2018 European Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2018 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 3 finals from the European Championships will be the busiest yet with eleven different events on the schedule.

The men’s 1500 freestyle final will lead us off, and we’ll also see finals in the men’s 100 free, women’s 100 breast, women’s 50 back, men’s 200 fly, and the men’s 4×200 free relay to close things out. We’ll also see semi-final action in the men’s 100 back, women’s 200 fly, men’s 200 breast, men’s 200 IM, and women’s 200 free.

Men’s 1500 Free Final

  • World Record (WR):14:31.02  – Sun Yang, 2012
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 14:51.55 – Mack Horton, 2014
  • European Record (ER): 14:34.04 – Gregorio Paltrinieri, 2016
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 14:48.92 Target Time
  • Championship Record (CR): 14:34.04 – Gregorio Paltrinieri, 2016
  1. Florian Wellbrock, GER, 14:36.15
  2. Mykhailo Romanchuk, UKR, 14:36.88
  3. Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA, 14:42.85

Gregorio Paltrinieri came in as the big favorite in the men’s 1500, having won three consecutive European titles, but it was not his night. He fell off the pace of Florian Wellbrock and Mykhailo Romanchuk around the 1000 metre mark, and the German and Ukrainian took off in the battle for gold.

Wellbrock maintained a slight lead throughout the last 500, and out-split Romanchuk on the final 100 (including a 26.99 final 50) to win in a new German Record of 14:36.15, lowering his 14:40.69 from earlier this year. Romanchuk snuck under his Ukrainian Record for silver in 14:36.88, and Paltrinieri settled for bronze in 14:42.85.

Wellbrock and Romanchuk’s swims stack us as the 8th and 9th fastest performances ever, and Wellbrock takes over 4th fastest perfomrer all-time from Romanchuk as he falls to 5th.

Impressively, the entire field was sub-15:00, with Paltrinieri’s Italian teammate Domenico Acerenza (14:51.88) in for 4th.

Men’s 100 Free Final

  • World Record (WR): 46.91 – Cesar Cielo, 2009
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 47.58 – Kyle Chalmers,2016
  • European Record (ER): 47.12 – Alain Bernard, 2009
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 48.33 – Ivan Girev, 47,50
  • Championship Record (CR): 47.50 – Alain Bernard, 2008
  1. Alessandro Miressi, ITA, 48.01
  2. Duncan Scott, GBR, 48.23
  3. Mehdy Metella, FRA, 48.24

After splitting 46.99 on the Italian free relay on day 1, Alessandro Miressi came in with the hot hand in the men’s 100 freestyle. He executed his finals swim perfectly, sitting in a tie for 4th at the 50 (23.22) before storming home in 24.79 to win gold in a new best time of 48.01.

Duncan Scott (48.23) and Mehdy Metella (48.24) won silver and bronze, and were the only other two swimmers who closed sub-25. Metella was the fastest coming home in 24.56.

Russia was locked out of the medals as Vladislav Grinev (48.36) took 4th, and defending champ Luca Dotto (48.45) was 5th. Dotto led the field at the 50 in 22.71.

Women’s 100 Breast Final

  • World Record (WR): 1:04.13 – Lilly King, 2017
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 1:05.39 – Ruta Meilutyte, 2014
  • European Record (ER): 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte, 2013
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 1:04.35 Target Time
  • Championship Record (CR): 1:05.77, Yuliya Efimova, 2018
  1. Yuliya Efimova, RUS, 1:05.53
  2. Ruta Meilutyte, LTU, 1:06.26
  3. Arianna Castiglioni, ITA, 1:06.54

Yuliya Efimova used her patented back-half speed to run away with gold in the women’s 100 breast, closing in 34.40 to win in a new Championship Record of 1:05.53. She set the previous record of 1:05.77 in the semi-finals.

Ruta Meilutyte got out to the lead early, turning 1st in 30.79, but was overtaken by Efimova and settles for silver in 1:06.26. Arianna Castiglioni got in for bronze in 1:06.54, just over a tenth off the Italian Record.

Men’s 100 Back Semi-Finals

  • World Record (WR): 51.85 – Ryan Murphy, 2016
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 52.97 – Kliment Kolesnikov, 2018
  • European Record (ER): 52.11 – Camille Lacourt, 2010
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 52.97 – Kliment Kolesnikov, 2018
  • Championship Record (CR): 52.11 – Camille Lacourt, 2010
  1. Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS, 52.95
  2. Evgeny Rylov, RUS, 53.20
  3. Simone Sabbioni, ITA, 53.39
  4. Robert Glinta, ROU, 53.63
  5. Apostolos Christou, GRE, 53.90
  6. Christian Diener, GER, 54.10
  7. Jan-Philip Glania, GER / Thomas Ceccon, ITA, 54.24

Out in what seemed to be a very easy 26.00 at the 50, Russian Kliment Kolesnikov blasted his way home in 26.95 to break his own Junior World Record by .02 in 52.95. Romanian Robert Glinta, who took silver to Kolesnikov in the 50 back, took 2nd in the 1st semi in 53.63.

Kolesnikov’s countryman Evgeny Rylov followed with a win in the second semi in 53.20, followed by Italian Simone Sabbioni (53.39) and Apostolos Christou (53.90) of Greece. Sabbioni came within five-one-hundredths of his National Record set in 2016.

Women’s 200 Fly Semi-Finals

  • World Record (WR): 2:01.81 – Zige Liu, 2009
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 2:06.29 – Suzuka Hasegawa, 2017
  • European Record (ER): 2:04.27 – Katinka Hosszu, 2009
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 2:06.71 Target Time
  • Championship Record (CR): 2:04.79 – Mireia Belmonte, 2014
  1. Franziska Hentke, GER, 2:07.55
  2. Alys Thomas, GBR, 2:07.64
  3. Boglarka Kapas, HUN, 2:07.75
  4. Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 2:08.57
  5. Liliana Szilagyi, HUN, 2:08.70
  6. Alessia Polieri, ITA, 2:08.77
  7. Ilaria Cusinato, ITA, 2:08.84
  8. Ana Catarina Monteiro, POR, 2:08.96

Germany’s Franziska Hentke got out fast in the first semi of the women’s 200 fly, and despite a big push from Boglarka Kapas on the final 50, she won in 2:07.55 with Kapas 2nd in 2:07.75.

Alys Thomas answered with a strong swim in the second semi, touching 1st in 2:07.64 to take the 2nd seed overall. Svetlana ChimrovaLiliana Szilagyi and Alessia Polieri all came within two-tenths of each other for 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and advance to the final in 5th, 6th and 7th. It ended up taking sub-2:09 to make the final.

Men’s 200 Breast Semi-Finals

  • World Record (WR): 2:06.67 – Ipei Watanabe, 2007
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 2:09.39 – Anton Chupkov, 2017
  • European Record (ER): 2:06.96 – Anton Chupkov, 2017
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 2:09.64 – Target Time
  • Championship Record (CR): 2:07.47 – Marco Koch, 2014
  1. Anton Chupkov, RUS, 2:07.95
  2. Luca Pizzini, ITA, 2:08.52
  3. Ross Murdoch, GBR, 2:08.57
  4. Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 2:08.63
  5. James Wilby, GBR, 2:09.59
  6. Erik Persson, SWE, 2:09.84
  7. Arno Kamminga, NED, 2:10.00
  8. Andrius Sidlauskas, LTU, 2:10.12

Kirill Prigoda was incredibly quick through 150 metres of the first semi-final, but Ross Murdoch made a huge push on the final 50 to edge him at the wall, 2:08.57 to 2:08.63. Murdoch was left out of the 100 breast semis (as the 3rd fastest Brit) despite a very strong prelim swim, and looks dangerous to challenge Anton Chupkov tomorrow. However, Chupkov and Murdoch’s teammate James Wilby will be tough to beat after winning silver and bronze in the 100 behind Adam Peaty.

In the second semi, Chupkov cruised through the first 100 before turning up the heat coming home with splits of 32.42 and 32.16 to overtake Italian Luca Pizzini for the heat win in 2:07.95. Pizzini recorded a personal best and edged out Murdoch’s time for 2nd overall in 2:08.52, and Wilby was back in 2:09.59 which stands up as 5th overall. Pizzini’s swim was also just .02 off the Italian Record, set by Loris Facci back in 2009.

Women’s 50 Back Final

  • World Record (WR): 27.06 – Jing Zhao, 2009
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 27.49 – Minna Atherton, 2016
  • European Record (ER): 27.21 – Georgia Davies, 2018
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 27.90 – Daria Vaskina, 2018
  • Championship Record (CR): 27.21 – Georgia Davies, 2018
  1. Georgia Davies, GBR, 27.23
  2. Anastasiia Fesikova, RUS, 27.31
  3. Mimosa Jallow, FIN, 27.70

Georgia Davies took home the women’s 50 back title in a time of 27.23, just .02 off of her European Record set in the prelims. Anastasiia Fesikova, who was 27.23 in the prelims, was a close 2nd in 27.31, and Finland’s Mimosa Jallow claims bronze in 27.70. Jallow also had her fastest swim of the three rounds in the prelims, breaking her Finnish Record in 27.42.

Interestingly enough, all eight finalists had been faster in either the prelims or semis (or both) than they were in the final. All eight of them were sub-28 in the semis, but Poland’s Alicja Tchorz was the only other one under tonight, taking 4th in 27.74 after going a National Record of 27.72 last night.

Men’s 200 IM Semi-Finals

  • World Record (WR): 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte, 2011
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 1:57.06 – Hayang Qin, 2017
  • European Record (ER): 1:55.18 – Laszlo Cseh, 2009
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 1:59.06 – Johannes Hintze, 2017
  • Championship Record (CR): 1:56.66 – Laszlo Cseh, 2012
  1. Philip Heintz, GER, 1:57.56
  2. Max Litchfield, GBR, 1:57.62
  3. Jeremy Desplanches, SUI, 1:57.99
  4. Mark Szaranek, GBR, 1:58.22
  5. Andreas Vazaios, GRE, 1:58.48
  6. Hugo Gonzalez, ESP, 1:59.28
  7. Alexis Santos, POR, 1:59.89
  8. Semen Makovich, RUS, 2:00.00

Germany’s Philip Heintz used a strong 33.76 breaststroke split to take over the lead from Great Britain’s Max Litchfield in the first of two semi-finals in the men’s 200 IM, and Heintz just held him off to touch 1st in 1:57.56 to Litchfield’s 1:57.62. Defending champ Andreas Vazaios of Greece was 3rd in the semi in 1:58.48. That’s the fastest of the season for Litchfield, who came in with a 2018 best of 1:59.68 and then got down to 1:58.12 in the heats.

Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches was solid through all four strokes in the second semi, winning 1:57.99 over NCAA competitors Mark Szaranek (1:58.22) and Hugo Gonzalez (1:59.28). Those three advance to the final 3rd, 4th and 6th overall.

Women’s 200 Free Semi-Finals

  • World Record (WR): 1:52.98 – Federica Pellegrini, 2009
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 1:56.12 – Duo Shen, 2014
  • European Record (ER): 1:52.98 – Federica Pellegrini, 2009
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 1:56.78 – Target Time
  • Championship Record (CR): 1:55.33 – Sarah Sjöström, 2016
  1. Femke Heemskerk, NED, 1:57.64
  2. Charlotte Bonnet, FRA, 1:58.12
  3. Anastasia Guzhenkova, RUS, 1:58.18
  4. Valeriia Salamatina, RUS, 1:58.37
  5. Holly Hibbott, GBR, 1:58.46
  6. Melanie Costa Schmid, ESP, 1:58.53
  7. Eleanor Faulkner, GBR, 1:58.71
  8. Isabel Gose, GER, 1:58.76

France’s Charlotte Bonnet established a big lead early in the first semi of the women’s 200 free and then cruised to the finish in 1:58.12, with Russia’s Valeriia Salamatina and GBR’s Holly Hibbott a few tenths back for 2nd and 3rd.

Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands successfully maintained the top time just as she did in the heats, winning the first semi in 1:57.64 over Russian Anastasia Guzhenkova (1:58.18) and Spain’s Melanie Costa-Schmid (1:58.53).

Men’s 200 Fly Final

  • World Record (WR): 1:51.51 – Michael Phelps, 2009
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 1:52.71 – Kristof Milak, 2016
  • European Record (ER): 1:52.70 – Laszlo Cseh, 2008
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 1:52.71 – Kristof Milak, 2016
  • Championship Record (CR): 1:52.91 – Laszlo Cseh, 2016
  1. Kristof Milak, HUN, 1:52.79
  2. Tamas Kenderesi, HUN, 1:54.36
  3. Federico Burdisso, ITA, 1:55.97

Kristof Milak did not disappoint in the men’s 200 fly final, going out under world record pace with 50 and 100m splits of 24.40 and 52.76. He checked in at 1:22.01 at the 150, still way under European Record pace, but tied up a bit coming home to narrowly miss Laszlo Cseh‘s European Record (1:52.70) and his own Junior World Record (1:52.71) in 1:52.79. However, he did get by Cseh’s meet record of 1:52.91.

Tamas Kenderesi closed well as usual, the only swimmer in the field sub-30 (29.31) to give Hungary a 1-2 finish in 1:54.36, and Italian Federico Burdisso hung on for the bronze medal from lane 8 in 1:55.97. Burdisso only got into the final because James Guy scratched.

Viktor Bromer of Denmark and Louis Croenen of Belgium tied for 4th in 1:56.33.

Men’s 4×200 Free Relay Final

  • World Record (WR): 6:58.55 – USA, 2009
  • World Junior Record (WJ): 7:10.95 – HUN, 2017
  • European Record (ER): 6:59.15 – RUS, 2010
  • European Junior Record (EJ): 7:10.95 – HUN, 2017
  • Championship Record (CR): 7:06.71 – RUS, 2010
  1. Great Britain, 7:05.32
  2. Russia, 7:06.66
  3. Italy, 7:07.58

A close race between Great Britain and Russia was sealed by James Guy as he anchored in 1:45.60 to give the Brits the win in a new Championship Record of 7:05.32. Duncan Scott gave them the lead with a 1:45.48 2nd leg, and Thomas Dean (1:47.07) maintained the lead over Danila Izotov (1:46.86) heading into the anchor before Guy closed the show.

Russia had all four men split 1:46, with anchor Mikhail Dovgalyuk their fastest in 1:46.18 as they also slid under the previous meet record in 7:06.66.

The Italians were in the mix the whole way, with Filippo Megli (1:45.44) throwing down the fastest split in the field (swimming 2nd) as they took bronze in 7:07.58. Germany had an impressive 1:45.94 anchor from Jacob Heidtmann as they took a clear 4th in 7:09.31.

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Mark
6 years ago

Team GB will win gold in both the men’s 4×200 Freestyle and 4×100 Medley come next year’s World Championships and the Olympics.

Philip Johnson
Reply to  Mark
6 years ago

A lot can happen … no one is a shoe in.

SumTing Wong
Reply to  Philip Johnson
6 years ago

World Juniors had 3 under 1.46.8 . . It remains to be seen how they go when more is expected of them .

Pvdh
Reply to  Mark
6 years ago

The US currently has atleast 4 1:45 guys at the moment with Haas, Conger, Seliskar and Pieroni. Dwyer looks like he’s back there. 18 year old Jack Levant just went 1:46.46. Who knows what Dressel is capable of.

As for medley….yea not unless they can come up with a backstroker. Murphy and Peaty will come close to cancelling each other out. You have to hope for nobody being able to split a 58 in the 100 breast, and massive over performance by Guy or underperformance by Dressel.

Dee
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

Tend to agree here. My only caveat, USA have tended to underperform at the Worlds in the year following PanPacs because of how early the squad is selected – More athletes than typically lose form in that long gap. For that reason, if a team is going to beat USA in a relay anytime soon, it will be 2019 rather than 2020.

Ole 99
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

Medley Relay – UK needs a backstroke leg below 54. Right now they are giving up 2.5 seconds on back but only making up 2 on BR. US has advantage on fly and slight advantage on free.

4 x 200 Free – I don’t know how you watched that relay and thought the UK was a world beater. They were 4 seconds off their time from last year. The US does need someone to break through though. I’d like to see Conger focus on that event rather than 200 fly.

Dee
Reply to  Ole 99
6 years ago

I am still finding the 4×2 hard to read. I think Australia and Japan are real spoilers moving forward. Britain were certainly not in 2017 shape tonight, but we traditionally race a lot better in Worlds year rather than Euros. That was our first mens 4×2 euro medal in 12 years for example; Despite being ranked as a top 3 european team at every Worlds/Olympics between 2006 and 2018 bar 2013. The commonwealth/Euros clash always seems to hurt Britain, and Australia. I’d personally judge Britain on 2016/2017 – But even doing so, we’re still a good couple seconds behind USA.

Robbos
Reply to  Mark
6 years ago

The last time the US didn’t win the men’s 4×100 medley was in 1980 in Moscow & the US boycotted those Olympics. I don’t think they have been beaten in the Olympics in this event for much longer then that.

Pvdh
6 years ago

Milak overcooked himself in the first 100

Love to Swim
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

He didn’t help himself when he was looking around a la Le Clos in the final 20m, when it was completely unnecessary to do so.

He needs to be more disciplined in his own race.

BRONK27
Reply to  Love to Swim
6 years ago

He was only checking his opposition. Who knows, what if MP unexpectedly turns up? 🙂

Kristiina
6 years ago

Frederico Burdisso, 200fly bronze medalist is only 16 years old! Youngsters dominanting. I hope F.Heemskerk win 200free at age 30.

X Glide
6 years ago

I had a dream last night where Chupkov went 2:05.97

Brownish
6 years ago

This’s Kenderesi’s tactics. Fast first half is Milak’s. Milak or Cseh has much faster 50 or 100, than Kenderesi or Biczo.

Kristiina
6 years ago

Milak is animal in good contest. Very similar Phelps. Last 50 metres is little slow but he is 18.

Brownish
Reply to  Kristiina
6 years ago

53.92, 58.79 in Debrecen, 52.76, 1:00.3 here. The first half was extremely fast.

Pvdh
Reply to  Brownish
6 years ago

200 fly is a marathon not a sprint. 53.3 is probably a good opening 100 that would give him a crack at 1:51

Dee
6 years ago

12 months ago, Tom Dean hadnt raced a 200 free since he was about 12. Since his 1.54 on return to the event, he his taken his PB down to 1.47 in just 9 swims, and become a European senior Champion in the 4×200. He hadn’t broken 1.50 until last month infact. What a story, and what motivation he must have now.

Pvdh
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

J Cole went platinum with no features

Thomas Selig
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

He swam a really mature leg too, sticking with Izotov in the first half and using his strong back half to hand Guy the lead.

I know that’s the way he swims, but as an 18 year old in a final, in a red-hot atmosphere with a home crowd, it would have been so easy to over swim the first 100, so big kudos for sticking to his game plan.

Kudos also to the British coaches for backing him. Definitely a great addition to the relay.

Dee
Reply to  Thomas Selig
6 years ago

I think Duncan Scott swam a better leg than the time suggests too – Not that 1.45.4 is to be scoffed at! He raced Malyutin rather than the clock imo. He was out very slowly (51.6 flying start) sitting on Malyutin’s shoulder, then put a bodylength on him down the final 50 (26.5). James Guy on the otherhand does look a little off his best – Still a good split, but we’re used to sub 1.45s now.

Thomas Selig
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

Agree re Scott. Takeover times from him and Dean fairly pedestrian too. Re Guy, worth pointing out that he’s usually the one doing the chasing. That’s the first time he’s taken over that relay in the lead. Maybe he’s quicker when he has someone to hunt down?

Clutch
6 years ago

I would be interested to know if there have been any changes in Italian swimming? Looks like a golden generation.

Emanuele
Reply to  Clutch
6 years ago

Nothing special and, to be fair, italian always perform well in european championship.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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