Sweden's Sjostrom returns to the pool after elbow surgery

(Reuters) - Sweden's Olympic 100m butterfly champion Sarah Sjostrom has returned to the pool three weeks after undergoing surgery for a broken elbow.

The much-medalled 27-year-old posted a picture on Instagram of herself poolside with the caption "I'm back. Just kicking of course."

Sjostrom, whose world records include the 50m and 100m freestyle as well as 50m and 100m butterfly, broke her elbow in early February when she slipped on ice and fell to the ground in Stockholm.

The swimming programme at the Tokyo Olympics is due to start on July 24.

Sjostrom, who won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and is also an eight times world championship gold medallist, said last month she was "determined and motivated to come back stronger then ever.

"I’ve seen athletes who come back stronger after injuries and they are my big inspiration now," she said.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Timothy Heritage)