2022 European Championships: Day 6 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 6 Finals Heat Sheet

The penultimate night of finals from the Foro Italico pool in Rome should be another exciting one as some of the top performers of the European Championships thus far will be back in the water looking for more glory.

One of the main highlights of the session will be the final of the men’s 200 fly, which kicks things off.

Hungary’s Kristof Milak has had a very strong showing thus far, and he’ll now take on his best event where he has a chance to re-lower the world record he set at the World Championships less than two months ago.

We’ll also see a couple of living legends in the women’s events, as Sarah Sjostrom aims to reclaim the title in the 50 freestyle as the reigning world champion and Katinka Hosszu vies for her sixth career gold medal in the women’s 200 IM after her run of five straight victories came to an abrupt halt last year.

In the men’s 1500 freestyle, Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri will look to bring the home crowd to its feet yet again as he seeks the men’s distance double after winning the 800 free earlier in the competition.

Paltrinieri won the 1500 three straight times from 2012 to 2016, but hasn’t reached the top of the podium at the European Championships since, placing third in 2018 and then picking up silver last year.

Like Milak, Paltrinieri could also realistically take a run at the world record, having produced the second-fastest swim in history at the World Championships in 14:32.80, less than two seconds shy of Sun Yang‘s world record set in 2011 (14:31.02).

Of course, the win is from a sure thing for Paltrinieri, as the last two champions in the event, Florian Wellbrock and Mykhailo Romanchuk, are also in the field.

The trio have had some excellent battles with each other over the years, and we should be in store for another one tonight.

The home nation is also favored for gold in the men’s 50 breast with Nicolo Martinenghi and in the women’s 100 back with Margherita Panziera.

The night will conclude with the mixed 4×200 freestyle relay, an event that’s not raced at any other major competition and only made its Euros debut in 2018.

Germany won the inaugural title four years ago, and then Great Britain secured gold last year. The teams seemingly kept their cards close to their vests in the heats, with France (7:38.82) qualifying first ahead of Great Britain (7:40.84) and Italy (7:41.22).

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2022 World Championships
• European Record: 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2022 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 1:51.10, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2021
• 2020 European Champion: Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:51.10

1. Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:52.01
2. Richard Marton (HUN), 1:54.78
3. Alberto Razzetti (ITA), 1:55.01
4. Giacomo Carini (ITA), 1:55.17
5. Noe Ponti (SUI), 1:55.26
6. Denys Kesil (UKR) / Kregor Zirk (EST), 1:55.80
7. –
8. Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL), 1:56.43

The fastest man in history put his 200 butterfly prowess on display once again, as Kristof Milak opened up a big early lead in the final before widening his gap over the field on the back-half en route to winning his third straight European title in the event.

Milak got out quick in 52.59, splitting 24.31/28.28, and then held steady coming home for a final time of 1:52.01, winning by well over two and a half seconds.

The swim is the sixth-fastest of Milak’s career, and the seventh-fastest in history. Michael Phelps (1:51.51) is the only swimmer to ever record a time faster than Milak’s tonight.

Milak set the world record of 1:50.34 at the World Championships in June.

In a mad scramble for the minor medals, Richard Marton made it a 1-2 for Hungary after moving up from fifth at the final turn, running down Italians Alberto Razzetti and Giacomo Carini to win silver in a best time of 1:54.78.

Razzetti (1:55.01) and Carini (1:55.17) made it a 3-4 finish for Italy, with Carini establishing a new lifetime best.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record: 23.67, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017 World Championships
• European Record: 23.67, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 23.74, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 23.97

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 23.91
2. Kasia Wasick (POL), 24.20
3. Valerie van Roon (NED), 24.64
4. Tessa Giele (NED), 24.74
5. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA), 24.77
6. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA), 24.82
7. Anna Hopkin (GBR), 24.87
8. Julie Kepp Jensen (DEN), 25.18

Sarah Sjostrom blasted her way to the title in the women’s 50 freestyle, putting up a time of 23.91 to mark the fastest we’ve seen in the world this year.

Sjostrom won the world title in June in a time of 23.98, which stood as the fastest in 2022 until tonight.

Sjostrom, who turns 29 tomorrow, wins this event for the second time in her career, having also done so in 2018. This is also the Swede’s 17th swim under 24 seconds, the most of any swimmer in history.

This victory also marks her 16th gold and 27th career LC European Championship medal, the most in history (Katinka Hosszu has the most combining LC and SC).

Finishing as the runner-up was Poland’s Kasia Wasick, who finished in the same position behind Sjostrom at the World Championships.

Wasick clocked 24.20, two one-hundredths shy of her time from the Budapest final, while Dutchwoman Valerie Van Roon (24.64) edged out countrymate Tessa Giele (24.74) for the bronze medal. Van Roon was .01 off her lifetime best, while Giele reset hers by two tenths.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2017 World Championships
• European Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2017 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 26.09, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Adam Peaty (GBR) – 26.21

1. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 26.33
2. Simone Cerasuolo (ITA), 26.95
3. Lucas Matzerath (GER), 27.11
4. Valentin Bayer (AUT), 27.19
5. Olli Kokko (FIN), 27.26
6. Bernhard Reitshammer (AUT), 27.29
7. Volodymyr Lisovets (UKR), 27.59
8. Peter John Stevens (SLO), 27.74

Nicolo Martinenghi roared to a decisive victory in the men’s 50 breaststroke, dipping under his Italian Record in a time of 26.33 to move into a tie for second all-time.

Martinenghi, who won the 100 breast earlier, improves on his previous best of 26.39, set last March, and is now tied with Brazilian Felipe Lima for the second-fastest man in history behind Adam Peaty (25.95).

At the 2022 World Championships, Martinenghi was the runner-up to American Nic Fink (26.45) in a time of 26.48.

19-year-old Simone Cerasuolo made it an Italian 1-2 in 26.95, one tenth off his personal best set earlier this year.

German Lucas Matzerath got in for the bronze medal in 27.11, followed closely by Austrian Valentin Bayer (27.19) and Finland’s Olli Kokko (27.26). Kokko’s swim marked a new Finnish Record, breaking the previous mark of 27.39 set by Eetu Karvonen in 2009.

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — FINAL

• World Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2015 World Championships
• European Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2015 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 2:07.30, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016
• 2020 European Champion: Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 2:09.99

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 2:10.92
2. Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 2:11.14
3. Sara Franceschi (ITA), 2:11.38
4. Katie Shanahan (GBR), 2:12.29
5. Kristyna Horska (CZE), 2:12.49
6. Maria Ugolkova (SUI), 2:12.56
7. Dalma Sebestyen (HUN),2:13.45
8. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:14.37

The times were a second slower, but the final of the women’s 200 IM turned into a race very similar to the one we saw just over a year ago in Budapest, and the same woman, Anastasia Gorbenko, came out on top once again.

Gorbenko, who won the 2021 title in a best time of 2:09.99, opened up an early lead and sat nearly a full second clear of the field when she made the turn at the 150-meter wall.

Despite struggling over the closing meters, the 19-year-old Israeli swimmer held on to successfully defend her title in a time of 2:10.92, with the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen making up nearly two seconds on the freestyle leg to snag silver in 2:11.14.

Steenbergen, 22, came home in 30.31, which was the only sub-31 free split in the field.

Italian Sara Franceschi claimed bronze in 2:11.38, improving on her fourth-place finish last year (though she was over half a second slower), and the top seed out of the semis, Great Britain’s Katie Shanahan, was a tad slower than last night to place fourth in 2:12.29.

Hungarian legend Katinka Hosszu sees her run of seven straight medals in the event come to an end, as the six-time champion was at the back of the pack from the get-go and ends up placing eighth in 2:14.37.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 20.91, Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 2009
• European Record: 20.94, Fred Bousquet (FRA) – 2009
• European Championship Record: 21.11, Ben Proud (GBR) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Ari-Pekka Liukkonen (FIN), 21.61

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Ben Proud (GBR), 21.40
2. Thom De Boer (NED) / Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA), 21.72
3. –
4. Leonardo Deplano (ITA), 21.73
5. Maxime Grousset (FRA), 21.75
6. Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE), 21.76
7. Vladyslav Bukhov (UKR), 21.91
8. Pawel Juraszek (POL), 21.92

Reigning world champion Ben Proud cruised to the top time of the session in the men’s 50 freestyle, leading the semi-final field by over three-tenths in a time of 21.40.

Proud won gold at the World Championships in June in a time of 21.32, which ranks him as the second-fastest swimmer in the world this year behind American Caeleb Dressel.

Proud, who has also won the Commonwealth Games title in the event this year, will aim to get back on top of the podium tomorrow and complete the rare World/Commonwealth/Euro trifecta.

The 27-year-old Brit has won this event once before at the European Championships, doing so in 2018, and then he was the runner-up last year behind Finland’s Ari-Pekka Liukkonen.

Tying for the second seed into tomorrow’s final was Italian Lorenzo Zazzeri and Dutchman Thom De Boer, who produced matching 21.72s to lead a tightly-bunched group that also included Leonardo Deplano (21.73), Maxime Grousset (21.75) and Kristian Gkolomeev (21.76).

Zazzeri narrowly misses his PB of 21.70, while Deplano goes under his previous best of 21.85.

The fastest swimmer this year among that group is Grousset, who won bronze at the World Championships in a time of 21.57.

Hungarian Szebasztian Szabo, who was fourth in Budapest in a time of 21.60, failed to advance to the final in 14th (22.13).

WOMEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 2021 European Championships
• European Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 2021 European Championships
• European Championship Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 2021
• 2021 European Champion: Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 29.30

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 29.44
2. Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 29.85
3. Imogen Clark (GBR), 30.10
4. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 30.27
5. Veera Kivirinta (FIN), 30.77
6. Florine Gaspard (BEL), 30.86
7. Mona McSharry (IRL), 30.90
8. Sophie Hansson (SWE), 31.05

The unbelievable comeback story of Ruta Meilutyte continues, as the 25-year-old sets a new lifetime best and Lithuanian Record in the women’s 50 breaststroke for the first time in nine years.

Meilutyte paced the 50 breast semis in a time of 29.44, dipping under her previous PB of 29.48 set all the way back at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona.

Meilutyte recently came out of retirement and won this event at the World Championships, where she put up a time of 29.70.

In tomorrow’s final, she’ll go head-to-head with defending champion and world record holder Benedetta Pilato, who clocked 29.85 to qualify second overall.

Meilutyte has won the European title in this event once in her career, doing so in 2014. Her swim tonight also overtakes Pilato’s 29.58 from April’s Italian Spring Championships for the fastest time in the world this year.

Qualifying third was Great Britain’s Imogen Clark, whose time of 30.10 nears her lifetime best and British Record of 30.02 set at the Commonwealth Games just two weeks ago.

Clark is coming off of a seven-day isolation period due to COVID-19.

MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 14:31.02, Sun Yang (CHN) – 2012 Olympic Games
• European Record: 14:32.80, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 2022 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 14:34.04, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 2016
• 2020 European Champion: Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR), 14:39.89

1. Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR), 14:36.10
2. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 14:39.79
3. Damien Joly (FRA), 14:50.86
4. Domenico Acerenza (ITA), 14:56.15
5. Florian Wellbrock (GER), 15:02.51
6. Carlos Garach Benito (ESP), 15:05.11
7. Henrik Christiansen (NOR), 15:07.98
8. Oliver Klemet (GER), 15:10.57

Mykhailo Romanchuk silenced the crowd in the men’s 1500 freestyle, taking out hometown favorite Gregorio Paltrinieri with an exceptional performance that sees him repeat as the European champion in the event.

The crowd was not silenced for long, however, as Romanchuk wins Ukraine’s first gold in the pool this week, something everyone can get behind amid the current global landscape.

Romanchuk went with Paltrinieri early, sticking with him through about the 650-meter mark before he started to pull away, eventually opening up a three-second gap that Paltrinieri was not able to bridge.

The 26-year-old Romanchuk finished in a time of 14:36.10 to win gold and lower his Ukrainian Record of 14:36.88 set at the 2018 championships in Glasgow.

He moves up two spots in the all-time rankings, jumping past Florian Wellbrock (14:36.15) and Bobby Finke (14:36.70) into fourth all-time in the event.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 1500 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Sun Yang (CHN), 14:31.02 – 2012 Olympic Games
2. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 14:32.80 – 2022 World Championships
3. Grant Hackett (AUS), 14:34.56 – 2001 World Championships
4. Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR), 14:36.10 – 2022 European Championships
5. Florian Wellbrock (GER), 14:36.15 – 2018 European Championships
6. Bobby Finke (USA), 14:36.70 – 2022 World Championships
7. Oussama Mellouli (TUN), 14:37.28 – 2009 World Championships
8. Connor Jaeger (USA), 14:39.48 – 2016 Olympic Games
9. Mack Horton (AUS), 14:39.54 – 2016 Australian Olympic Trials
10. Ryan Cochrane (CAN), 14:39.63 – 2012 Olympic Games

Romanchuk’s swim tonight also stands up as the 10th-fastest performance in history.

Paltrinieri couldn’t respond to Romanchuk and held on to second place throughout the back-half of the race, finishing in 14:39.79 to mark his second consecutive silver and sixth straight medal in the event. It was also his 10th time breaking 14:40 in the event, something that has only been done a total of 32 times in history.

Frenchman Damien Joly secured the bronze medal in a time of 14:50.86, just shy of his lifetime best of 14:48.90 set at the 2016 Olympic Games. Joly flip-flops positions with Italian Domenico Acerenza compared to last year, as Acerenza takes fourth here in 14:56.15 after winning bronze last May in Budapest.

2018 champion Wellbrock, who is coming off a recent bout with COVID-19, was well off form and placed fifth in 15:02.51. He set his best time of 14:36.15 en route to winning this title four years ago.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 2:01.81, Liu Zige (CHN) – 2009
• European Record: 2:04.27, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2009
• European Championships Record: 2:04.79, Mireia Belmonte (ESP) – 2014
• 2020 European Champion: Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 2:06.50

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Helena Bach (DEN), 2:08.48
2. Keanna MacInnes (GBR), 2:08.90
3. Laura Stephens (GBR), 2:09.25
4. Ilaria Cusinato (ITA), 2:09.30
5. Lana Pudar (BIH), 2:10.11
6. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 2:10.77
7. Antonella Crispino (ITA), 2:10.82
8. Ana Catarina Monteiro (POR), 2:10.85

Denmark’s Helena Bach got the job done in the second semi of the women’s 200 fly, out-splitting everyone in her heat on the second, third and fourth 50s to post the top time of the session in 2:08.48.

Bach, 22, set a personal best of 2:07.82 at the World Championships, where she ultimately placed eighth in the final. She’ll aim to get on the podium tomorrow after placing fourth last year.

The British women put on a dominant display in the opening semi-final, as 20-year-old Keanna MacInnes came back on Laura Stephens to touch first in a time of 2:08.90, nearing her lifetime best of 2:08.86 last year.

MacInnes appears to have found her form after falling to seventh at the Commonwealth Games earlier this month in a time of 2:10.79.

Stephens, who has been as fast as 2:07.04 and was the silver medalist at the Comm Games in 2:07.90, took second in the heat in 2:09.25.

The two Brits advance into the final ranked second and third, while Italian Ilaria Cusinato joined them sub-2:10 in 2:09.30. At last year’s Euros, Cusinato was fifth in 2:08.91.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Lana Pudar, the top European finisher at the 2022 World Championships (sixth), clocked 2:10.11 and moves through safely in fifth place.

MEN’S 200 IM – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 1:54.00, Ryan Lochte (USA) – 2011 World Championships
• European Record: 1:55.18, László Cseh (HUN) – 2009 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 1:56.66, László Cseh (HUN) – 2012
• 2020 European Champion: Hugo González (ESP), 1:56.76

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Gabriel Jose Lopes (POR), 1:58.77
2. Hubert Kos (HUN), 1:59.38
3. Ron Polonsky (ISR) / Alberto Razzetti (ITA), 1:59.52
4. –
5. Jeremy Desplanches (SUI), 1:59.53
6. Carles Coll Marti (ESP), 1:59.66
7. Andreas Vazaios (GRE), 1:59.77
8. Vadym Naumenko (UKR), 2:00.48

The first semi-final of the men’s 200 IM produced an incredible battle down the closing meters, as there was virtually nothing in it between the top five swimmers.

Hungarian Hubert Kos got his hand on the wall first, clocking 1:59.38, and then there was just 14 one-hundredths separating the next four swimmers, including .01 between the next three.

Israel’s Ron Polonsky and Italy’s Alberto Razzetti tied for second in 1:59.52, and 2018 champion Jeremy Desplanches of Switzerland followed in 1:59.53.

Coming out on the wrong end of the touch was Spaniard Carles Coll Marti, who set a new PB and broke 2:00 for the first time in 1:59.66.

Although it looked like Coll Marti’s spot in the final was at risk, only one swimmer in the second heat ended up faster than the top five in Semi #1.

That was Portugal’s Gabriel Jose Lopes, who used a strong 29.44/33.79 middle 100 to pull away from the second semi and touch first in 1:58.77, qualifying first overall into the final.

Lopes’ best time sits at 1:58.56, set at the Tokyo Olympics, and he could take a run at the Portuguese Record of 1:58.19 in tomorrow’s final.

Greece’s Andreas Vazaios, the 2016 champion, made the final in seventh in 1:59.77.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 57.45, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2021
• European Record: 58.08, Kathleen Dawson (GBR) – 2021
• European Championships Record: 58.44, Kathleen Dawson (GBR) – 2021
• 2020 European Champion: Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 58.49

1. Margherita Panziera (ITA), 59.40
2. Medi Harris (GBR), 59.46
3. Kira Toussaint (NED), 59.53
4. Pauline Mahieu (FRA), 1:00.00
5. Silvia Scalia (ITA), 1:00.12
6. Emma Terebo (FRA), 1:00.40
7. Simona Kubova (CZE),
8. Maaike de Waard (NED), 1:00.54

In an absolutely stunning finish, Italy’s Margherita Panziera completes the backstroke double as she claims gold in the women’s 100 back in a time of 59.40, winning a razor-thin battle with Great Britain’s Medi Harris and the Netherlands’ Kira Toussaint.

Five of the eight finalists were under 29 seconds at the turn, and Panziera wasn’t one of them, as her Italian teammate Silvia Scalia led the field in 28.52, with France’s Emma Terebo close behind in 28.66.

But Toussaint, Harris and Panziera clearly pulled away from the rest of the pack over the final 25 meters, and it came to the final touch, as the 27-year-old Italian got her hand on the wall first to win the European title for the first time in this event.

Panziera was the silver medalist last year and placed fifth in 2018. She won the 200 back earlier this week for her third consecutive title in that race.

Harris was just over two-tenths shy of her lifetime best to claim silver in 59.46, and Toussaint clocked 59.53 to win bronze.

France’s Pauline Mahieu, who cracked 1:00 for the first time with a 59.75 swim in the semis, was 1:00-flat for fourth, while Scalia (1:00.12) and Terebo (1:00.40) dropped down to fifth and sixth, respectively.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 2022 World Championships
• European Record: 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 2022 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 52.11, Camille Lacourt – 2010
• 2020 European Champion: Robert Glinta (ROU) – 52.88

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Yohann Ndoye Brouard (FRA), 52.97
2. Apostolos Christou (GRE), 53.20
3. Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 53.48
4. Ksawery Masiuk (POL), 53.71
5. Roman Mityukov (SUI), 53.75
6. Mewen Tomac (FRA), 53.89
7. Joao Nogueira Costa (POR), 53.90
8. Ole Braunschweig (GER), 54.05

No re-swim required this time, as France’s Yohann Ndoye Brouard blew away the field in the second semi of the men’s 100 backstroke to qualify first into the final, as the 21-year-old was the only swimmer in the field sub-53 in 52.97.

Ndoye Brouard won the 200 back earlier in the competition, a victory that came after he had to redo the semi-final stage on his own due to a wedge malfunction.

The Frenchman owns a best time of 52.50, and his showing from tonight of 52.97 matches his bronze medal-winning effort from last year’s championships in Budapest.

Greece’s Apostolos Christou, who tied with Ndoye Brouard for bronze one year ago and won the 50 back here in Rome earlier, topped the first semi in a time of 53.20 to advance in second.

Newly-minted world record holder and reigning world champion Thomas Ceccon advanced third overall in 53.48. The Italian may not be on 51.6 world record form, but he should be in the hunt for gold tomorrow after leading off the mixed medley relay in 52.82 earlier in the meet.

Another swimmer who has been on a tear this year is Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk, who moves through to the final in fourth in a time of 53.71.

Masiuk, 17, set a best time of 52.58 at the World Championships and is coming off a sweep of the backstroke events at the European Junior Championships last month.

MIXED 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• World Record: N/A
• European Record: N/A
• European Championships Record: 7:26.67, Great Britain (Dean, Guy, Wood, Anderson) – 2020
• 2020 European Champion: Great Britain (Dean, Guy, Wood, Anderson) – 7:26.67

1. Great Britain, 7:28.16
2. France, 7:29.25
3. Italy, 7:31.85
4. Hungary, 7:34.55
5. Netherlands, 7:34.68
6. Israel, 7:38.45
7. Poland, 7:41.29
8. Denmark, 7:47.80

• Full Results

Great Britain wins a repeat European title in the mixed 4×200 freestyle relay, as Freya Anderson out-dueled France’s Lucile Tessariol to solidify the victory in a time of 7:28.16.

The Brits opened up a lead after the opening 400 meters, as Tom Dean (1:46.15) and Matt Richards (1:46.91) put them up ahead of the French and Italian teams by just over one second.

Charlotte Bonnet split 1:56.39 on the third leg for France, pulling up on Great Britain’s Freya Colbert (1:57.29), and the two teams hit the 600-meter wall separated by just two-tenths of a second.

With Anderson and Tessariol virtually even at the last turn, Anderson turned on the jets and closed in 29.75 to earn the Brits the gold medal, splitting 1:57.81 on the end.

Dean and Anderson were both on Great Britain’s winning lineup in this event last year, and Anderson has actually been the British team anchor on all three editions of this relay. The first time the mixed 4×200 free relay was raced in 2018, Anderson swam the fourth leg for the Brits as they won bronze, with Germany claiming the inaugural title.

France won silver, with Hadrien Salvan (1:47.63), Wissam-Amazigh Yebba (1:46.53), Bonnet (1:56.39) and Tessariol (1:58.70) finishing in a time of 7:29.25.

The Italians placed third in 7:31.85, while Hungary (7:34.55) edged out the Netherlands (7:34.68) for fourth.

Find all of the race’s splits here.