2023 European Short Course Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2023 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 5-10, 2023
• Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
• Short Course Meters (25 meters)
• Prelims 2:30am (ET), Finals 11am (ET)
• Entries Book
• Live Results (Omega)
• Live Results (Microplus Timing)
• Eurovision Sport Livestream
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap
• Day 4 Finals Heat Sheet

Another jam-packed schedule is on today’s slate at the European Short Course Championships in Otopeni, with medals on the line in seven events to go along with six sets of semi-finals.

DAY 4 FINALS SCHEDULE

• Men’s 200 IM Final
• Women’s 100 Free Final
• Men’s 100 Back Final
• Women’s 100 Back Semi-Finals
• Men’s 200 Free Semi-Finals
• Women’s 100 Fly Semi-Finals
• Women’s 200 Breast Final
• Men’s 200 Fly Final
• Women’s 50 Back Final
• Men’s 200 Breast Semi-Finals
• Women’s 200 IM Semi-Finals
• Men’s 50 Fly Semi-Finals
• Women’s 1500 Free Final

The session will kick off with the final of the men’s 200 IM, where Duncan Scott comes in eyeing his first individual title of the competition in what will be his first opportunity to do so after only entering the medley events (the final of both the 100 and 400 IM will occur on Sunday).

Scott went 1:51.90 in the semis, putting him well over a second clear of #2 seed Alberto Razzetti, while defending champion Andreas Vazaios lurks in Lane 6.

That will be followed by the women’s 100 free, led by Great Britain’s Anna Hopkin who was the only swimmer sub-52 in the semis at 51.70. Michelle Coleman, the 50 free victor earlier in the meet, will be one to watch out of Lane 6, as will Hopkin’s British teammate Freya Anderson in Lane 7.

The men’s 100 back figures to be wide open with the eight finalists separated by 64 one-hundredths in the semis, led by Frenchman Mewen Tomac.

Tes Schouten is the clear-cut favorite in the women’s 200 breast after setting a new Dutch Record in the semis, while Noe Ponti aims to follow up on his European Record in the 100 in the final of the men’s 200 fly.

Ponti will be back in the water just over half an hour after the 200 final in the semis of the 50 fly.

Defending champion Kira Toussaint will take on top seed Louise Hansson in the women’s 50 back, and the night will close with the final of the women’s 1500 free, where France’s Anastasiia Kirpichnikova aims to defend her title after dominating the 800 free on Wednesday.

We’ll also see semi-final heats in the women’s 100 back, 100 fly and 200 IM, and the men’s 200 free, 200 breast and 50 fly.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• World Record: Ryan Lochte (USA) – 1:49.63 (2012)
• European Record: Andreas Vazaios (GRE) – 1:50.85 (2019)
• SC Euros Record: Andreas Vazaios (GRE) – 1:50.85 (2019)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:50.98
2. Alberto Razzetti (ITA), 1:53.09
3. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 1:53.49
4. Joe Litchfield (GBR), 1:53.57
5. Andreas Vazaios (GRE), 1:53.64
6. Ronny Brannkarr (FIN), 1:55.09
7. Vadym Naumenko (UKR), 1:55.59
8. Balazs Hollo (HUN), 1:56.84

Duncan Scott grabbed the lead on backstroke and then pulled away from the field on breast, cruising to a massive victory in the men’s 200 IM for his first European SC title.

Scott put up a time of 1:50.98 to lower his British Record of 1:51.53, set in December 2021 during the ISL season, and came within 13 one-hundredths of the European Record held by Andreas Vazaios at 1:50.85.

Scott now ranks #8 all-time in the event.

Italy’s Alberto Razzetti was the early leader on fly and held the second spot throughout the race after Scott took over, touching in 1:53.09 for silver, holding off Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys.

Rapsys charged home with a 27.20 closing freestyle split to finish in 1:53.49, while Joe Litchfield had a similar closing leg of 27.29 to snag fourth in 1:53.57, out-touching the defending champion Vazaios (1:53.64) and chipping .01 off his best time.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

• World Record: Cate Campbell (AUS) – 50.25 (2017)
• European Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 50.58 (2017)
• SC Euros Record: Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) – 50.95 (2017)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA), 51.48
2. Anna Hopkin (GBR), 51.66
3. Freya Anderson (GBR), 52.10
4. Michelle Coleman (SWE), 52.27
5. Barbora Seemanova (CZE), 52.28
6. Sofia Morini (ITA), 52.71
7. Chiara Tarantino (ITA), 52.80
8. Barbora Janickova (CZE), 53.06

Beryl Gastaldello overtook Anna Hopkin on the last 25 to claim gold in the women’s 100 freestyle, as the French Record holder put up a time of 51.48 to mark her fastest swim in three years.

Gastaldello split 24.62/26.86 en route to the title, with her lifetime best standing at 51.16 from November 2020.

Hopkin, who set a lifetime best of 51.70 to lead the semis, re-lowered that mark in 51.66 to earn the silver medal, having led the field through the 50 at 24.57 before getting narrowly overtaken down the stretch.

Freya Anderson made it a 2-3 finish for Great Britain, as after turning eighth at the 50 in 25.67, she roared home in 26.43 to pick up the bronze medal in a time of 52.10, running down Sweden’s Michelle Coleman.

Anderson won the gold medal in this event at the 2019 championships in Glasgow.

Coleman, the 50 free champion earlier in the meet, fell to fourth in 52.27, managing to out-touch Czech Republic’s Barbora Seemanova by .01.

MEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• World Record: Coleman Stewart (USA) – 48.33 (2021)
• European Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 48.58 (2020)
• SC Euros Record: Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS) / Stanislav Donets (RUS) – 48.97 (2009)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Mewen Tomac (FRA), 49.72
2. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA), 49.96
3. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) / Andrei Ungur (ROU), 50.04
4. –
5. Luke Greenbank (GBR), 50.30
6. Ole Braunschweig (GER), 50.40
7. Apostolos Christou (GRE), 50.43
8. Miroslav Knedla (CZE), 50.57
9. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST), 50.81

France emerged with a 1-2 finish in what was an incredibly tight final of the men’s 100 backstroke, as Mewen Tomac used strong underwaters and a blistering middle 50 to claim gold in a time of 49.72.

The swim from Tomac lowers his personal best time of 49.94 set at the 2022 Short Course World Championships and puts him within 15 one-hundredths of the 49.57 French Record held by Jeremy Stravius.

Yohann Ndoye-Brouard got his hand on the wall second for the French in a time of 49.96, with his PB sitting at 49.78 from the 2022 SC Worlds.

Lorenzo Mora, who was racing out of Lane 0 after a soft touch in the semis led the officials to add a ninth swimmer to the final, pulled up from seventh at the 50 to touch third in 50.04, tying with Romania’s Andrei Ungur for the bronze medal.

Ungur’s medal performance gave a lift to the local Romanian crowd, as he lowered his best time entering the meet (51.16) by more than a second over the course of the three rounds.

The rest of the final was also closely contested, with Luke Greenbank (50.30) earning fifth, just ahead of Ole Braunschweig and Apostolos Christou.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Minna Atherton (AUS) – 54.89 (2019)
• European Record: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 55.03 (2014)
• SC Euros Record: Kira Toussaint (NED) – 55.17 (2019)

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Medi Harris (GBR), 56.66
2. Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 57.17
3. Mary-Ambre Moluh (FRA), 57.22
4. Kira Toussaint (NED), 57.35
5. Danielle Hill (IRL), 57.73
6. Margherita Panziera (ITA), 58.04
7. Hanna Rosvall (SWE), 58.11
8. Camila Rebelo (POR), 58.14

Medi Harris looked fully control en route to a dominant swim in the second semi of the women’s 100 back, qualifying first into the final by half a second in a time of 56.66.

Harris’ swim marks her first time under the 57-second barrier and puts her within striking distance of the British Record held by Elizabeth Simmonds at 56.35.

Her British teammate Kathleen Dawson qualified second in 57.17, while French youngster Mary-Ambre Moluh was third in 57.22 as the top three qualifiers all came out of the second semi.

Moluh, 18, resets her personal best time of 57.36 from the 2022 SC Worlds.

Two-time defending champion Kira Toussaint led the first semi in a time of 57.35, comfortably advancing to the final in fourth.

In fifth, Danielle Hill knocked more than half a second off her Irish Record in 57.73, with her previous mark of 58.29 having been set all the way back in 2019.

MEN’S 200 FREE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Paul Biedermann (GER) – 1:39.37 (2009)
• European Record: Paul Biedermann (GER) – 1:39.37 (2009)
• SC Euros Record: Paul Biedermann (GER) – 1:39.81 (2009)

Finals Qualifiers:

1. David Popovici (ROU), 1:42.04
2. James Guy (GBR), 1:42.66
3. Matt Richards (GBR), 1:42.70
4. Roman Fuchs (FRA), 1:42.85
5. Matteo Ciampi (ITA), 1:43.21
6. Nandor Nemeth (HUN), 1:43.45
7. Antonio Djakovic (SUI), 1:43.51
8. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 1:43.52

After James Guy and Matt Richards essentially had to go all-in on in the prelims of the men’s 200 free in order to advance due to the two-per-country rule, they took their feet off the gas a little bit in the semis.

Both men were sub-1:42 in the heats, but it was home crowd favorite David Popovici leading the way in the semis in a time of 1:42.04, running down Guy on the last 50 in the second heat.

Popovici, who owns a best time of 1:40.79 from his silver-medal-winning swim at the 2022 SC World Championships, looks to be in good form and will be tough to beat with the crowd behind him on Saturday.

After ripping a personal best of 1:41.36 in the prelims, Guy touched second in a time of 1:42.66, good for the #2 seed overall and Lane 5 tomorrow.

Richards, the reigning world champion in the long course 200 free, followed up his 1:41.63 prelim swim by cruising to victory in the first semi in a time of 1:42.70, topping the heat by eight-tenths.

Frenchman Roman Fuchs made it four swimmers sub-1:43, clocking 1:42.85 after setting a PB of 1:42.16 in October.

Shortly after winning bronze in the 200 IM, Danas Rapsys gutted out a 1:43.52 showing to move through to the final in eighth, having gone 1:42-mid in the heats indicating he’ll be in the medal conversation tomorrow.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 54.05 (2022)
• European Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 54.61 (2014)
• SC Euros Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 55.00 (2017)

Finals Qualifiers: 

1. Angelina Kohler (GER), 55.76
2. Louise Hansson (SWE), 56.47
3. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 56.55
4. Ellen Walshe (IRL), 56.90
5. Panna Ugrai (HUN), 57.12
6. Laura Lahtinen (FIN), 57.35
7. Giulia D’Innocenzo (ITA), 57.41
8. Sara Junevik (SWE), 57.43

After winning gold in the 200 fly last night, Angelina Kohler looked dominant in the semis of the women’s 100 fly, smashing her lifetime best and German Record in a time of 55.76.

Kohler’s previous mark stood at 56.20, set last December at SC Worlds.

Louise Hansson, one of the fastest swimmers in history with a lifetime best of 54.87, won the first semi-final to qualify second overall in 56.47, with Greek veteran Anna Ntountounaki close behind in 56.55.

Ntountounaki tied for silver in this event two years ago.

Ireland’s Ellen Walshe joined the sub-57 group with a 56.90 showing, not too far off her PB of 56.68 set at the 2021 SC World Championships.

Narrowly missing the final was Bosnian Lana Pudar, who clocked 57.44 to place ninth overall, .01 back of Sweden’s Sara Junevik.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – FINAL

• World Record: Rebecca Soni (USA) – 2:14.57 (2009)
• European Record: Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS) – 2:14.70 (2022)
• SC Euros Record: Rikke Pedersen (DEN) – 2:15.21 (2013)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Tes Schouten (NED), 2:16.09
2. Thea Blomsterberg (DEN), 2:19.54
3. Kristyna Horska (CZE), 2:19.63
4. Clara Rybak-Andersen (DEN), 2:20.09
5. Andrea Podmanikova (SVK), 2:20.17
6. Francesca Fangio (ITA), 2:21.55
7. Eneli Jefimova (EST), 2:21.56
8. Nikoleta Trnikova (SVK), 2:22.56

Tes Schouten put on a clinic in the final of the women’s 200 breaststroke, winning gold by nearly three and a half seconds in a time of 2:16.09.

Schouten shatters her day-old Dutch Record of 2:16.98 and continues to climb up the all-time rankings in the event, taking over the #9 spot after her semi-final swim ranked her 14th.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 200 Breaststroke (SCM)

1. Rebecca Soni (USA), 2:14.57 – 2009 Duel In The Pool
2. Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS), 2:14.70 – 2022 Russian Champs
3. Rikke Pedersen (DEN), 2:15.21 – 2013 SC Euros
4. Leisel Jones (AUS), 2:15.42 – 2009 World Cup – Berlin
5. Lilly King (USA), 2:15.56 – 2020 ISL Final
6. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 2:15.62 – 2018 World Cup – Eindhoven
7. Rie Kaneto (JPN), 2:15.76 – 2016 World Cup – Doha
8. Kate Douglass (USA), 2:15.77 – 2022 SC Worlds
9. Tes Schouten (NED), 2:16.09 – 2023 SC Euros
10. Annie Lazor (USA), 2:16.33 – 2020 ISL Final

Denmark’s Thea Blomsterberg knocked five one-hundredths off her newly-minted best time from the semis to claim the silver medal in a time of 2:19.54, overtaking Czech Republic’s Kristyna Horska on the last 50.

Horska, who lowered her Czech Record by a few one-hundredths in the semis at 2:19.81, reset it down to 2:19.63 to earn bronze.

Dane Clara Rybak-Andersen, who will turn 20 in 10 days, was fourth in 2:20.09 after setting a PB of 2:19.69 in the prelims. She made up more than three-quarters of a second on eventual fifth-place finisher Andrea Podmanikova (2:20.17) on the last 50.

MEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL

• World Record: Tomoru Honda (JPN) – 1:46.85 (2022)
• European Record: Laszlo Cseh (HUN) – 1:49.00 (2015)
• SC Euros Record: Laszlo Cseh (HUN) – 1:49.00 (2015)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI), 1:49.71
2. Alberto Razzetti (ITA), 1:50.10
3. Richard Marton (HUN), 1:52.12
4. Ramon Klenz (GER), 1:52.47
5. Ondrej Gemov (CZE), 1:52.55
6. Kregor Zirk (EST), 1:52.74
7. Edward Mildred (GBR), 1:53.53
8. Petar Mitsin (BUL), 1:54.02

After battling neck-and-neck throughout the race, Noe Ponti pulled away from Alberto Razzetti to claim gold in the men’s 200 fly, closing in 28.42 to touch first in 1:49.71.

Ponti, who broke the European Record in the 100 fly earlier in the meet, was within three-tenths of his lifetime best and Swiss Record of 1:49.42, set at the 2022 SC World Championships where he won the bronze medal.

Razzetti, who was on the back end of a tough double after racing the 200 IM at the beginning of the session, picked up his second silver medal of the night in 1:50.10. The Italian is the second-fastest European of all-time with his PB of 1:49.06.

Ponti and Razzetti distanced themselves from the field, with Hungarian Richard Marton more than two seconds back for the bronze medal in 1:52.12. Marton has been as fast as 1:51.10, produced last November.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – FINAL

• World Record: Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 25.25 (2022)
• European Record: Kira Toussaint (NED) / Kira Toussaint (NED) / Maria Kameneva (RUS) – 25.60 (2020 / 2020 / 2022)
• SC Euros Record: Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) – 25.70 (2009)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Kira Toussaint (NED), 25.82
2. Louise Hansson (SWE), 26.23
3. Analia Pigree (FRA), 26.28
4. Danielle Hill (IRL), 26.33
5. Tessa Giele (NED), 26.56
6. Lora Komoroczy (HUN), 26.59
7. Medi Harris (GBR), 26.75
8. Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 26.83

In a strange scheduling decision, the women’s 100 back semis and 50 back final end up falling during the same session, meaning half of the 50 back finalists had already raced just one hour prior.

That didn’t bother Kira Toussaint, however, as she successfully completed a three-peat in the 50 back with a decisive victory in a time of 25.82, just over two-tenths outside of the European Record she shares with Russia’s Maria Kameneva (25.60).

Toussaint’s swim is also her fastest since October 2021, and she’s now been under 26 seconds 21 times.

Sweden’s Louise Hansson was the runner-up, more than four-tenths back in 26.23 to claim the silver medal over France’s Analia Pigree (26.28) and Ireland’s Danielle Hill (26.33).

Like Toussaint, Hansson has also been sub-26 on multiple occasions, including having won bronze at the 2021 SC World Championships and placed fifth at last year’s edition.

Pigree has been as fast as 25.96, the current French Record, while Hill sets her second Irish Record of the session, with her 26.33 showing taking out the 26.59 mark she established in the prelims. Prior to that, it stood at 26.74 from 2019.

MEN’S 200 BREAST – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Kirill Prigoda (RUS) – 2:00.16 (2018)
• European Record: Kirill Prigoda (RUS) – 2:00.16 (2018)
• SC Euros Record: Marco Koch (GER) – 2:00.53 (2015)

Finals Qualifiers: 

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED), 2:03.34
2. Arno Kamminga (NED), 2:04.59
3. Anton McKee (ISL), 2:04.67
4. Erik Persson (SWE), 2:05.06
5. Maksym Ovchinnikov (UKR), 2:05.53
6. Marco Koch (GER), 2:05.67
7. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2:05.71
8. Matej Zabojnik (CZE), 2:06.11

After a lengthy video review, the results of the men’s 200 breaststroke were confirmed as the Dutch duo of Caspar Corbeau and Arno Kamminga advance 1-2 into tomorrow’s final.

Corbeau dominated the first semi-final in a time of 2:03.34, breaking 2:04 for the first time as he downs his previous PB of 2:04.17 set in October 2022.

Kamminga, the Dutch Record holder at 2:01.43, followed up by topping the second semi in 2:04.59, out-touching Anton McKee (2:04.67) with a quick closing 50 (32.31). McKee owns the Icelandic Record with a mark of 2:01.65 from November 2020.

Swedish Record holder Erik Persson, the 10th-fastest European in history at 2:02.18, advanced fourth in 2:05.06, while Ukrainian Maksym Ovchinnikov moved through in fifth with a lifetime best of 2:05.53.

Two-time champion (2010, 2015) and the #3 performer in history, Germany’s Marco Koch, qualified sixth, while Italian sprint specialist Nicolo Martinenghi advanced seventh in 2:05.71.

Martinenghi owns a PB of 2:03.98, set in April 2022.

Norwegian Christoffer Haarsaker ended up being disqualified.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:01.86 (2014)
• European Record: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:01.86 (2014)
• SC Euros Record: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:02.53 (2015)

Finals Qualifiers: 

1. Abbie Wood (GBR), 2:06.02
2. Lena Kreundl (AUT), 2:07.42
3. Katie Shanahan (GBR), 2:07.43
4. Ellen Walshe (IRL), 2:08.50
5. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA), 2:08.86
6. Lisa Nystrand (SWE), 2:09.05
7. Hanna Bergman (SWE), 2:09.39
8. Ellie McCartney (IRL), 2:11.72

Great Britain’s Abbie Wood looked strong en route to the top time of the session in the women’s 200 IM by a wide margin, touching in 2:06.02 from the first semi.

The third-fastest European in history with a best time of 2:04.77, Wood qualified first by 1.4 seconds, with Austrian Lena Kreundl (2:07.42) edging out Brit Katie Shanahan (2:07.43) in the second heat.

Kreundl’s swim was a new personal best and narrowly missed the nine-year-old Austrian Record of 2:07.30, while Shanahan was just shy of her lifetime best (2:07.27).

Kreundl dropped more than a second from her previous best of 2:08.44, set at the 2022 SC Worlds.

Ireland’s Ellen Walshe picked up her second qualifying spot in a final tomorrow, having made the championship heat of the 100 fly earlier in the session.

Walshe will be joined by Irish teammate Ellie McCartney in the final, while there will also be two Brits (Wood and Shanahan) and two Swedes, with Lisa Nystrand and Hanna Bergman qualifying sixth and seventh, respectively.

MEN’S 50 FLY – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Nicholas Santos (BRA) / Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 21.75 (2018 / 2021)
• European Record: Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 21.75 (2021)
• SC Euros Record: Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 21.75 (2021)

Finals Qualifiers: 

1. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 21.86
2. Noe Ponti (SUI), 22.18
3. Maxime Grousset (FRA), 22.19
4. Jacob Peters (GBR), 22.31
5. Daniel Zaitsev (EST), 22.47
6. Nikola Miljenic (CRO), 22.52
7. Oskar Hoff (SWE), 22.58
8. Stanislas Huille (FRA), 22.68

Defending champion and co-world record holder Szebasztian Szabo put his drop-dead speed on display in the semis of the men’s 50 fly, qualifying first into the final by more than three-tenths of a second in 21.86.

Szabo recorded a blistering 9.81 split on the opening 25, more than a quarter of a second faster than the next-fastest swimmer in the field, which was Great Britain’s Jacob Peters (10.07).

Szabo, a Hungarian who previously represented Serbia, has now been under 22 seconds eight times, with tonight’s performance marking his third time clocking 21.86 (which ties for the 10th-fastest swim ever).

Qualifying second overall was Swiss dynamo Noe Ponti, who touched first in the second semi in 22.18 fresh out of winning the 200 fly.

Ponti is one of three European swimmers who have broken 22 seconds, having logged a time of 21.96 at last year’s SC Worlds which earned him silver and a head-to-head victory over Szabo, who won bronze.

Frenchman Maxime Grousset lowered his best time of 22.34 to qualify third overall in 22.19, putting him within a tenth of the French Record held by Florent Manaudou at 22.09.

Peters ended up fourth in 22.31, marking a new lifetime best.

Other notable swims came from Nikola Miljenic (22.52) and Oskar Hoff (22.58), who broke the Croatian and Swedish Records, respectively.

WOMEN’S 1500 FREE – FINAL

• World Record: Katie Ledecky (USA) – 15:08.24 (2022)
• European Record: Sarah Wellbrock (GER) – 15:18.01 (2019)
• SC Euros Record: Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (RUS) – 15:18.30 (2021)

FINAL RESULTS:

1. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (FRA), 15:20.12
2. Simona Quadarella (ITA), 15:37.05
3. Ajna Kesely (HUN), 15:51.34
4. Alisee Pisane (BEL), 15:55.33
5. Nora Fluck (HUN), 16:03.42
6. Lara Grangeon de Villele (FRA), 16:09.03
7. Lucie Hanquet (BEL), 16:18.76
8. Louna Kasvio (FIN), 16:20.97

It was no surprise to see Anastasiia Kirpichnikova obliterate the field in the final of the women’s 1500 free, but she probably went even quicker than expected as she put the European Record on notice with an impressive showing of 15:20.12.

After winning the 800 free on Wednesday in a time of 8:08.48, Kirpichnikova was less than a second shy of that to the feet in the mile (8:09.22), and held things together well coming home to ultimately win by nearly 17 seconds.

Although it’s not a personal best time for Kirpichnikova, it is a new French Record as she demolishes her previous mark of 15:33.42 set in October.

Kirpichnikova owns a best time of 15:18.30, set at the 2021 SC Euros when she was representing Russia—she attained French sporting citizenship earlier this year.

The 23-year-old’s swim tonight is the fifth-fastest in history.

All-Time Performances, Women’s 1500 Free (SCM)

1. Katie Ledecky (USA), 15:08.24 – 2022 World Cup – Toronto
2. Sarah Kohler (GER), 15:18.01 – 2019 German Champs
3. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (RUS), 15:18.30 – 2021 SC Euros
4. Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 15:19.71 – 2014 Spanish Winter Nationals
5. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (FRA), 15:20.12 – 2023 SC Euros

Italian Simona Quadarella claimed silver and Hungarian Ajna Kesely earned bronze as the podium was the exact same as the 800 free.

Quadarella’s time of 15:37.05 falls well shy of her PB of 15:29.74, set in March 2021, while Kesely was a distant third in 15:51.34, chopping four seconds off her previous best and Hungarian Record of 15:55.69.

In fourth, Alisee Pisane broke 16 minutes for the first time to set a new Belgian Record in 15:55.33, while 18-year-old Hungarian Nora Fluck rounded out the top five with her second PB in as many days in 16:03.42.