2022 European Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2022 EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 11 – Wednesday, August 17, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Rome, Italy
• Parco Del Foro Italico
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 9:00 am local / 3:00 am ET
  • Finals: 6:00 pm local / 12:00 pm ET
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entries
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

The second night of action from the 2022 European Championships promise to be fast and furious as we’ve got four finals to get things kicked off before going straight into four sets of semi-finals. After a few medal ceremonies, the evening will conclude with two more finals in the women’s 800 freestyle and the mixed 400 medley relay.

The women’s 200 backstroke final leads things off, where Italian Margherita Panziera comes in as the clear favorite to win a third straight title.

That will be followed by the men’s 50 butterfly, where the Netherlands’ Nyls Korstanje and France’s Maxime Grousset set the standard in the semis after both breaking 23 seconds. Italy’s Thomas Ceccon is seeded third and could steal gold on home soil, having been as fast as 22.79 earlier this year at the World Championships.

The women’s 100 free figures to be another head-to-head battle between France and the Netherlands, as Charlotte Bonnet and Marrit Steenbergen were the only women under 54 seconds in the semi-finals.

The men’s 100 breast projects to be the Nicolo Martinenghi show, as the reigning world champion was on fire with a 58.44 swim in the semi-finals to come within two-tenths of his lifetime best and Italian Record of 58.26.

Later on in the women’s 800 free, another Italian, Simona Quadarella, has a chance to win her third straight gold medal in the event. If she manages to do so, she’ll be set up to vie for the triple-triple throughout the meet, with the chance of winning the women’s 400, 800 and 1500 free at three straight European Championship editions.

The night will close with the mixed medley relay, which should be must-see TV. Italy has the male world champions in the 100 back and 100 breast, Ceccon and Martinenghi, which should launch them into the early lead, and then it will be a question of whether or not their female legs can hold on.

The Netherlands qualified first out of the heats in 3:46.64, with defending champion Great Britain (3:49.04) back in fourth and the Italians sitting sixth (3:50.19).

Of the four semi-final events, the highlight will undoubtedly be the men’s 100 freestyle, as we saw Romania’s David Popovici blast his way to a Championship Record in the heats in 47.20. Italy’s Alessandro Miressi also cracked 48 seconds (47.60), and we should also expect something quick from Grousset, who has shown good form here thus far and was the runner-up to Popovici at the World Championships.

For a full preview of tonight’s finals session, click here.

You can find the heat sheet for the session here.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE -FINAL

• World Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019 World Championships
• European Record: 2:04.94, Anastasia Fesikova (RUS) – 2009 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 2:06.08 – Margherita Panziera (ITA) – 2021
• 2020 European Champion: Margherita Panziera (ITA) – 2:06.08

1. Margherita Panziera (ITA), 2:07.13
2. Katie Shanahan (GBR), 2:09.26
3. Dora Molnar (HUN), 2:09.73
4. Eszter Szabo Feltothy (HUN), 2:10.23
5. Camila Rodrigues Rebelo (POR), 2:11.03
6. Africa Zamorano Sanz (ESP), 2:11.11
7. Laura Bernat (POL), 2:11.14
8. Lena Grabowski (AUT), 2:11.23

Italian Margherita Panziera absolutely blew away the field in the women’s 200 backstroke, taking off on the second 50 with a blistering 31.78 to open up a sizeable gap that only grew as the race wore on.

Panziera finished in a time of 2:07.13, dipping under her showing from the World Championships (2:07.27) to win her third consecutive European title in the event.

In the race for second, Great Britain’s Katie Shanahan slowly pulled away from the Hungarian duo of Dora Molnar and Eszter Szabo Feltothy, coming in for the silver medal in a time of 2:09.26. That swim falls just four one-hundredths shy of Shanahan’s best time set at the Commonwealth Games just over a week ago.

Molnar, 16, made a big push on the last 50 to overtake Szabo Feltothy and win bronze in 2:09.73, less than four-tenths off her best time and quicker than she was in the World Championship final (2:10.08).

Szabo Feltothy added four-tenths from the semis to place fourth in 2:10.23, while Portugal’s Camila Rodrigues Rebelo moved up two spots to place fifth in 2:11.03.

MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 22.27, Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 2018 Sette Colli Trophy
• European Record: 22.27, Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 2018 Sette Colli Trophy
• European Championship Record: 22.48, Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Szebszatian Szabo (HUN), 23.00

1. Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 22.89
2. Maxime Grousset (FRA), 22.97
3. Diogo Matos Ribeiro (POR), 23.07
4. Nyls Korstanje (NED), 23.10
5. Simon Bucher (AUT), 23.12
6. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 23.18
7. Josif Miladinov (BUL), 23.41
8. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 23.62

Thomas Ceccon made it two gold medals to kick off tonight’s session for the Italians, as he inched ahead of the field in the men’s 50 fly final before hitting his finish right on to snare gold away from the top qualifiers out of the semis.

Ceccon clocked in at 22.89 to win the title, a tenth off the Italian Record he set in the World Championship semi-finals back in June.

Frenchman Maxime Grousset was slightly slower than his PB from the semis (22.90) but did break 23 for the second time in his career to pick up the silver medal in 22.97, while 17-year-old Diogo Matos Ribeiro re-broke his Portuguese National Record from last night to win bronze in 23.07.

Dutchman Nyls Korstanje looked like the man to beat coming in, having led the prelims (22.90) and semis (22.88), but he finds himself on the outside looking in as he fell to fourth in 23.10.

Placing fifth was Austrian Simon Bucher, who chopped six one-hundredths off his National Record from the World Championships in 23.12.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017 World Championships
• European Record: 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 52.67, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014/2018
• 2020 European Champion: Femke Heemskerk (NED), 53.05

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 53.24
2. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 53.62
3. Freya Anderson (GBR), 53.63
4. Chiara Tarantino (ITA), 54.13
5. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA), 54.18
6. Janja Segel (SLO),54.48
7. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA), 54.83
8. Maria Ugolkova (SUI), 54.92

Marrit Steenbergen pulled away from Charlotte Bonnet down the stretch to win gold in the women’s 100 freestyle, giving the Dutch two straight victories in the event.

Steenbergen produced a time of 53.24, knocking off her previous best of 53.41 from the World Championships.

Bonnet, who swam her fastest time in three years in the semis at 53.56, held off a hard-charging Freya Anderson to place second in 53.62.

Anderson swam her fastest time of the year for bronze in 53.63, coming home in 27.58, which was only outdone by Steenbergen (27.33).

Italian Chiara Tarantino battled her way to fourth in a PB of 54.13, having turned eighth at the 50 before closing strong in 27.63.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2019 World Championships
• European Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2019 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 57.10, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Adam Peaty (GBR) – 57.66

1. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 58.26
2. Federico Poggio (ITA),58.98
3. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU), 59.50
4. Valentin Bayer (AUT) / James Wilby (GBR), 59.54
5. –
6. Lucas Matzerath (GER), 59.64
7. Arno Kamminga (NED), 59.68
8. Bernhard Reitshammer (AUT), 1:00.12

Nicolo Martinenghi roared home with a blistering 30.78 back-half to claim the European title in the men’s 100 breaststroke, following up on his World Championship victory earlier this year.

Martinenghi held the slight lead at the 50 (27.48) before soaring away from the field down the second length, touching in a time of 58.26 to match his Italian Record and personal best set at Worlds. The 23-year-old was notably only fifth in the event last year.

His countrymate Federico Poggio broke the 59-second mark for the first time to claim silver, clocking 58.98 to become the 26th man in history to venture under 59.

Lithuanian Andrius Sidlauskas, who was sixth last year in a time of 59.31, was slower than that but nonetheless moves up three spots into the bronze medal position here in 59.50, coming out on top in a tightly-bunched race that saw finishers third through seventh separated by 18 one-hundredths.

Tying for fourth was Valentin Bayer, who breaks his Austrian Record for the third time in as many swims in 59.54, and James Wilby, who won the Commonwealth title less than two weeks ago in a slightly faster 59.25.

Germany’s Lucas Matzerath (59.64) and Olympic and World Championship silver medalist Arno Kamminga (59.68) ended up sixth and seventh, respectively.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) — 2017 World Championships
• European Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) — 2013 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 1:05.53, Yuliya Efimova (RUS) — 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Sophie Hansson (SWE), 1:05.69

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 1:06.16
2. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 1:06.41
3. Mona McSharry (IRL), 1:06.44
4. Kotryna Teterevkova (LTU), 1:06.67
5. Sophie Hansson (SWE), 1:06.83
6. Lisa Angiolini (ITA), 1:06.85
7. Tes Schouten (NED), 1:07.26
8. Kara Hanlon (GBR), 1:07.35

Reigning world champion Benedetta Pilato didn’t need to be nearly as fast as he was in this morning’s prelims to claim the top seed into the final of the women’s 100 breaststroke, topping the semis in 1:06.16.

Pilato had the fastest opening 50 in the field (30.66) and was a solid 35.5 coming home to win the second semi, topping Ireland’s Mona McSharry (1:06.44) and defending champion Sophie Hansson (1:06.83) of Sweden.

Pilato notably ripped a 1:05.77 swim in the heats, securing her spot in the semis as the top four spots went to Italians, and only two were able to advance into the next round.

Ruta Meilutyte, the European Record holder from back in 2013 who won bronze in this event at Worlds in June in a comeback effort that also saw her win the 50 breast title, led the opening semi in 1:06.41 over Lithuanian teammate Kotryna Teterevkova (1:06.67).

The second Italian, Lisa Angiolini, was well off her morning time of 1:06-flat in 1:06.85, but still qualifies for the final in sixth.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 46.91, Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 47.11, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 2021 Olympic Games
• European Championship Record: 47.20, David Popovici (ROU) – 2022
• 2020 European Champion: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 47.37

Finals Qualifiers:

1. David Popovici (ROU), 46.98 ER
2. Kristof Milak (HUN), 47.76
3. Alessandro Miressi (ITA), 47.96
4. Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA), 48.05
5. Maxime Grousset (FRA), 48.15
6. Andrej Barna (SRB), 48.21
7. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 48.22
8. Tom Dean (GBR), 48.44

In an absolutely incredible performance, David Popovici becomes just the fourth swimmer in history to dip under the 47-second barrier in the men’s 100 freestyle, clocking a blistering time of 46.98.

The 17-year-old Romanian led the second semi-final at the turn with an opening split of 22.93, and then roared home with the fastest back-half of all-time in 24.05.

He breaks the European Record of 47.11, held by Russian Kliment Kolesnikov, and takes down his own European Championship Record set in the prelims at 47.20. He also extinguishes his Romanian and World Junior mark of 47.13, set in the semi-finals of the World Championships this year.

(European Alain Bernard has been 46.94, but that swim wasn’t ratified due to the suit he was wearing at the time of the swim in 2009.)

In addition to becoming the fourth-fastest performer in history, Popovici’s swim was also the fourth-fastest ever, period, and is also just two one-hundredths shy of the fastest ever done in a textile suit.

All-Time Performances, Men’s 100 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Cesar Cielo (BRA), 46.91 – 2009
2. Alain Bernard (FRA), 46.94 – 2009
3. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 46.96 – 2019
4. David Popovici (ROU), 46.98 – 2022

Despite being overshadowed by Popovici’s swim, Kristof Milak hit a big personal best of 47.76 to win the first semi-final and break 48 seconds for the first time. His previous best was 48.00.

Italy’s Alessandro Miressi had clocked 47.60 in the prelims, and although he was a tad slower, did dip under 48 for the second time today in 47.96 to advance in third.

The other Italian in the field, Lorenzo Zazzeri, clocked 48.05 from Popovici’s heat to qualify fourth, while coming off the 50 fly final, World Championship silver medalist Maxime Grousset produced a steady 48.15 to get a lane in the final, advancing in fifth.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014 Swedish Championships
• European Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014 Swedish Championships
• European Championships Record: 24.87, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014
• 2020 European Champion: Ranomi Kromowidjoj0 (NED), 25.30

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 25.10
2. Marie Wattel (FRA), 25.63
3. Louise Hansson (SWE), 25.91
4. Maaike de Waard (NED), 25.97
5. Anna Dowgiert (POL), 26.03
6. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 26.11
7. Paulina Peda (POL), 26.16
8. Kim Busch (NED), 26.17

Swedish superstar Sarah Sjostrom appears to be well on her way to winning her fifth career European title in the women’s 50 butterfly.

The world record holder and reigning world champion blasted a time of 25.10 from the second semi, earning herself Lane 4 for tomorrow’s final by more than half a second. Sjostrom won four straight titles from 2012 to 2018 before sitting out last year. Set to turn 29 in five days, Sjostrom was notably just 15 one-hundredths slower than her winning time from Worlds in June (24.95).

Claiming the second seed was France’s Marie Wattel, who, like Sjostrom, opted not to race the 100 free here in Rome despite being a potential medal contender.

Wattel put up a time of 25.63 to touch first in the opening semi-final, leading the Netherlands’ Maaike de Waard (25.97) who moves through in fourth. Wattel has been as fast as 25.56 this year (Worlds semis) and owns a PB of 25.50 from 2019.

The other woman breaking 26 seconds was Sjostrom’s teammate Louise Hansson, who didn’t race this event at the World Championships this year.

Hansson was the runner-up to Sjostrom in the second semi in a time of 25.91, just seven one-hundredths off her lifetime best (25.84) set in 2019.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 1:53.23, Evgeny Rylov (RUS) – 2021 Russian Championships
• European Championships Record: 1:53.36, Evgeny Rylov (RUS) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:54.46

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Roman Mityukov (SUI), 1:56.22
2. Yohann Ndoye Brouard (FRA), 1:56.39
3. Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:57.07
4. Lorenzo Mora (ITA), 1:57.62
5. Hubert Kos (HUN), 1:57.68
6. Benedek Kovacs (HUN), 1:57.83
7. Matteo Restivo (ITA), 1:58.20
8. Mewen Tomac (FRA), 1:58.24

Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov got after it in the first semi of the men’s 200 backstroke, creating some outside smoke from Lane 1 as he opened up a big early lead with a scintillating opening 100 of 55.83.

The 22-year-old kept his stroke together coming home, clocking a time of 1:56.22 to down his Swiss National Record by 11 one-hundredths. That previous mark of 1:56.33 was set at last year’s Euros when he won bronze.

Taking the runner-up spot in the heat was Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank, the silver medalist in this event at both the European Championships last year and the World Championships this year.

Coming off of missing the podium at the Commonwealth Games, Greenbank put forth a solid swim of 1:57.07 to qualify for the final in second, while Hungarian Benedek Kovacs (1:57.83) was third in the heat and fifth overall. Kovacs set a lifetime best of 1:56.81 in the prelims.

Frenchman Yohann Ndoye Brouard appeared to slip off his start, potentially due to an issue with the backstroke ledge. In this case, he would likely be given the opportunity to re-swim the race.

The 200 back is now listed under the medley relay on the results page, indicating Ndoye Brouard will be getting a re-swim.

Update: Ndoye Brouard swam 1:56.39 to make the final. See the bottom of the article.

The top time from the second semi went to Italy’s Lorenzo Mora, who touched in 1:57.62 to edge out Hungarian Hubert Kos (1:57.68).

Mora owns a PB of 1:57.23 from last year, while Kos’ best is 1:57.64 from the Hungarian Championships this past April.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 8:04.79, Katie Ledecky (USA) – 2016 Olympic Games
• European Record: 8:14.10, Rebecca Adlington (GBR) – 2008 Olympic Games
• European Championships Record: 8:15.54, Jazmin Carlin (GBR) – 2014
• 2020 European Champion: Simona Quadarella (ITA), 8:20.23

1. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 8:20.54
2. Isabel Marie Gose (GER), 8:22.01
3. Merve Tuncel (TUR), 8:24.33
4. Deniz Ertan (TUR), 8:24.94
5. Martina Caramignoli (ITA), 8:31.30
6. Tamila Holub (POR), 8:36.36
7. Paula Otero Fernandez (ESP), 8:36.51
8. Leonie Beck (GER), 8:39.04

Simona Quadarella gives Italy its fourth gold medal through five finals here on the night second of action at the 2022 European Championships, as she wins the women’s 800 freestyle for the third straight time.

It was far from smooth sailing, however, as the 23-year-old Italian was in a tight battle with Germany’s Isabel Gose throughout the majority of the race.

Separated by less than three-tenths at the halfway mark, Quadarella either matched or out-split Gose on seven straight 50s over the second 400, opening up a big enough to hold off Gose’s late charge on the last length.

Quadarella clocked in at 8:20.54, nearly matching her winning time from last year (8:20.23) while sitting 1.5 seconds back of her bronze medal-winning showing from this year’s World Championships (8:19.00).

Gose, 20, clocked 8:22.01 to win silver, just shy of her personal best 8:21.79 set at last summer’s Olympic Games.

It was a battle between the Turkish teenagers for bronze, as 17-year-old Merve Tuncel (8:24.33) took down 16-year-old Deniz Ertan (8:24.94) to take third. The swim for Ertan was a sizeable personal best, having previously been 8:29.02 just last month at a meet in Turkey.

MIXED 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain (Dawson, Peaty, Guy, Hopkin) – 2021 Olympic Games
• European Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain (Dawson, Peaty, Guy, Hopkin) – 2021 Olympic Games
• European Championships Record: 3:38.82, Great Britain (Dawson, Peaty, Guy, Hopkin) – 2021
• 2020 European Champion: Great Britain (Dawson, Peaty, Guy, Hopkin), 3:38.82
• Full Results

1. Netherlands, 3:41.73
2. Italy, 3:43.61
3. Great Britain, 3:44.69
4. Poland, 3:45.20
5. Germany, 3:46.54
6. France, 3:46.77
7. Greece, 3:47.44
8. Israel, DQ

The Dutch swimmers all stepped up with big swims to earn them gold in the mixed 400 medley relay, marking the first time since the event has been contested at Euros that it was not won by Great Britain.

The Italians jumped out to the early lead with some strong opening splits from Thomas Ceccon (52.82) and Nicolo Martinenghi (58.13), but everything changed on the butterfly leg.

Kira Toussaint was the fastest woman on backstroke, clocking 59.49 for the Netherlands, and then Arno Kamminga clocked 59.19 on breast, as the Dutch trailed Italy by nearly eight seconds at the halfway mark.

On fly, however, Nyls Korstanje blasted a 50.72 split to put the Dutch in the lead by .04 at the last exchange over Italy, and then Marrit Steenbergen came through with a clutch 52.33 anchor as the Netherlands cruised to victory by nearly two seconds in 3:41.73.

Steenbergen’s split was over nine-tenths faster than her flat-start best time, set earlier in the session when she won the 100 free.

The Italians, with Elena di Liddo (58.49) and Silvia di Pietro (54.17) on the back end, claimed silver in 3:43.61.

The four-time defending champions from Great Britain moved up into bronze thanks to a solid 53.34 anchor from Anna Hopkin, as she was joined by Medi Harris (1:00.20), James Wilby (59.31) and Jacob Peters (51.84) for a final time of 3:44.69.

Poland placed fourth in 3:45.20, with notable male splits from Dawid Wiekiera (59.22) on breast and Jakub Majerski (51.13) on fly.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – SEMI-FINALS (RE-SWIM)

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 1:53.23, Evgeny Rylov (RUS) – 2021 Russian Championships
• European Championships Record: 1:53.36, Evgeny Rylov (RUS) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:54.46

1. Yohann Ndoye Brouard (FRA), 1:56.39

After getting a re-swim due to a faulty backstroke wedge in the semis, France’s Yohann Ndoye Brouard clocked 1:56.39 in the men’s 200 backstroke racing on his own to qualify for the final.

Ndoye Brouard’s time ranks second overall behind Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov (1:56.33), and bumps Greece’s Apostolos Siskos (1:58.66) out of the top eight.

Ndoye Brouard neared his lifetime best of 1:56.10, set last year, and he also went significantly faster than he did at the World Championships in June (1:57.38 to place 10th in the semis).

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Roman Mityukov (SUI), 1:56.22
2. Yohann Ndoye Brouard (FRA), 1:56.39
3. Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:57.07
4. Lorenzo Mora (ITA), 1:57.62
5. Hubert Kos (HUN), 1:57.68
6. Benedek Kovacs (HUN), 1:57.83
7. Matteo Restivo (ITA), 1:58.20
8. Mewen Tomac (FRA), 1:58.24