2016 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 6
- Monday, May 16th – Sunday, May 22nd
- Prelims: 10:00 AM (London Time) / 5:00 AM (Eastern Time)
- Finals: 6:00 PM (London Time) / 1:00 PM (Eastern Time)
- London Aquatics Center, London, UK
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results
- Live Stream
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu became the third woman to four-peat an event at the European Championships, taking her fourth consecutive title in the 200 IM.
Thursday night’s 200 IM final saw Hosszu, who turned 27 earlier this month, go 2:07.30 for a new championship record and a runaway gold medal. She topped the field by nearly two full seconds in a dominating showing, adding a 2016 gold to her gold medals from 2010, 2012 and 2014.
She joins a star-studded list of women to win the same event at four consecutive European Championship meets:
Yana Klochkova of the Ukraine was the first, winning the 400 IM in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004. She would also win shares of the European title in the 200 IM in the same four years – she won outright in 1999, 2002 and 2004, and tied for the gold in 2000.
Just one cycle later, Poland’s Otylia Jedrzejczak followed suit, winning the 200 fly in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006.
Hosszu was quickly followed by #4, as Italy’s Federica Pellegrini earned her fourth win in the 200 freestyle just a few days later.
In addition, Sweden’s Therese Alshammar has won four gold medals in the same event, but they weren’t consecutive. Alshammar took the 50 free in 2000, 2002 and 2004, then took silver in 2006 and bronze in 2008 before returning to the gold medal position in 2010.
In 2018, Sweden’s Sarah Sjöstrom could join the list in two events – the 50 fly and 100 free. Meanwhile Hosszu would have a chance to four-peat in the 400 IM as well.
The men’s side has had more runs of 4 or more straight golds:
- Laszlo Cseh, Hungary, 200 IM – 5 straight from 2006-2014
- Laszlo Cseh, Hungary, 400 IM – 5 straight from 2004-2012
- Alexander Popov, Russia, 50 free – 4 straight from 1991-1997
- Jörg Hoffmann, East Germany/Germany, 1500 free – 4 straight from 1989-1995
- Yuri Prilukov, Russia, 1500 free – 4 straight from 2002-2008
- Oleh Lisohor, Ukraine, 50 breast – 4 straight from 2002-2008*
- Michael Groß, West Germany, 200 fly – 4 straight from 1981-1987
*Included a tie for the gold in 2006
