2023 European Junior Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2023 EUROPEAN JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, July 4th – Sunday, July 9th
• Sports and Recreational Center “Milan Gale Muškatirović”, Belgrade, Serbia
• Prelims at 10am local (4am EDT)/Finals at 5pm local (11am EDT)
• LCM (50m)
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• Livestream
• Day 1 Prelims Recap

The first finals session of the 2023 European Junior Championships is here. Tonight’s action will feature a ton of semifinals, as well as finals of the girls 400 IM and the 4×100 free relays for boys and girls.

As far as the finals for tonight go, Hungary’s Vivien Jackl led the charge this morning in the girls 400 IM, swimming a 4:46.31. Jackl will have her work cut out for her in tonight’s final, however, as Finland’s Louna Kasvio was right behind her with a 4:46.65 this morning. Sweden’s Lisa Nystrand was also under 4:50 this morning, clocking a 4:48.82 to grab the third seed for tonight’s final.

Hungary’s Nikolett Padar had a great swim in the heats of the girls 200 free this morning, roaring to a 1:59.77 to post the top time of the morning by well over a second. Tonight is just the semifinal of the 200 free, so Padar has a clear path towards advancing to the final tomorrow. The European Junior Championship Record in the event sits at 1:57.51, so it seems possible Padar could take a shot at this record tonight or tomorrow night.

Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova was also excellent this morning, throwing down a 30.39 in the girls 50 breast. That swim was the fastest of the morning by 0.99 seconds, setting Efimova up as the clear favorite in the event as we advance to the next round.

GIRLS 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 4:25.87, Summer McIntosh (2023)
• European Junior Record: 4:38.53, Alba Vazquez Ruiz (2019)
• European Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (2016)
• Championship Record: 4:40.56, Alba Vazquez Ruiz (2019)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Emma Carrasco (Spain), 4:46.39

PODIUM:

1. Vivien Jackl (Hungary) – 4:40.66
2. Lisa Nystrand (Sweden) – 4:45.06
3. Louna Kasvio (Finland) – 4:46.82

The top three from this morning’s heats remained the top three in tonight’s final of the girls 400 IM. Hungary’s Vivien Jackl is our first European Junior Champion of the meet, getting out to a terrific start tonight and holding on to win the race in 4:40.66. It was a phenomenal race for the youngster, marking a new personal best time in the event by two seconds. Jackl’s previous best was the 4:42.96 she swam at the Hungarian National Championships in April, only about three months ago.

Jackl was out strong tonight, swimming a 1:04.67 on the fly leg of the race, but where she really took over was on backstroke, where she threw down a truly elite split of 1:07.73. Going into the back-to-breast turn, it looked the race was coming up all Jackl. However, Sweden’s Lisa Nystrand made things interesting, splitting a sizzling 1:18.87 on breaststroke, which closed the gap between she and Jackl to just 1.25 seconds with 100m to go. Jackl had the superior freestyle tonight, though, and ended up pulling back away from the field, ultimately touching first by 4.5 seconds.

Nystrand had a grat race in her own respect, knocking a little over three seconds off her time from the heats this morning.

Finland’s Louna Kasvio came in third tonight with a 4:46.82. The time was just a hair off the 4:46.65 she swam in the heats this morning but was still enough for her to earn the bronze medal. She was ahead of Nystrand through the backstroke portion of the race, but fell well behind her on breaststroke, and though she was gaining on Nystrand during the final 100m, she wasn’t able to catch her again.

GIRLS 200 FREESTYLE – SEMIFINAL

• World Junior Record: 1:53.91, Summer McIntosh (2023)
• European Junior Record: 1:56.78
• European Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (2009)
• Championship Record: 1:57.51, Isabel Gose (2019)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Nikolett Padar (Hungary), 1:58.43

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Nikolett Padar (Hungary) – 1:58.77
2. Lilla Minna Abraham (Hungary) – 2:00.53
3. Matilde Biagiotti (Italy) – 2:00.54
4. Leah Schlosshan (Great Britain) – 2:00.78
5. Carla Carron Muina (Spain) – 2:00.85
6. Merve Tuncel (Turkey) – 2:00.96
7. Fleur Verdonck (Belgium) – 2:01.06
8. Maya Werner (Germany) – 2:02.12

Nikolett Padar, the defending champion in this event, was in control in tonight’s semifinal of the girls 200 free. As was the case this morning, Padar was the only swimmer in the field to crack 2:00, though she went a full second faster than this morning’s 1:59.77. It was a great swim for Padar, who won gold in this event last year with a 1:58.43. She’ll be back in action tomorrow night for the final, where she’s the heavy favorite, and will be making a run at the CR of 1:57.51.

The event is proving to be a very strong one for Hungary, as their other swimmer, Lilla Minna Abraham, came in second in the semis tonight, speeding to a 2:00.53. She’ll be locked in a very tight race for silver tomorrow night, but she has a lane in the middle of the pool, and her very consistent race tonight is encouraging. Tonight, Abraham split 28.24, 30.79, 31.34, and 30.16 respectively by 50.

Hungary was the only country to advance both of its swimmers to the final in this event.

BOYS 200 FREESTYLE – SEMIFINAL

• World Junior Record: 1:42.97, David Popovici (2022)
• European Junior Record: 1:42.97, David Popovici (2022)
• European Record: 1:42.00, Paul Biedermann (2009)
• Championship Record: 1:45.26, David Popovici (2021)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: David Popovici (Romania), 1:45.45

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Alessandro Ragaini (Italy) – 1:48.64
2. Petar Mitsin (Bulgaria) – 1:49.18
3. Jarno Baeschnitt (Germany) – 1:49.31
4. Corentin Pouillart (France) – 1:49.54
5. Rokas Jazdauskas (Lithuania) – 1:49.83
6. Filippo Bertoni (Italy) – 1:50.30
7. Adam Zdybel (Poland) – 1:50.44
8. Ian Florencio Fernandez (Spain) – 1:50.63

Italy’s Alessandro Ragaini put on a show in semifinals of the boys 200 free tonight, speeding to a 1:48.64. The performance marks a new personal best for Ragaini, coming in just under his previous career mark of 1:48.86 from the Italian National Championships back in April.

Ragaini was controlled tonight in his race, splitting 26.20 on the first 50, then going 28.12, 27.48, and 26.84 respectively on the remaining 50s. That splitting, specifically the descension of the final three 50s, shows a swimmer who is in control of their race and their pacing. It will be interesting to see if he adjusts anything for tomorrow night’s final.

Bulgaria’s Peter Mitsin came in second tonight, swimming a 1:49.18. While he was slower than Ragaini tonight, don’t be deceived. Mitsin led prelims this morning with a stellar 1:47.41, setting a new Bulgarian Record with the swim. While his time tonight is just a little perplexing, we saw him go significantly faster this morning, so there’s no reason to doubt what he’ll do in finals tomorrow night.

Italy managed to get both of their swimmers into tomorrow night’s final. Filippo Bertoni swam a 1:50.30 to take sixth tonight, earning a lane for the final tomorrow night. Italy was the only country to earn two spots in tomorrow’s final.

GIRLS 50 BACKSTROKE – SEMFINAL

• World Junior Record: 27.49, Minna Atherton (2016)
• European Junior Record: 27.51, Daria Vaskina (2019)
• European Record: 27.10, Kira Toussaint (2021)
• Championship Record: 27.74, Mary Moluh (2022)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Mary-Ambre Moluh (France), 27.74

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Lora Fanni Komoroczy (Hungary) – 28.32
2. Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu (Romania) – 28.59
3. Blythe Kinsman (Great Britain) – 28.73 (TIE)
4. Anna Maria Boerstler (Germany) – 28.73 (TIE)
5. Giada Gorlier (Italy) – 28.77
6. Sofia Salvato (Italy) – 28.83
7. Nika Sharafutdinova (Ukraine) – 28.84
8. Martine Damborg (Denmark) – 28.85

Hungary continues to swim exceedingly well tonight. Lora Fanni Komoroczy led tonight’s semifinal of the girls 50 back, clocking a 28.32. She touched first by a little over a quarter-of-a-second.

Coming in second tonight was one of the youngest swimmers at this meet. Romania’s Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu, just 14 years old, clocked a 28.59 to take the second seed for tomorrow night’s final. With the performance, Silisteanu cracked the Romanian Record in the event, which had stood since 2002.

For the second event in a row, Italy advanced both of their swimmers to the final. Giada Gorlier and Sofia Salvato came in fifth and sixth respectively in the semis, both earning spots in the final.

Ukraine also picked up their first finalist of the meet. Nika Sharafutdinova took seventh with a 28.84. Of course, with Ukraine having been at war since early last year, many of their swimmers have had to find shelter elsewhere to continue training.

BOYS 50 BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINAL

• World Junior Record: 24.00, Kliment Kolesnikov (2018)
• European Junior Record: 24.00, Kliment Kolesnikov (2018)
• European Record: 23.80, Kliment Kolesnikov (2021)
• Championship Record: 24.52, Kliment Kolesnikov (2018)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Ksawery Masiuk (Poland), 24.65

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Miroslav Knedla (Czechia) – 24.91
2. Daniele Del Signore (Italy) – 25.40
3. Oleksandr Zheltyakov (Ukraine) – 25.47
4. Christian Bacico (Italy) – 25.50
5. Matthew Ward (Great Britain) – 25.53
6. Mantas Kauspedas (Lithuania) – 25.62
7. Noe Pantskhava (Georgia) – 25.68
8. Ivan Martinez Sota (Spain) – 25.71 (TIE)
9. Jakub Krischke (Czechia) – 25.71 (TIE)

**UPDATE: Jakub Krischke won the swim-off in a time of 25.62 and will be advancing to the final tomorrow night. Martinez Sota clocked a 25.95 in the swim-off. 

First things first. There was a tie for eighth in tonight’s semifinal of the boys 50 backstroke, which will need to be settled via a swim-off later in the session. Spain’s Ivan Martinez Sota and Czechia’s Jakub Krischke both swam 25.71 tonight, finishing in that unlucky eighth position. If Krischke wins the swim-off, Czechia will have two swimmers in the final tomorrow night.

It was Czechia’s Miroslav Knedla who led tonight’s semis by a huge margin, swimming a 24.91. He blew the field away, touching first by half-a-second.

Italy’s Daniele Del Signore came in second with a 25.40, leading a very tight field of the second-through-eighth place swimmers this morning.

Ukraine picked up another finalist, seeing Oleksandr Zheltyakov come in third with a 25.47.

GIRLS 50 BREASTSTROKE – SEMIFINAL

• World Junior Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• European Junior Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• European Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• Championship Record: 29.75, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Eneli Jefimova (Estonia), 30.44

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Eneli Jefimova (Estonia) – 30.62
2. Olivia Klint Ipsa (Sweden) – 31.14
3. Karolina Piechowicz (Poland) – 31.37
4. Maria Ramos Najji (Spain) – 31.47
5. Irene Mati (Italy) – 31.59
6. Teya Nikolova (Bulgaria) – 31.65
7. Chiara Della Corte (Italy) – 31.68 (TIE)
8. Jimena Ruiz Sanchez (Spain) – 31.68 (TIE)

We narrowly avoided needing another swim-off, as Italy’s Chiara Della Corte and Spain’s Jimena Ruiz Sanchez both clocked 31.68 in semis of the girls 50 breast. Fortunately for them, they tied for seventh, safely securing them both with lanes in tomorrow night’s final of the event.

Once again, Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova was the class of the field, swimming a 30.62 to lead the way. Though that was a touch off her morning swim of 30.39, Jefimova still led the field by half-a-second tonight. She’s the defending champion in this event, having won gold last year with a 30.44.

Once again, Italy advanced both their swimmers to the final. Della Corte came in seventh, while Irene Mati took fifth in 31.59. Spain also grabbed to spots in tomorrow’s final, with Maria Ramos Najji coming in fourth with a 31.47 and Ruiz Sanchez clocking a 31.68 for that tie with Della Corte at seventh.

BOYS 50 BREASTSTROKE – SEMIFINAL

• World Junior Record: 26.97, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
• European Junior Record: 26.97, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
• European Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (2017)
• Championship Record: 27.23, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Volodymyr Lisovets (Ukraine), 27.62

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Jonas Gaur (Denmark) – 28.06
2. Christopher Weidner (Germany) – 28.14
3. Uros Zivanovic (Serbia) – 28.15
4. Lubin Viano (France) – 28.27
5. Steijn Louter (Netherlands) – 28.37
6. River Streefland (Netherlands) – 28.40
7. Emilian Hollank (Germany) – 28.47
8. Snorri Dagur Einarsson (Iceland) – 28.51 (TIE)
9. Callum Melville (Great Britain) – 28.51 (TIE)

**UPDATE: Well, there was plenty of drama in that swim-off. Einarsson and Melville completed their swim-off for eighth-place, but once they finished, the times never came up. After a moderately long delay, the announcer came on the microphone and said there was an error with the timing system and that they would need to redo the swim-off. A few minutes later, the pair was back up on the blocks. Melville ended up getting the better of Einarsson in the second swim-off, clocking a 28.46 to Einarsson’s 28.53. With that, Melville will be advancing to the final tomorrow night. 

Once again, we have a swim-off for eighth place. Iceland’s Snorri Dagur Einarsson and Great Britain’s Callum Melville both touched in 28.51 for eighth tonight. That will need to be resolved through a swim-off after the conclusion of the relays at the end of the session.

Denmark’s Jonas Gaur led the way this morning with a 28.06, narrowly leading Germany’s Christopher Weindner, who was second in 28.14.

Swimming on home soil, Serbia’s Uros Zivanovic came in third tonight with a 28.15.

Netherlands put two swimmers into the final for tomorrow night, seeing Steijn Louter and River Streefland come in fifth and sixth respectively tonight.

BOYS 200 BUTTERFLY – SEMIFINAL

• World Junior Record: 1:53.79, Kristof Milak (2017)
• European Junior Record: 1:52.71, Kristof Milak (2018)
• European Record: 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (2022)
• Championship Record: 1:53.79, Kristof Milak (2017)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Krzysztof Chmielewski (Poland), 1:55.49

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Andrea Camozzi (Italy) – 1:57.95
2. Samuel Kostal (Slovakia) – 1:58.84
3. Tuncer Berk Ertutk (Turkey) – 1:58.94
4. Apostolos Siskos (Greece) – 1:59.09
5. Vlad-Stefan Mihalache (Romania) – 1:59.38
6. Aykut Mert Iravul (Turkey) – 1:59.96
7. Levente Balogh (Hungary) – 2:00.19
8. Bartosz Michta (Poland) – 2:01.08

Italy’s Andrea Camozzi was firmly in control of tonight’s semifinal of the boys 200 fly, swimming a 1:57.95. He got out to an excellent start, splitting a 55.61 on the first 100m, which led the field by nearly a second. Camozzi then held on to get to the wall first.

Six swimmers were under 2:00 this evening, which sets up what should be a fantastic race tomorrow in the final.

Turkey had their strongest showing of the meet so far, earning two spots in the final. Tuncer Berk Ertuk came in third with a 1:58.94, while Aykut Mert Iravul was sixth in 1:59.96.

GIRLS 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:36.19, Canada (2017)
• European Junior Record: 3:39.91
• European Record: 3:31.72, Netherlands (2009)
• Championship Record: 3:40.10, Russia (2021)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Italy, 3:42.98

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Italy – 3:40.60
• SILVER: Hungary – 3:41.39
• BRONZE: Great Britain – 3:43.37

Italy successfully defended their title in the girls 4×100 free relay tonight in Belgrade. Not only did they stroke gold again, they were much faster than last year’s 3:42.98, winning the race this year in 3:40.60. They got out to a roaring start, with Sara Curtis leading off in 55.35, which gave the Italian a solid lead going into the second leg. Marina Cacciapuoti (55.01), Cristiana Stevanato (54.83), and Matilde Biagiotti (55.41) rounded out the rest of the relay, powering the Italians to gold.

Not only was Italy faster than their winning time from last year, Hungary was as well. They were helped in particular by stellar splits from Nikolett Padar (54.62) and Dora Molnar (54.84), who helped put them firmly in second place with a 3:41.39.

BOYS 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:15.79, United States (2022)
• European Junior Record: 3:16.26, Russia (2019)
• European Record: 3:08.32, France (2008)
• Championship Record: 3:16.58, Italy (2009)
• 2022 European Junior Champion: Romania, 3:18.93

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Italy – 3:17.87
• SILVER: France – 3:19.39
• BRONZE: Lithuania – 3:20.53

Italy won the boys 4×100 free relay convincingly tonight, roaring to a 3:17.87. They earned the gold medal, also bettering Romania’s winning time in the event from last year, 3:18.93. They put together a great race from start to finish. Carlos D’Ambrosio (49.84), Gianluca Messina (49.32), Lorenzo Ballarati (49.82), and Davide Passafaro (48.89) teamed up to make it happen. Passafro’s split was the fastest in the field and the only split under 49 seconds tonight.

France was also under 3:20 tonight, swimming a 3:19.39 for silver. They were helped greatly by a 49.35 split out of Alexandre Chalendar.