2022 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, July 5th – Sunday, July 10th
- Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
- LCM (50m)
- Start Times
- Prelims: 10 a.m. local / 3 a.m. ET
- Finals: 5 p.m. local / 10 a.m. ET
- Meet Central
- Entries
- Live Results
- Live Stream
The fourth night of finals from the 2022 European Junior Championships in Bucharest will have a whopping eight events with medals on the line, headlined by Romanian David Popovici looking to repeat in the boys’ 50 freestyle.
BOYS’ 100 BUTTERFLY – FINAL
- World Record: 49.45 — Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)
- European Record: 49.68 — Kristof Milak, HUN (2021)
- World Junior Record: 50.62 — Kristof Milak, HUN (2017)
- European Junior Record: 50.62 — Kristof Milak, HUN (2017)
- European Junior Championship Record: 51.35 — Egor Kuimov, RUS (2017)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Josef Mialdinov — 52.00
- Daniel Gracik (CZE), 52.69
- Casper Puggaard (DEN), 53.05
- Ethan Dumesnil (FRA), 53.35
- Yohan Airaud (FRA), 53.47
- Michal Chmielewski (POL), 53.55
- Tobias Kern (CZE), 54.03
- Daniel Krichevsky (ISR), 54.04
- Ramil Valizada (AZE), 54.07
The first gold medal of the night goes to Czech Republic’s Daniel Gracik, as the 17-year-old busted through the 53-second barrier for the first time in 52.69 to touch first.
Virtually even with Denmark’s Casper Puggaard at the 50-meter turn, Gracik pulled away on the back-half to make the first Czech medal of the swimming competition here in Bucharest a gold one.
Puggaard was also well under his previous best time to claim the silver in 53.05, having come in with a PB of 53.72.
In what was a tight race for bronze, France’s Ethan Dumesnil, just 16, held off countryman Yohan Airaud (53.47) and Poland’s Michal Chmielewski (53.55) to touch third in 53.35.
GIRLS’ 100 FREESTYLE – SEMI-FINALS
- World Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
- European Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
- World Junior Record: 52.70 – Penny Oleksiak, CAN (2016)
- European Junior Record: 53.61 – Freya Anderson, GBR (2018)
- European Junior Championship Record: 53.97, Marrit Steenbergen, NED (2015)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Daria Klepikova (RUS) – 54.75
Finals Qualifiers:
- Mary-Ambre Moluh (FRA), 55.19
- Nikoletta Padar (HUN), 55.32
- Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL), 55.48
- Dora Molnar (HUN), 55.57
- Daria Golovati (ISR), 55.76
- Giulia Rossi-Bene (FRA), 56.01
- Matilde Biagiotti (ITA), 56.07
- Marina Cacciapuoti (ITA), 56.15
France’s Mary-Ambre Moluh solidified the top seed heading into tomorrow night’s final of the girls’ 100 freestyle, holding off Hungarian Dora Molnar to win the first semi in a time of 55.19.
Moluh, who already has won individual title under her belt this week and an additional relay medal, owns a best time of 55.00, set in May.
Molnar, who finished 16th in this event last year, clocked 55.57 which ultimately held up to be the fourth-fastest overall. Her PB sits at 55.47 from April’s Hungarian Championships.
Her 16-year-old Hungarian teammate Nikoletta Padar topped the second semi to qualify in the #2 slot for the final in 55.32, holding off a hard-charging Roos Vanotterdijk (55.47) of Belgium.
Padar owns a best time of 54.85, while this swim marked a new PB for Vanotterdijk, who had broken 56 for the first in the prelims (55.82).
Like Moluh, both have already won individual titles at this meet – Padar topped the 200 free, and Vanotterdijk won the 100 fly. Both Molnar and Padar were also on Hungary’s victorious 800 free relay.
BOYS’ 200 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL
- World Record: 2:05.95 — Zac Stubblety-Cook, AUS (2022)
- European Record: 2:06.12 — Anton Chupkov, RUS (2019)
- World Junior Record: 2:09.39 — Qin Haiyang, CHN 2017)
- European Junior Record: 2:09.64 — Target Time
- European Junior Championship Record: 2:10.69 — Anton Chupkov, RUS (2015)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Aleksas Savickas (LIT) — 2:13.35
- Lucien Vergnes (FRA), 2:13.02
- Luka Mladenovic (AUT), 2:13.21
- George Smith (GBR), 2:13.79
- David Kyzymenko (UKR), 2:14.46
- Luca Janssen (NED), 2:15.18
- Harvey Freeman (GBR), 2:15.47
- Steijn Louter (NED), 2:15.90
- Ralf Roose (EST), 2:16.94
Frenchman Lucien Vergnes erased a massive deficit at the final turn to claim victory in the boys’ 200 breaststroke, running down Austria’s Luka Mladenovic and out-touching him by 19 one-hundredths of a second.
Mladenovic held the early lead at the 100 in 1:03.52, and then extended his advantage with a blistering 33.45 third 50, up 1.31 seconds on the next-closest competitor and 1.68 on Vergnes.
However, Vergnes came storming home, out-splitting Maldenovic 34.37 to 36.24 on the last lap to win gold in a new best time of 2:13.02.
The 17-year-old broke 2:15 for the first time in the semis, clocking 2:13.36, and resets that here to mark a drop of over two and a half seconds for the meet.
Mladenovic, fourth in this event last year, knocks a tenth off his previous best time in 2:13.21 for silver, while Great Britain’s George Smith had a big comeback of his own to get on the podium, running down Ukrainian David Kyzymenko to take third in 2:13.79.
GIRLS’ 200 BUTTERFLY – SEMI-FINALS
- World Record: 2:01.81 – Liu Zige, CHN (2009)
- European Record: 2:04.27 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2009)
- World Junior Record: 2:05.20 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
- European Junior Record: 2:06.71 — Target Time
- European Junior Championship Record: 2:08.41 — Anastasiia Markova, RUS (2021)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Anastasiia Markova, RUS – 2:08.41
Finals Qualifiers:
- Lana Pudar (BIH), 2:11.15
- Anna Porcari (ITA), 2:12.49
- Tabatha Avetand (FRA) / Ashleigh Baillie (GBR), 2:13.10
- –
- Andra Gorecki (ROU), 2:14.49
- Lucy Fox (GBR), 2:14.65
- Mehlika Yalcin (TUR), 2:14.77
- Natalia Piekarska (POL), 2:15.10
16-year-old rising star Lana Pudar was on cruise control in tonight’s semis of the girls’ 200 fly, establishing the top time of the session in 2:11.15 to claim Lane 4 for tomorrow’s final.
Pudar, who won silver in this event last year and was also the runner-up earlier in the meet in the 100 fly, is coming off a standout showing at the World Championships where she finished sixth and set a new Bosnian and Herzegovinian National Record of 2:07.58.
Italian Anna Porcari qualifies second overall after trailing Pudar in the second semi, lowering her best time down from 2:12.88 to 2:12.49.
France’s Tabatha Avetand and Great Britain’s Ashleigh Baillie finished in a dead-heat in the first semi, producing matching 2:13.10s to move through to the final in a tie for third.
Avetand has been as fast as 2:10.83, done earlier this year, so watch for her in the final.
BOYS’ 50 FREESTYLE – FINAL
- World Record: 20.91 — Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009)
- European Record: 20.94 — Fred Bosquet, FRA (2009)
- World Junior Record: 21.75 — Michael Andrew, USA (2017)
- European Junior Record: 21.83 — Artem Selin, GER (2019)
- European Junior Championship Record: 21.83 — Artem Selin, GER (2019)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: David Popovici, ROU — 22.22
- David Popovici (ROU), 22.16
- Jere Hribar (CRO), 22.55
- Martin Kartavi (ISR), 22.57
- Nans Mazellier (FRA), 22.59
- Alexander Painter (GBR), 22.75
- Szymon Misiak (POL), 22.77
- Bjoern Grytnes Laskerud (NOR), 22.79
- Matteo Robba (FRA), 23.01
David Popovici re-lowered his personal best time for the second straight time in the 50 freestyle, successfully defending his European Junior title from last year in a time of 22.16.
Popovici, 17, won the 50 free at the 2021 championships last year in a time of 22.22, which held up as his career-best until Thursday’s session, where he clocked 22.17 in the semis.
With the victory, the Romanian is one step closer to completing the triple-double. With a win in the 100 free on Sunday, he will have swept the boys’ 50, 100 and 200 free at two straight European Junior Championships.
Popovici now sits 18 one-hundredths shy of the Romanian Record, which stands at 21.98, set by Norbert Trandafir in 2013.
Croatian Jere Hribar snagged the silver in 22.55, taking out his best time of 22.70 set in the semis. Hribar, 18, made the final in this race last year and finished eighth (23.03).
Martin Kartavi picked up the first Israeli medal of the competition in earning bronze, repeating his finish from last year. Kartavi chopped six one-hundredths off his previous best in 22.57, inching out France’s Nans Mazellier to get on the podium.
GIRLS’ 200 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL
- World Record: 2:18.95 — Tatjana Shoenmaker, RSA (2021)
- European Record: 2:19.11 — Rikke Moeller Pedersen, DEN (2013)
- World Junior Record: 2:19.64 — Vikotria Gunes, TUR (2015)
- European Junior Record: 2:19.64 — Vikotria Gunes, TUR (2015)
- European Junior Championship Record: 2:21.07 — Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (2019)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Justine Delmas, FRA — 2:25.54
- Eneli Jefimova (EST), 2:26.85
- Justine Delmas (FRA), 2:26.86
- Defne Coskun (TUR), 2:27.51
- Emma Carrasco Cadens (ESP), 2:27.69
- Sienna Robinson (GBR), 2:27.85
- Kamila Isayeva (UKR), 2:29.40
- Martina Bukvic (SRB), 2:30.56
- Charlotte Bianchi (GBR), 2:33.07
After the come-from-behind finish we saw in the boys’ 200 breaststroke, the final of the girls’ event was even better, as Estonian Eneli Jefimova made up more than a second and a half on France’s Justine Delmas to win gold by a mere hundredth.
Jefimova, who was a distant second to Delmas in this event last year, was only two-tenths back of the Frenchwoman at the halfway mark, but Delmas out-split her 37.81 to 39.18 on the third, putting her ahead by over 1.6 seconds.
Delmas was still only in second, however, as Great Britain’s Sienna Robinson had taken the early initiative and got out to an early lead, but was beginning to fade.
Turning fourth at the 150, the 15-year-old Jefimova roared home in 37.30 to run down the leaders and ultimately clip Delmas at the wall for the title in 2:26.85.
That time breaks her Estonian Record of 2:26.88 set at the 2021 Swim Open Stockholm meet. At the World Championships a few weeks ago, Jefimova missed the semis, placing 19th in 2:28.51.
Delmas, who swam the only two 2:25s of her career at last year’s championships in Rome, put up the fourth-fastest time of her career for silver in 2:26.86, while Turkey’s Defne Coskun (2:27.51) and Spain’s Emma Carrasco Cadens (2:27.69) overtook early leader Robinson (2:27.85) to take third and fourth.
BOYS’ 200 BACKSTROKE — FINAL
- World Record: 1:51.92 — Aaron Peirsol, USA (2009)
- European Record: 1:53.23 — Evgeny Rylov, RUS (2021)
- World Junior Record: 1:55.14 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
- European Junior Record: 2:09.64 — 1:55.14 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
- European Junior Championship Record: 1:55.83 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Ksawery Masiuk (POL) — 1:58.41
- Ksawery Masiuk (POL), 1:56.62
- Oleksandr Zheltyakov (UKR), 1:57.65
- Filip Kosinki (POL), 1:58.93
- Apostolos Siskos (GRE), 1:58.96
- Alex Kovats (HUN), 2:00.30
- Alexandre Desangles (FRA), 2:00.71
- Simon Clusman (FRA), 2:01.37
- Levente Balogh (HUN), 2:01.44
Ksawery Masiuk exploded off the final turn as he roared to gold in the boys’ 200 backstroke in a massive best time of 1:56.62, running down Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zheltyakov with a blistering final 50.
Masiuk, the 2021 champion in what remained his best time up until this final in 1:58.41, was over eight-tenths back of Zheltyakov at the 150, but was the only swimmer sub-30 coming home in 28.73 to drop almost two seconds from his PB.
The 17-year-old didn’t race this event at last month’s World Championships, but that time would’ve placed him sixth overall.
Masiuk also won the 50 back earlier in the meet, and has a chance to complete the backstroke sweep later in the 100 back. In 2021, he won the 100 and 200 and took second in the 50.
Zheltyakov, who set a new National Record in April at the Hungarian Championships in 1:57.18 (after Ukrainian athletes were welcomed there amidst the ongoing difficulty in their country), had an impressive showing to claim silver in 1:57.65.
Filip Kosinski made it two Polish swimmers on the podium as he held off Greece’s Apostolos Siskos by three one-hundredths, 1:58.39 to 1:58.96, for the bronze medal.
Kosinksi and Siskos were fourth and fifth, respectively, last year in Rome.
GIRLS’ 200 BACKSTROKE — FINAL
- World Record: 2:03.35 — Regan Smith, USA (2019)
- European Record: 2:04.94 — Anastasia Fesikova, RUS (2009)
- World Junior Record: 2:03.35 — Regan Smith, USA (2019)
- European Junior Record: 2:06.62 — Target Time
- European Junior Championship Record: 2:08.97 — Polina Egorkova, RUS (2017)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Laura Bernat (POL) — 2:10.14
- Dora Molnar (HUN), 2:10.31
- Laura Bernat (POL), 2:11.07
- Evie Dilley (GBR), 2:11.19
- Holly McGill (GBR), 2:13.77
- Estella Tonraht Nollgen (ESP), 2:13.94
- Aissia-C. Prisecariu (ROU), 2:14.87
- Sudem Denizli (TUR), 2:15.26
- Valentina Giannini (ITA), 2:15.40
In what was yet another come-from-behind victory, Hungarian Dora Molnar, racing in her second event of the session, erased Laura Bernat‘s half-second lead with 50 to go and won the girls’ 200 back title in 2:10.31.
The 16-year-old Molnar closed in 32.87 to out-split Bernat by more than a second on the last length and win by a comfortable margin of over seven-tenths, upending the defending champion.
Molnar owns a best time of 2:09.34, set earlier this year, and wins her third gold medal of the meet after contributing on the victorious Hungarian relays in the girls’ 4×200 free and the mixed 4×100 free.
Both Molnar and Bernat were in action in this event at the 2022 World Championships, with Molnar making the final and placing seventh and Bernat earning a semi-final berth and finising 11th.
Bernat, a Polish native, won the title last year in 2:10.14, but was unable to match that tonight as her splits ascended throughout the race. She ultimately clocked 2:11.07 for silver, holding off Great Britain’s Evie Dilley (2:11.19) who won bronze.
Bernat set a PB of 2:09.81 in March 2021.
BOYS’ 400 IM – FINAL
- World Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
- European Record: 4:04.28 – Leon Marchand, FRA (2022)
- World Junior Record: 4:10.02 – Ilya Borodin, RUS (2021)
- European Junior Record: 4:10.02 – Ilya Borodin, RUS (2021)
- European Junior Championship Record: 4:14.65 – Semen Makovich, RUS (2013)
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Cedric Bussing, GER – 4:14.65
- Michal Piela (POL), 4:20.50
- Zsombor Bujdoso (HUN), 4:21.64
- Vasileios Sofikitis (GRE), 4:22.22
- Michal Judickij (CZE), 4:22.51
- Bence Dikacz (SVK), 4:22.54
- Andrea Camozzi (ITA), 4:25.24
- Kaden Edwards (GBR), 4:25.30
- Evan Jones (GBR), 4:25.76
The boys’ 400 IM final incredibly saw the top-three swimmers at the halfway mark all finish outside of the top four, as things were relatively tight throughout the race before the freestyle prowess of Michal Piela secured him the win.
Piela, a Polish native who was swimming out of Lane 1, was fourth after the backstroke, moved up to third after breast, and then was the only swimmer that managed to keep both his freestyle splits sub-30 as he touched first for gold in 4:20.50.
The time knocks just over two-tenths off his previous best of 4:20.72 set this past May, and gives Poland its fourth medal in the last three individual events of this session.
Piela, 17, picked up a bronze medal earlier in the meet in the 200 IM.
Hungarian Zsombor Bujdoso, who was sixth in this event last year in a best of 4:22.20, got under that in 4:21.64 to claim silver, having moved up from sixth to second on breast and stayed there, as he was passed by Piela but overtook Czech swimmer Michal Judickij (4:22.51).
Judickij, the top seed out of the heats, led after the breaststroke but had a poor opening 50 of free (31.96), getting passed by Greece’s Vasileios Sofikitis (4:22.22) before the two held their positions coming home to place third and fourth.
Slovakian Bence Dikacz (4:22.54) came back in 29.34 to make things close between the three of them, as 32 one-hundredths of a second separated third through fifth place.
MIXED 400 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL
- World Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain – 2021
- European Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain – 2021
- World Junior Record: 3:44.84, United States – 2019
- European Junior Record: 3:47.99, Russia – 2018
- 2021 European Junior Champion: Russia, 3:47.99
- France, 3:50.55
- Great Britain, 3:51.98
- Ukraine, 3:52.73
- Hungary, 3:54.47
- Israel, 3:56.76
- Estonia, 3:56.78
- Denmark, 4:00.85
- DQ: Italy / Poland
France wins its first relay medal of the competition in the mixed 4×100 medley, as the quartet of Mary-Ambre Moluh, Lucien Vergnes, Yohan Airaud and Giulia Rossi-Bene touched first in a combined time of 3:50.55.
Opting not to bookend the race with their female legs, Moluh led off in 1:01.38 on backstroke, well off her PB (59.67) but still the fastest among the other girls who went first, and then Vergnes produced a solid 1:01.31 on breast.
Airaud then dropped a blistering 52.83 on fly, launching the team into the lead, and then Rossi-Bene had the second-fastest freestyle split in the field in 54.97 to secure the win.
Great Britain, which sat near the front of the race the whole way thanks to a 54.69 lead-off from Jonathon Marshall, got in for silver in 3:51.98, while Ukraine had a scorching-fast breast split from Volodymyr Lisovets (1:00.04) to win bronze in 3:52.73.
Nine teams were allowed to compete in the final, but two ended up getting disqualified. Both Italy and Poland were DQed from the race, though Poland’s Masiuk notably split 53.62 on backstroke before their fly swimmer jumped early.
Thank you for including all 8 finalists’ times and not just the medalists.
For the sake of his chance at breaking the 100 free world record, I was hoping for a sub-22 50 from Popovici. It’s going to be difficult for him to get a 22.6-ish first half in the 100 if his 50 PB is only half a second faster. We might have to wait at least another year to see him really challenge Cielo’s record.
(Popovici need some form of 22.6x/24.2x to go under the 46.91 mark.)
Competing into the sunday 100m final, he would already have 4-5 finals in which he participated: 50m (gold), 200m (gold), 4x100m free men (gold) , 4x100m mixed (silver), 4x200m free men(to be decided tomorrow).. I believe it is very hard to see a WR in this context, he might choose to coast at a 47.5-6..but he might go for it as well, because it is in Romania, and the attendace will be sold out.. His best bet, this year, would be in Rome anyhow..
I would imagine by Sunday he will be pretty tired but something tells me he will go all out for Romania. I think we’ll get an indication of the plan when we see his splits in the prelim and semi.
This season is absolutely crowded of events for Popovici: Worlds, Junior Euro (at home), Euro Champs, Junior Worlds.., so it’s difficult to have another true peak of form after the early Worlds in June.
Anyway the schedule of Euro Champs in Rome could be more favorable, because the 100 free (semi 8/12, final 8/13) will be his first individual event and then he’ll be swimming the 200 free.
From his interviews and everything I have read.. Rome seemed to be the event to reach peak form for him. We will see.. a lot of things have happened and plans change sometimes.
I think with his talent level and youth u cant assume that 24.2 is his max back half. Not predicting this cus i agree w u that it probably comes next year, but i wouldn’t be that surprised to see something like a 22.90 + 23.99 this season.
Pretty sure he told Brett Hawke that worlds was never the main taper meet… this one probably wouldn’t have been either.
Think of how many good 100s he’s gonna have under his belt by jr worlds. Maybe theres something on the table still left to learn.
Popovici going 47.34 this week already (albeit in clean water) is pretty impressive given that its 2 weeks after when he probably planned to peak. Presumably, he’ll go back to hard training for 2 weeks followed by a 2 week taper (similar to US olympic trial <-> Olympics timing) for Euro champs. There, the timing of the 100free and 200free is reversed from WC, with the 100free being first. What ever time we see from Popovici we see this week, it’ll probably be faster in Rome given his drawn out taper and the additional 2 weeks of training. We’ve probably seen his fastest 200free of this year, but wouldn’t be surprised to see faster than 47.1 in Rome given that… Read more »
Either home boy lost a lil speed since wrlds (opening in 23 mids here vs 22 highs there) or those 22 highs opening at worlds were pretty much max speed.
Wonder if he’ll keep pursuing the 50 this year
I think it is more likely to see him race in the 400’s in the near future(1 year span – at seniors).. the schedule’s just have to be right for it. It is very hard to compete in 100-200-400.. + in Bucharest he already did a lot of relay’s, and he had to push hard in each one of those. Tomorrow he will compete in the 4x200m men as well.
After the European Championships in august he will probably choose a direction depending on the results and how he feels… going towards the World Junior Championship..
Oh man i’d love to see his 400. It feels pretty crazy that he has such a good 100 so young. Pretty much on par with his 200? (theres a good swimswam poll for ya). Judging by the splits of his “slower” 200s it seems he likes to back off the 3rd 50… feel like that tendency could bite him in the butt on a 400. Youd love to keep the thorpe comparisons coming and assume he’s the heir apparent in that too but I’ll believe it when i see it. He’d be the absolute freestyle goat if he gets a wr in 100-400 especially in this day and age with specialization and just comparing how insane those wr’s are… Read more »
There were some declarations made before the World Championships by Camelia Potec or someone else in the Romanian Swimming Federation that we might see some surprises from him,suggesting heading upwards to 400m as well.. but I think it is already difficult to compete in 3 freestyle contests. At Euro’s I see him focusing on 100 and 200m.. At the World Junior he will probably go for 50-100-200 and 4x100m free.. with 400m being a possibility there (for fun)… That being said.. I am quite sure he will go for the 400m in the European shourt course championship this year.. and next year we will see a clear direction probably (you never know)
Regarding the 50’s.. he might break the 22… Read more »
Worlds and Olympic schedules tend to be very unfavourable for the 400/200/100 triple. Would be better if the order were reversed and/or there were some rest days.
I know and I agree. There’s hardly anyone able to go for the first two, let alone the triple. I believe his biggest dream is attached to what he loves… and that is the 200m. For a guy like him there is probably only one way to set himself free.. and that is catching a ghost. You cannot spread yourself in too many directions.. if you want that.
At Junior Worlds at the end of August, after the Euro Champs in Rome (mid August), Popovici could swim the same 3 individual events (50, 100, 200) he’s swimming at these Junior Euros. His best 100 free at Worlds was in the semi: 22.81-24.32. Obviously there he had to push in the first half to stay near Liendo and even more in the tense final (22.72 at 50) with Grousset and Liendo.
So Laura Bernat is listed on results as Polish swimmer but then the SwimSwam article refers to her as “Austrian native”?
Updated, thanks.