2021 European Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2021 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Swimming: Monday, May 17th – Sunday, May 23rd, 2021
• Budapest, Hungary
• Prelims at 10:00 am local/Finals at 6:00 pm local
• Event Site
• Entry List
• Live Results
• Live Stream

Day 2 of finals action from the 2021 European Championships in Budapest features five individual finals, four sets of semi-finals, and then the unique mixed 4×200 freestyle relay to close things out.

Among the highlights of tonight’s finals will be the men’s 100 breaststroke, where Great Britain’s Adam Peaty comes in seeking a record fourth straight title after cruising to a blistering 57.67 in the semis.

Italian Simona Quadarella will look to repeat in the women’s 800 free, Louise Hansson will aim to give Sweden a third straight gold in the women’s 100 fly, and Denmark’s Pernille Blume is the top seed for the women’s 50 free, where she’ll have a chance to move up one spot on the podium after winning silver in 2018.

And then there’s the men’s 50 back, where Kliment Kolesnikov is coming off of a world record 23.93 in the semis. Kolesnikov became the first man sub-24 with that swim, having set the previous mark of 24.00 at the 2018 Euros. A win would give him two in a row and Russia three out of the last four.

Kolesnikov will also contest the 100 free semis where he’s also the top seed, having been an impressive 47.53 in the morning.

As for the mixed 4×200 free relay, the event made it’s debut at Euros in 2018, and Germany won gold over Russia and Great Britain. The Germans aren’t competing here, and the Brits qualified first this morning in 7:34.64, with Tom Dean, James Guy and Freya Anderson joining Abbie Wood on the team tonight. That notably leaves off Duncan Scott, their top male 200 free option, who also scratched the 100 free this morning.

One key semi-final to watch out for will be the second heat of the men’s 200 fly, where world record holder Kristof Milak will be in action. Milak has already been 1:51.40 this year, so he may turn up the heat in the semis after an easy 1:54.38 in the prelims.

Women’s 800 Free Final

• European Record: 8:14.10, Rebecca Adlington (GBR), 2008
• European Championship Record: 8:15.54, Jazmin Carlin (GBR), 2014
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 8:33.36

1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 8:20.23
2. Anastasia Kirpichnikova (RUS), 8:21.86
3. Anna Egorova (RUS), 8:26.56

Simona Quadarella pulled off a successful title defence for Italy in the women’s 800 free, holding challenger Anastasia Kirpichnikova at bay down the stretch for a gold medal winning time of 8:20.23.

The time chops three seconds off of Quadarella’s season-best of 8:23.77, moving her up from fifth to second in the world rankings.

Kirpichnikova took down her own Russian Record en route to winning silver in 8:21.86, lowering her 8:22.65 mark set in December.

Anna Egorova (8:26.56) made it two Russians on the podium, holding off Hungarian Ajna Kesely (8:27.31). Egorova was a best of 8:24.35 at the Russian Olympic Trials, while Kesely’s swim is a season-best.

Men’s 100 Breast Final

• European Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019
• European Championship Record: 57.10, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2018
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 59.93

1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.66
2. Arno Kamminga (NED), 58.10
3. James Wilby (GBR), 58.58

It’s a fourth straight European title in the men’s 100 breaststroke for Adam Peaty, the longest in the event’s history.

Peaty took off on the opening 50, scorching a 26.64 split on the way out to lead Ilya Shymanovich (26.85) and Nicolo Martinenghi (26.94).

Down the second 50 Peaty pulled away from those two, winning gold by almost half a second in 57.66 – .01 faster than in the semis.

It was Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands charging home in 31.09 to take silver in 58.10, two tenths off his newly minted Dutch Record from a few weeks ago, and Peaty’s teammate James Wilby actually came back faster than anyone in 30.91 for bronze in 58.58. Wilby’s PB stands at 58.46 from the 2019 Worlds. He moves up into fourth in the world this season.

Shymanovich (58.75) and Martinenghi (58.94) settled for fourth and fifth.

Women’s 100 Fly Final

• European Record: 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2016
• European Championship Record: 55.89, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2016
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 57.92

1. Marie Wattel (FRA) / Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 57.37
2. –
3. Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.56

In an incredibly tight final between the top four swimmers, Marie Wattel and Anna Ntountounaki tied for gold in a time of 57.37, with Ntountounaki’s swim a new Greek Record by four tenths of a second.

Russia’s Arina Surkova and Sweden’s Louise Hansson led the field through the 50 in a pair of 26.5s, but Wattel and Ntountounaki both came back in 30.4s to run them down for the joint gold.

Hansson ended up earning bronze in 57.56, narrowly holding off Russian Svetlana Chimrova (57.65).

Ntountounaki is the second Greek European Championship medalist and the first champion.

Men’s 100 Free Semi-Finals

• European Record: 47.12, Alain Bernard (FRA), 2009
• European Championship Record: 47.50, Alain Bernard (FRA), 2008
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 48.57

1. Alessandro Miressi (ITA), 47.53
2. Andrei Minakov (RUS), 47.82
3. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 47.85
4. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 48.02
5. Maxime Grousset (FRA), 48.09
6. Roman Mityukov (SUI) / David Popovici (ROU), 48.28
7. –
8. Tom Dean (GBR), 48.39

Defending champion Alessandro Miressi broke the Italian Record for the second time in as many days in the men’s 100 freestyle, splitting 22.73/24.80 en route to a time of 47.53 in a dominant showing from the first semi. Miressi’s record set in yesterday’s relay was 47.74 after coming into the meet with the 2018 record of 47.92.

France’s Maxime Grousset and Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov took second and third in the heat with a pair of sub-25 closing splits, with Mityukov just .08 off his Swiss Record from Monday.

Andrei Minakov roared home in 24.81 to out-touch Russian countryman Kliment Kolesnikov in the second semi, 47.82 to 47.85, as they qualified second and third.

Hungarian Nandor Nemeth was 48.02 for third in the heat and fourth overall, a new best time and just .02 off of the National Record held by Kristof Milak.

16-year-old Romanian David Popovici reset his National Record for the second time today in 48.28, qualifying for the final in a tie with Mityukov for seventh.

Serbia’s Andrej Barna, who split a scintillating 47.15 on the 400 free relay, misses the final in ninth (48.41).

Women’s 100 Breast Semi-Finals

• European Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• European Championship Record: 1:05.53, Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 2018
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:07.07

1. Sophie Hansson (SWE), 1:05.69
2. Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.09
3. Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.21
4. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA) / Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:06.24
5. –
6. Mona McSharry (IRL), 1:06.42
7. Eneli Jefimova (EST), 1:06.47
8. Sarah Vasey (GBR), 1:06.53

Martina Carraro‘s early speed paid off in the first semi of the women’s 100 breast, out in a quick 30.92 before holding on to touch first in 1:06.09. Carraro set an Italian Record of 1:05.86 in April.

Sophie Hansson shattered the Swedish Record to win the second semi-final in 1:05.69, lowering her previous record of 1:06.17 set at the Swim Open Stockholm last month. Hansson moves up to the #2 spot in the world rankings, trailing only Lilly King (1:05.32).

Molly Renshaw (1:06.21) reset the British Record to qualify third overall for the final, lowering the 2016 mark of 1:06.34 previously held by Siobhan-Marie O’Connor.

Arianna Castiglioni (1:06.24), Yuliya Efimova (1:06.24) and Mona McSharry (1:06.42) are also firmly entrenched in the mix for medals tomorrow.

Back in seventh, Eneli Jefimova broke her Estonian Record in 1:06.47, with her previous mark of 1:06.82 also set at the Swim Open Stockholm in April.

Men’s 200 Fly Semi-Finals

• European Record: 1:50.73, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2019
• European Championship Record: 1:52.79, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2018
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:56.48

1. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:54.37
2. Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:54.72
3. Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:55.03
4. Antani Ivanov (BUL), 1:55.45
5. Noe Ponti (SUI), 1:55.81
6. Giacomo Carini (ITA), 1:55.87
7. Louis Croenen (BEL), 1:55.96
8. Alexander Kudashev (RUS), 1:56.43

Bulgarian Antani Ivanov was the lone man to close sub-30 in the first semi-final of the men’s 200 fly, running down early leader Giacomo Carini to touch first in 1:55.45. Ivanov set a best time and Bulgarian National Record of 1:54.72 in the prelims.

Switzerland’s Noe Ponti, who also set a NR this morning in 1:55.67, also moved past Carini to take second in 1:55.81, with Carini third in 1:55.87. Carini owns a PB of 1:55.40 set in 2017.

In what looked like a battle between defending champ Kristof Milak and Italian Federico Burdisso, it was Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi closing like a freight train in 29.15 to take the top seed into tomorrow’s final from Semi #2, clocking 1:54.37.

Milak finished in 1:54.72 for second, and Burdisso, who was very aggressive over the middle 100 (28.89/29.91), fell to third in 1:55.03.

Kenderesi’s time moves him past Burdisso for second in the world rankings, having previously been 1:54.64 in December.

Women’s 50 Back Semi-Finals

• European Record: 27.10, Kira Toussaint (NED), 2021
• European Championship Record: 27.21, Georgia Davies (GBR), 2018

1. Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 27.19
2. Kira Toussaint (NED), 27.22
3. Anastasia Fesikova (RUS) / Maaike De Waard (NED), 27.69
4. –
5. Caroline Pilhatsch (AUT), 27.81
6. Mimosa Jallow (FIN), 27.93
7. Cassie Wild (GBR), 27.98
8. Julie Kepp Jensen (DEN) / Alicja Tchorz (POL), 28.01

Kathleen Dawson snagged Georgia Davies‘ British and European Championship Record all in one bag in the women’s 50 backstroke, winning the second semi-final in a time of 27.19.

Davies set the previous record of 27.21 in 2018, ultimately going on to win the gold medal. Great Britain has won this event three consecutive times, with Fran Halsall claiming gold back-to-back in 2014 and 2016, so Dawson is in a great position to push the streak to four.

Europeard Record holder Kira Toussaint paced the first semi of the women’s 50 back in 27.22, almost breaking the meet record herself before Dawson took it down.

Anastasia Fesikova, the 2018 silver medalist and champion back in 2008, was second from the first heat in 27.69, while Austrian Caroline Pilhatsch narrowly missed her National Record in 27.77.

Following Dawson in the second semi was Maaike de Waard of the Netherlands, who lowered her best time in 27.69.

We also saw a tie for eighth between Denmark’s Julie Kepp Jensen and Poland’s Alicja Tchorz in 28.01, meaning a swim-off is likely in the works.

Men’s 50 Back Final

• European Record: 23.93, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2021
• European Championship Record: 23.93, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2021

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 23.80 WR
2. Robert Glinta (ROU), 24.42
3. Hugo Gonzalez (ESP), 24.47

Kliment Kolesnikov dropped an absolute stunner in the men’s 50 back final, shattering his 24-hour old world record in a time of 23.80.

Kolesnikov had set the record in last night’s semis in 23.93, which was history’s first under 24 seconds. Now, he is a full two tenths clear of that barrier, having won the gold medal by a staggering .62.

Romanian Robert Glinta repeats as the silver medalist behind Kolesnikov in 24.42, and Hugo Gonzalez broke the super-suited Spanish Record by .01 in 24.47 for bronze. The previous record of 24.48 was set by Aschwin Wildeboer.

Women’s 50 Free Final

• European Record: 23.67, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017
• European Championship Record: 23.74, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 24.77

1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 23.97
2. Pernille Blume (DEN) / Kasia Wasick (POL), 24.17
3. –

Ranomi Kromowidjojo reclaims her European title in the women’s 50 freestyle, producing the first sub-24 swim of the Olympic year in 23.97. Kromowidjojo was the 2016 gold medalist, but fell to bronze in 2018.

The Dutchwoman, who had gone 24.11 in April, overtakes Pernille Blume‘s 24.06 from the semis for first in the world this season. Kromowidjojo holds the Dutch Record at 23.85.

Blume repeats as the silver medalist in 24.17, except this time she’ll share the podium with Kasia Wasick, who broke her Polish Record yet again after going 24.34 in the semis.

Maria Kameneva was within a tenth of her Russian Record (24.20) for fourth in 24.29, while Femke Heemskerk (24.32) was fifth and Great Britain’s Anna Hopkin clocked 24.51 to put herself on the Olympic team.

Mixed 4×200 Free Relay Final

• European Record: 7:22.33 (Target Time)
• European Championship Record: 7:28.43, Germany, 2018

1. Great Britain, 7:26.67
2. Italy, 7:29.35
3. Russia, 7:31.54

The British team rolled to the second gold medal in history in the mixed 4×200 free relay, with Freya Anderson anchoring the squad home in 1:58.03 to pull away from the Italians and finish in a time of 7:26.67.

Great Britain’s clocking stands up as a new European Championship Record, lowering Germany’s 7:28.43 from 2018, but falls over four seconds shy of the LEN-established target time for the European Record (7:22.33).

Tom Dean led the Brits off in 1:46.54, establishing a slight lead over Russia’s Alexander Shchegolev (1:46.66) and Italy’s Stefano Ballo (1:46.96), and then James Guy really opened things up with a 1:45.43 second leg.

Federica Pellegrini had the fastest female split in the field for Italy in 1:55.66, pulling the team within .14 of Great Britain at the 300, but Anderson easily outdid Margherita Panziera (2:00.57) on the closing leg.

Italy claimed silver in 7:29.35, with second leg Stefano Di Cola also contributing the second-fastest male split in the field for them.

Russia picks up bronze in 7:31.54, while Israel had an impressive showing in fourth (7:32.96).