjöström, Lars Frolander will appear in Sweden’s “Superstars” Reality TV Show
Olympic gold medal winning swimmer Sarah Sjostrom and six-time Olympic swimmer Lars Frolander will appear in season 7 of the Swedish TV series Superstars.
The show features eight of the country’s top athletes who will meet in Cyprus for a series of physical challenges to decide who is the winner. They often compete against top athletes in these sports, usually with some kind of handicap, and that’s the role Sjöström will play – as a challenger.
Frolander, meanwhile, will be one of the eight contestants vying for the title.
The format has existed since the 1970s and is repeated in several countries. Athletes are pitted against each other in athletic competitions – many of which may be outside of their primary sporting comfort zones. The first incarnation of the series in Sweden came in 1975, with a short run in 2009 and again consistently since 2017.
Participants can be either active or retired. Last year’s winners were Olympic gold-winning alpine skiers Andre Myhrerwho retired in 2020.
The last swimmer to compete on the show as a contestant was Therese Alshammarwho competed in the 2017 season and placed 5th out of 8 swimmers.
Sjöström’s participation comes despite his withdrawal from the upcoming Luxembourg Euro Meet citing ongoing issues.
Most of the series has already been filmed, and Sjostrom says she just served as a challenger for one episode of the show — not as a contestant.
Sjöström, 29, owns four individual Olympic medals from the 2016 and 2020 Games, including the 100 butterfly gold medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics. She is also a 16-time world champion, 29-time European champion and world record holder in five events. Her four current individual world records and five total world records make her the most by a woman.
Frolander, meanwhile, will be one of the 8 competitors vying for the title of Superstar. The 48-year-old retired from swimming in 2018 after competing in a record six consecutive Olympic Games. That career included three Olympic medals, one of which was gold: the men’s 100 fly from the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
He is also a 9-time world champion and 12-time European champion in the pool, and in 2000 set a short course world record in the 100m fly that stood for 18 months.
All Sweden Superstars season actors 2023:
- Lars Frolander – Retired swimmer who won Olympic gold
- Frida Hansdotter – Retired alpine skier
- Jenny Rissveds – Active mountain biker
- Angelica Bengtsson – Active pole vaulter
- Helen Alfredsson – Active senior tour golfer
- Kennet Andersson – Retired soccer player
- Mathias Fredriksson – Retired cross-country skier
- Michel Torneus – Retired Swedish long jumper
Swimmers have become a growing presence around the world in reality TV shows. It includes a series of swimmers on dance competition shows and Australian Olympic medalist Emily Seebohm, who has become a regular on the reality TV circuit in his home country.