Olympics-Swimming-Evergreen Alshammer competes in sixth Games

By Alan Baldwin RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Therese Alshammar told herself at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when she made her debut in the pool as a teenager, that it would probably be a one-off. The Swede, who will be 40 next year, was back on Friday -- competing in her sixth Games and racing swimmers half her age to reach the 50 metre freestyle semi-finals in an impressive 24.73 seconds. Simone Manuel, the 20-year-old who won a shared 100m freestyle gold for the United States on Thursday, was only a fraction faster in 24.71. Alshammar smiled when asked whether she accepted the adage that you are only as old as you feel, and if so what her competitive age might be. "How old do I feel? It varies from day to day, I have to say," she replied. "Some days I feel like I am way past my age and some days I feel younger." The 38-year-old -- she turns 39 on Aug. 26 -- became the oldest female swimmer to win a world championship in 2011 with gold in the 50m free and placed sixth at the 2012 London Olympics. A double freestyle silver medallist at the 2000 Sydney Games, her presence in Rio made her the first female swimmer to compete at six Olympics. But it nearly did not happen. After her swim at the European championships in London in May she cut a sorry figure, failing to achieve the Swedish team's qualifying standard and convinced her dream was over. "What happened? I managed to swim a bit faster," she said about the turnaround. "I had an extended trial period so I could go to the Mare Nostrum (meet) and a few more meets in Europe and I swam faster and faster. "Basically my season was cut short, I couldn't race much during the winter period because I had a back issue and two discs out of place. So my preparation wasn't ideal." She was still in pain in London, but as that subsided she found a rhythm and better pace. Being back in the athletes' village was exciting but different. Four years ago she swam the 50 with a neck problem, knowing she had no hope of success despite reaching the final, but Rio, whatever the outcome, has put a smile on her face. "When I was at my first Olympics I remember (thinking) this is probably it. So six later, and I am still happy." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)