2018 European Championships: Day 1 prelims live recap

2018 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 3-9, 2018 (swimming portion)
• Glasgow, Scotland
• Tollcross International Swimming Centre
• Meet Central
• Program
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

The first “take your mark” sounds through the Tollcross Swimming Centre in Glasgow on Friday morning signalling the start of both the women’s 400 IM and the 2018 European Aquatics Championships. The program of the first session features the women’s 400m IM, the men’s 400m freestyle, the women’s 50m freestyle,  men’s 50 back, women’s 100 fly, men’s 100 breast and the heats of the women’s 800m freestyle. The top-16 of the 50m, 100m and 200m events will swim semi-finals in the evening. The top-8 of the 400m, 800m, 1500m events will advance directly into the finals.

WOMEN’S 400m IM:

• World Record (WR): 4:26,36 – Katinka Hosszu, 2016
• World Junior Record (WJ): 4:39,01 – Rosie Rudin, 2015
• European Record (ER): 4:26,36 – Katinka Hosszu, 2016
• European Junior Record (EJ): 4:36,17, Target Time
• Championship Record (CR): 4:30,90 – Katinka Hosszu, 2016

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Fantine Lesaffre (FRA), 4:36,16
2. Aimee Willmott (GBR), 4:38,28
3. Ilaria Cusinato (ITA), 4:39,02
4. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 4:39,26
5. Hannah Miley (GBR), 4:39,52
6. Catalina Corro Lorente (ESP), 4:40,69
7. Anja Crevar (SRB), 4:40,99
8. Carlotta Toni (ITA), 4:42,06

The World Record Holder and Olympic Champion, Katinka Hosszu, didn’t defend her European title today, as she entered a lighter schedule that we’re used to seeing from her that didn’t include this 400 IM. After 3 heats of the 400 IM, there was let a large gap between the top-3 seeds and the rest of the field in this event, which indicates the battle for medals will likely come down to Ilaria Cusinato (ITA), Aimee Willmott (GBR) and Hannah Miley (GBR).

Hungary’s Zsuzsanna Jakabos leads the field of the second heat after the butterfly and backstroke leg. But is Great Britain’s Aimee Willmot who finished first with a time of 4:38,28 ahead of Jakabos (4:39,26) and Spain’s Catalina Corro Lorente (4:40,49). France’s Fantine Lesaffre steps on the gas in the third and last heat. She sets the pace  during the whole race and finishes first in 4:36,17, a new French National Record and personal-best time by 2,61 seconds. Lesaffre is followed by Ilaria Cusinato (4:39,02) and Hanna Miley (4:39,52).

Youngest swimmer into tonight’s final is Serbia’s Anja Crevar. The 17-year old makes it into the final as the seventh fastest swimmer in 4:40,99, not far off her personal-best (4:40,62).

MEN’S 400m Freestyle:

• World Record (WR): 3:40,07- Paul Biedermann, 2009
• World Junior Record (WJ): 3:44,60 – Mack Horton, 2014
• European Record (ER): 3:40,07  – Paul Biedermann, 2009
• European Junior Record (EJ): 3:46,17 –  Target Time
• Championship Record (CR): 3:44,01 – Gabriele Detti, 2016

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Mykhaylo Romanchuk (UKR), 3:46,95
2. Poul Zellmann (GER), 3:47,14
3. Henning Mühlleitner (GER), 3:47,29
4. Felix Auböck (AUT), 3:48,01
5. Victor Johansson (NOR), 3:48,14
6. Henrik Christiansen (NOR), 3:48,14
7. Jan Micka (CZE), 3:49,17
8. Wojciech Wojdak (POL), 3:49,67

The 2016 European Champion Gabriele Detti is absentfrom this race due to an injury. The highest ranked participant in this event is Italy’s Domenico Acerenza. He owns the 7th spot in the FINA World Ranking. The 23-year old set his personal best time of 3:46,27 in April.

Three swimmers of the third heat make it as the fastest into the final: Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Romanchuk (3:46,95), Germany’s Poul Zellmann (3:47,14) and Henning Mühlleitner (3:47,29). For Romanchuk, his time is a seasonal-best. Acerenza can’t qualify for the final, he finished 11th in 3:50,00.

WOMEN’S 50m Freestyle:

• World Record (WR): 23,67 – Sarah Sjöström, 2017
• World Junior Record (WJ): 24,33 – Rikako Ikee, 2017
• European Record (ER): 23,67 – Sarah Sjöström, 2017
• European Junior Record (EJ): 24,88 –  Target Time
• Championship Record (CR): 24,07 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 2016

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Sarah Sjöström (SWE), 24,14
2. Pernille Blume (DEN), 24,27
3. Maria Kameneva (RUS), 24,39
4. Tamara Van Vliet (NED), 24,77
5. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 24,82
6. Kim Busch (NED), 24,93
7. Theodora Drakou (GRE), 24,98
8. Julie Jensen (DEN), 25,00
9. Rozaliya Nasretdinova (RUS), 25,01
10. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 25,20
11. Erika Ferraioli (ITA), 25,28
12. Nina Kost (SUI), 25,29
13. Lidon Munoz del Campo (ESP), 25,32
14. Andrea Murez (ISR), 25,36
15. Anika Apostalon (CZE), 25,37
16. Sasha Touretzski (SUI), 25,47

The stage is set for Sweden’s “Triple S”, Super Sarah Sjöström, who is the World Record Holder in the 50 m freestyle (23,67). And she shows a nice morning swim, finishing in 24,14 ahead of Denmark’s Pernille Blume (24,27). Blume is the 2016 Olympic Champion.

The Dutch women swim the 4th, 5th and 6th fastest times but only Tamara Van Vliet (24,77) and 2012 Olympic Champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo advance into the semi-final because of the “only two swimmers per nation rule”. Kim Busch can only watch her teammates racing tonight.

Also two Russians will participate in the semi-finals: Maria Kameneva as the third fastest (24,39) and Rozaliya Nasretdinova (9th, 25,01). 2012 Olympic Champion in the 100m breaststroke, Ruta Meilutyte, shows a good ground speed in the 50m free with the 10th fastest time (25,20).

Switzerland’s Nina Kost and Sasha Touretski are also among the 16 semi-finalists. Kost started for Germany internationally for many years.

MEN’S 50m Backstroke:

• World Record (WR): 24,04 – Liam Tancock, 2009
• World Junior Record (WJ): 24,46 – Kliment Kolesnkov, 2018
• European Record (ER): 4:26,36 – Liam Tancock, 2009
• European Junior Record (EJ): 24,46 – Kliment Kolesnkov, 2018
• Championship Record (CR): 24,07 – Camille Lacourt, 2010

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. RYAN Shane, IRL 24.32
2. KOLESNIKOV Kliment, RUS 24.58
3. GLINTA Robert-Andrei, ROU 24.59
4. MOROZOV Vladimir, RUS 24.65
5. DIENER Christian, GER 24.89
6. STRAVIUS Jeremy, FRA 24.92
7. TSMYH Mikita, BLR 24.95
8. FESIKOV Sergei, RUS 25.01
9. KOPELEV Jonatan, ISR 25.02
10. CHRISTOU Apostolos, GRE 25.05
11. FERGUSON Conor, IRL 25.08
12. SABBIONI Simone, ITA 25.17
13. STOKOWSKI Kacper, POL 25.22
14. TOUMARKIN Yakov Yan, ISR 25.25
15. ULYANOV Nikita, RUS 25.29
16. BOLLIN Thierry Frederic, SUI 25.40
17. PYLE Nicholas, GBR 25.49
18. CECCON Thomas, ITA 25.50

The Russian men place themselves four times under the 16 fastest swimmer. Only Junior World Record Holder Kliment Kolesnikov and Vlad Morozov are allowed to represent their country in the next round. Shane Ryan (IRE) sets the fastest time in 24,32.

WOMEN’S 100m Butterfly:

• World Record (WR): 55,48 – Sarah Sjöström, 2016
• World Junior Record (WJ): 56,46 – Penny Oleksiak, 2016
• European Record (ER): 55,48 – Sarah Sjöström, 2016
• European Junior Record (EJ): 56,06 –  Target Time
• Championship Record (CR): 55,89 – Sarah Sjöström, 2016

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Sarah Sjöström, SWE, 56,87
2. Elena Di Liddo, ITA, 57,91
3. Ilaria Bianchi, ITA, 57,92
4. Kimberly Buys, NED, 58,23
5. Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 58,24
6. Marie Wattel (FRA), 58,47
7. Louise Hansson (SWE), 58,52
8. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 58,65
9. Emilie Beckmann (DEN), 58,69
10. Aliena Schmidtke (GER), 58,89
11. Alys Thomas (GBR), 58,93
12. Liliana Szilayi (HUN), 58,95
13. Kinge Zandringa (NED), 59,00
14. Claudia Tarzia (ITA), 59,54
15. Ana Monteiro (POR), 59,63
16. Amina Kajtaz (BIH), 59,65
17. Charlotte Atkinson, GBR, 59,66

Sarah Sjöström takes another top seed for the semi-finals, she was clocked at 56,87. Sjöström is the only sub 57 seconds swimmer and she is more than one second faster than Italys Elena di Liddo (57,91) and Ilaria Bianchi (57,92).

MEN’S 100m Breaststroke:

• World Record (WR): 57,13 – Adam Peaty, 2016
• World Junior Record (WJ): 59,01 – Nicolo Martinenghi, 2017
• European Record (ER): 57,13 – Adam Peaty, 2016
• European Junior Record (EJ): 59,01 – Nicolo Martinenghi, 2017
• Championship Record (CR): 58,36 – Adam Peaty, 2016

Top 16 Qualifiers;

1. Adam Peaty, GBR, 57,89
2. James Wilby, GBR, 59,12
3. Ross Murdoch, GBR, 59,14
4. Anton Chupkov, RUS, 59,15
5. Arno Kamminga, NED, 59,53
6. Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 59,77
7. Ilya Shymanovich, BLR, 59,84
8. Ilya Khomenko, RUS, 59,84
9. Fabio Scozzoli, ITA, 1:00,07
10. Caba Siladji, SRB, 1:00,08
11. Giedrius Titenis, LTU, 1:00,08
12. Andrius Sidlauskas, LTU, 1:00,14
13. Daragh Greene, IRL, 1:00,20
14. Fabian Schwingenschlögl, GER, 1:00,49
15. Marcin Stolarski, POL, 1:00,60
16. Alessandro Pinzutti, ITA, 1:00,63
17. Anton McKee, Iceland, 1:00,90
18. Erik Persson, SWE, 1:00.94

The first Championship Record goes down as Adam Peaty touches the wall with a time of 57,89. The 2016 Olympic Champion and World Record Holder improves his season-best time of 58,59. The British men finish strong with Peaty, James Wilby (59,12) and Ross Murdoch (59,14) as the three fastest, unfortunately Murdoch can’t advance into the semi-finals. Eight swimmers dip under the 1 minute mark.

WOMEN’S 4x100m Freestyle:

• World Record (WR): 3:30,05 – Australia, 2018
• European Record (ER): 3:31,72 – Netherlands, 2009
• Championship Record (CR): 3:33,62 – Netherlands, 2008

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Netherlands 3:38,30
2. Italy 3:38,64
3. France 3:39,13
4. Russia 3:39,48
5. Switzerland 3:40,00
6. Germany 3:40,05
7. Great Britain 3:40,18
8. Denmark/Poland 3:41.28

In this women’s 400 free relay, there was a tie for 8th place between Denmark and Poland, but because the Tollcross International Swim Center has extra space, both relays will advance to the final.

Fastest into the final were the favored Dutch women, even without using their top sprinter Ranomi Kromowidjojo. Femke Heemskerk had the fastest split as the anchor in 52,78.

Also Federica Pellegrini showed a strong perfomance as the second starter of the Italian relay with a time of 53,73. The Swiss relay surprised with the fifth fastest time in 3:40,00 – a new national record.

MEN’S 4x100m Freestyle:

• World Record (WR):3:08,24 – USA, 2008
• European Record (ER):3:08,32 – France, 2008
• Championship Record (CR): 3:11,64 – France, 2014

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Italy, 3:15,29
2. Poland, 3:15,45
3. Hungary, 3:15,55
4. Russia, 3:15,77
5. Serbia, 3:15,90
6. Netherlands, 3:16,78
7. Germany, 3:16,79
8. Greece, 3:16,88

The French relay doesn’t make it into the final, their time of 3:17,15 is not fast enough for the European Record Holder.

Italy’s Luca Dotto taook the lead for the Italian squad with a lead off time of 48,88 and they held that lead until the finish (3:15,29). Poland advances into the final with the second fastest time (3:15,45) ahead of Hungary (3:15,55).

The big surprise is the British team, candidates for gold, who rested their star Duncan Scott in prelims and finished 10th – out of the final.

WOMEN’S 800m Freestyle:

• World Record (WR):8:04,79 – Katie Ledecky, 2016
• World Junior Record (WJ): 8:11,00  – Katie Ledecky, 2014
• European Record (ER): 8:14,10 – Rebecca Adlington, 2008
• European Junior Record (EJ): 8:23,07 –  Target Time
• Championship Record (CR): 8:15,54 – Jazmin Carlin, 2014

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Simona Quadarella, ITA, 8:23,93
2. Ajna Kesely, HUN, 8:27,96
3. Anna Egorova, RUS, 8:29,27
4. Sarah Köhler, GER, 8:31,96
5. Borglarka Kapas, HUN, 8:32,32
6. Jimena Perez, 8:32,46
7. Tjasa Oder, SLO, 8:33,12
8. Julia Hassler, LIE, 8:33,40

Hungary’s Teenager Ajna Kesely is a candidate to set the European Junior Record, she finishes in 8:27,96 (personal-best 8:25,82), the target time stands at 8:23,07.

Defending European Champion Boglarka Kapas takes it easy and set the fifth fastest time in 8:32,32 (personal-best 8:16,37). Lane 4 in the final is reserved for Italy’s Simona Quadarella (8:23,93).