17-Year-Old Nikolett Padar Clocks European Junior Record in 200 Free Semifinals (1:53.51)

2023 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 5-10, 2023
• Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
• Short Course Meters (25 meters)
• Prelims 2:30am (ET), Finals 11am (ET)
• Entries Book
• Live Results (Omega)
• Live Results (Microplus Timing)
• Eurovision Sport Livestream
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap | Day 5 Finals Recap

Nikolett Padar became the first female swimmer to officially own the European junior record in the SCM 200 freestyle, posting a personal-best 1:53.51 to sneak under the target time (1:53.77) in Saturday’s semifinals at the 2023 European Short Course Championships.

When junior records started becoming officially recognized, target times were implemented to establish an initial mark, usually mirroring the fastest-ever junior time prior to the records coming into play.

Padar, a 17-year-old from Hungary, shaved more than half a second off her previous-best 1:54.10 from last month. She qualified 2nd for Sunday’s final behind England’s Freya Anderson (1:53.10). Anderson has been as fast as 1:51.87 back in November of 2020 while Czech standout Barbora Seemanova could also threaten for the title with a lifetime best of 1:52.66.

Padar is now within a second of the world junior record (1:52.59) set by Bella Sims at the World Cup Series in Indianapolis last November.

A two-time world junior champion in the 100 free (55.11) and 200 free (1:58.19) last August, Padar committed this August to join Bob Bowman‘s squad at Arizona State in the fall of 2025.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: Siobhan Haughey (HGK) – 1:50.31 (2021)
• European Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 1:50.43 (2017)
• SC Euros Record: Federica Pellegrini (ITA) – 1:51.17 (2009)

Top 8:

1. Freya Anderson (GBR) – 1:53.10
2. Nikolett Padar (HUN) – 1:53.51 EJ
3. Barbora Seemanova (CZE) – 1:54.05
4. Sofia Morini (ITA) – 1:54.20
5. SS Jorunnardottir (ISL) – 1:54.23
6. Giulia D’Innocenzo (ITA) – 1:54.32
7. Freya Colbert (GBR) – 1:54.47
8. Valentine Dumont (BEL) – 1:55.14.

Sofia Morini (ITA), SS Jorunnardottir (ISL), Guilia D’Innocenzo (ITA), Freya Colbert (GBR), and Valentine Dumont (BEL) will all feature in tomorrow’s final, too.