2017 SC European Championships: Day 4 prelims recap

European Short Course Championships 2017

• December, 13th to 17th
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• 25m
• Entry lists
• Live timing
• Webcast (for Europe)
• Results 
• Recap Day 1, prelims
• Recap Day 1, finals 
• Recap Day 2, prelims
• Recap Day 2, finals
• Recap Day 3, prelims
• Recap Day3, finals

Today’s schedule features the women’s 50m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m IM and the men’s 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 100m IM and the prelims of the 4x50m mixed freestyle relay.

Benjamin Proud (GBR) qualified with the fastest time for the men’s 50m butterfly semifinal followed by Sebastian Sabo (SRB) in 22,54 and Aleksandr Popkov (RUS) in 22,48. Popkov won the bronze medal in this event two years ago in Netanya.

The defending European SC Champion, Katinka Hosszu, took the top spot for the semifinal in the 50m backstroke in 26,44, ahead of Kira Toussaint (NED,26,49) and Mimosa Jallow (FIN, 26,52). Hosszu won the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke at the 2015 SC Euros and it seems like she will did it again in Copenhagen.

Luca Dotto (ITA) put up the top time in the men’s 50m freestyle in 26,44. Sergii Shetsov (URK) set the second fastest time in 46,94 ahead of Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA) in 47,00. 2015 gold medalist Marco Orsi swam the sixth fastest time but can’t advance into the semifinals because two Italians were faster and only two swimmer per nation are allowed in the semis.

Femke Heemskerk (NED) and Veronika Andrusenko (RUS) earned the middle lanes in the women’s 200m freestyle final in 1:54,08/1:54,46. Sarah Sjöström, who is the SC world record holder in this event, did not swim her prelims race.

Sarah Sjöström started in the next event, the 100m butterfly. Sjöström and Marie Wattel (FRA) sit 1 and 2 for the semifinal, with Sjöström touching 1st in 56,05 and Wattel qualifying 2nd in 56,86.  “Iron Lady” Katinka Hosszu was a “DNS” in the 100m fly, she swam the 50m back already and also has the 200m IM on her schedule.

100m IM SC world record holder Vladimir Morozov canceled his start and it was Sergei Fesikov (RUS) who was the fastest man in the 100m IM ahead of Marco Orsi (ITA) in 52,13 and Kyle Stolk (NED) n 52,48. After missing out on the 100m freestyle semifinals, Orsi has a new chance to move into a final and swim for a medal.

Katinka Hosszu swam a 2:07,34 to qualify at the top of the field for the 200 IM final. Ilaria Cusineto (ITA) was clocked at 2:09,91 as the second fastest and Switzerland’s Maria Ugolkova advanced into the final with the third fastest time (2:09,96).

The Russian team set the fastest time in the 4x50m mixed freestyle relay. Also in the final are: Poland, Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belarus, Germany and Denmark.