2024 European Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2024 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 17-23, 2024
• LCM (50 meters)
• Belgrade, Serbia
• Prelims: 9:30 am local time
• Finals: 5:30 pm local time
• Psych Sheets 
• Men’s Storylines
• Women’s Storylines
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

Welcome to night 2 of the 2024 European Championships with six finals and four semifinals tonight.

There was one big scratch for tonight as Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko has scratched semifinals of the 100 breast after swimming the top time of prelims with a 1:06.15 which also broke her own National Record. Now, Eneli Jefimova of Estonia takes the top seed.

Another semifinal to watch out for tonight is the men’s 100 free. David Popovici led the way through prelims after entering as the #2 seed. Popovici set the World Record in the event at this meet two years ago in a 46.86. The event will also feature World Record holder Kristof Milak who holds the 200 fly world record and was 2nd in the event behind Popovici two years ago.

Highlighting the women’s 100 free final is Barbora Seemanova of Czech Republic who looks to challenge her national record in the event as she was about three-tenths off of the mark this morning. She has been setting numerous personal best times lately, breaking national records in the 200 free, 400 free, and 200 IM at the end of May.

Six men so far have been under the 1:00 mark in the 100 breaststroke, with five of those times coming from semifinals. The race looks to be close and might take a 58 to win.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• European Record: 2:04.94 – Anastasia Zueva, Russia (2009)
• Championship Record: 2:06.08 – Margherita Panziera, Italy (2021)
• OQT: 2:10.39

1. Camila Rebelo (POR) – 2:08.95 (Portuguese National Record)
2. Dora Molnar (HUN) – 2:09.02
3. Eszter Szabo Feltothy (HUN) – 2:09.21
4. Holly McGilll (GBR) – 2:09.74
5. Aviv Barzelay (ISR) – 2:10.06
6. Adela Piskorska (POL) – 2:10.85
7. Aissia-Claudia Prisecariu (ROU) – 2:11.00
8. Nika Sharafutdinova (UKR) – 2:13.76

Camila Rebelo clocked a new Portuguese National Record en route to gold, swimming 2:08.95 to break her own standard of 2:09.84 set in March 2023.

Rebelo led a pair of Hungarians, as Dora Molnar (2:09.02) and Eszter Szabo Feltothy (2:09.21) rounded out the podium.

Szabo Feltothy had a heroic back-half for bronze. She was 8th, 6th, and 6th at first three walls, but dropped a field-best 31.92 to rise into medal position in the final 50. No other swimmer split below 32 seconds coming home.

3rd seed Adela Piskorska had an early lead at the 100 (1:02.17), exactly a second ahead of Holly McGill, but faded to 6th. McGill touched 4th, improving on her prelims effort (2:10.59).

MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 22.27 – Andrii Govorov, Ukraine (2018)
• European Record: 22.27 – Andrii Govorov, Ukraine (2018)
• Championship Record: 22.48 – Andrii Govorov, Ukraine (2018)

1. Marios Stergios Bilas (GRE) – 23.15
2. Simon Bucher (AUT) – 23.19
3. Daniel Gracik (CZE) – 23.26
4. Meiron Amir Cheruti (ISR) – 23.28
5. Vladyslav Bukhov (UKR)/Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 23.32
6. —
7. Denis-Laurean Popescu (ROU) – 23.43
8. Nikola Miljenic (CRO) – 23.71

Greece’s Marios Stergios Bilas was a little off his prelim effort of 23.06, but still managed to get to the wall first for gold in the men’s 50 butterfly (23.15). He out-touched Simon Bucher by just four-hundredths of a second (23.19).

Daniel Gracik rounded out the podium, moving up from his 6th-place prelims effort and shaving five-hundredths off his time.

After qualifying 2nd, Meiron Amir Cheruti slid to 4th, just off the podium. His prelims effort would have been good for bronze (23.20).

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• European Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• Championship Record: 52.67 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)
• OQT: 53.61

Final:

1. Barbora Seemanova (CZE) – 53.50 (Czech National Record)
2. Barbora Janickova (CZE) – 54.17
3. Nikolett Padar (HUN) – 54.22
4. Kalia Antoniou (CYP) – 54.23
5. Kornelia Fiedkiewicz (POL) – 54.79
6. Andrea Murez (ISR) – 54.91
7. Lena Kreundl (AUT) – 55.07
8. Minna Abraham (HUN) – 55.11

Barbora Seemanova led from wire-to-wire in the women’s 100 freestyle final. She got off the blocks the quickest of the group, then rolled that momentum into a 25.68 opening split.

She held the lead by .09 seconds ahead of Poland’s Kornelia Fiedkiewicz, and extended that lead down the stretch with a field-best 27.82 closing split. At the touch, Seemanova earned the win in 53.50, setting a new Czech Record.

She and her teammate Barbora Janickova went 1-2 for their country, with Janickova overtaking Nikolett Padar at the touch for the silver medal.

Padar earned bronze in 54.22, five-hundredths behind Janickova. It’s a new personal best for Padar, lowering the 54.41 standard she set in April this year.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• European Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• Championship Record: 57.10 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2018)
• OQT: 59.49

Final: 

1. Melvin Athohame Michael Imoudu (GER) – 58.84
2. Berkay Omer Ogretir (TUR) – 59.23
3. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU) – 59.27
4. Lucas Joachim Matzerath (GER) – 59.33
5. Jan Kalusowski (POL) – 59.58
6. Bernhard Reitshammer (AUT) – 1:00.13
7. Darragh Greene (IRL) – 1:00.28
8. Lyubomir Epitropov (BUL) – 1:00.34

Melvin Imoudu took control of the men’s 100 breaststroke on the back half of the race. After turning fourth at the wall (27.73), Imoudu fired off a 31.11 on the second 50 meters to move through the field and get his hands on the wall for gold.

Imoudu broke 59 seconds for the first time in his career, narrowly missing the German record of 58.74 held by Lucas Matzerath who was also in tonight’s field.

Berkay Ogretir also had a strong back half. He was behind Imoudu at the turn in 5th (27.83) but like Imoudu, turned on the jets. He moved up for a silver medal in 59.23, .04 seconds ahead of Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, USA (2017)
• European Record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• Championship Record: 1:05.53 – Yuliya Efimova, Russia (2018)
• OQT: 1:06.79

Final Qualifiers:

1. Eneli Jefimova (EST) — 1:06.60
2. Olivia Klint (SWE) — 1:06.92
3. Lisa Mamie (SUI) — 1:07.32
4. Dominika Sztandera (POL) — 1:07.35
5. Kristyna Horska (CZE) — 1:07.72
6. Maria Romanjuk (EST) — 1:08.00
7. Leah Schlosshan (GBR) — 1:08.35
8. Andrea Podmanikova (SVK) — 1:08.72

Tomorrow night’s final will be lead by two teenagers. In the second semifinal, Eneli Jefimova and Olivia Klint Ipsa took control.

The 17-year-old Jefimova claimed lane 4 courtesy of her 1:06.60. Jefimova was out in 30.83 and came back in 35.77, holding off Klint Ipsa’s 35.61 closing speed.

Klint Ipsa moves through as the second fastest qualifier with a 1:06.92, joining Jefimova as the only swimmers under 1:07 in the semis. This is the first time that Klint Ipsa has broken that barrier; her previous lifetime best was 1:07.26 from 2023 World Juniors.

Switzerland’s Lisa Mamie won the first semifinal, clocking 1:07.72 to move through in 3rd place.

There will be two Estonians in the final as Jefimova is joined by her teammate Maria Romanjuk (1:08.00).

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 46.80 – Pan Zhanle, China (2024)
• European Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, Romania (2022)
• Championship Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, Romania (2022)
• OQT: 48.34

Final Qualifiers: 

1. David Popovici (ROU) — 47.82
2. Andrej Barna (SRB) — 48.04
3. Nandor Nemeth (HUN) — 48.05
4. Kristof Milak (HUN) — 48.26
5. Danas Rapsys (LTU) / Shane Ryan (IRL) / Jere Hribar (CRO) — 48.39
6. (tie)
7. (tie)
8. Kamil Sieradzki (POL) — 48.48

David Popovici led the way through to the men’s 100 freestyle final in a 47.82, his fastest time this year. Previously, he had been 47.86 in April.

Out in 23.18 and back in 24.64, Popovici was the only man in the field to get under the 48 second barrier in the semifinal. He eclipsed Andrej Barna‘s winning time of 48.04 from the first semifinal.

Despite the top time overall coming from the second semi, five of the finalists are from the first semifinal. Kristof Milak touched behind Barna in that semi with a 48.26. Then, there was a three-way tie for 5th place overall between Danas Rapsys, Shane Ryan, and Jere Hribar at 48.39.

For Ryan, that swim marks a new Irish record.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 24.43 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)
• European Record: 24.43 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)
• Championship Record: 24.87 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)

Final Qualifiers:

1. Sara Junevik (Sweden) – 25.84
2. Anna Ntountounaki (Greece) – 26.12
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (Belgium) – 26.23
4. Paulina Peda (Poland) – 26.24
5. Tamara Potocka (Slovakia) – 26.33 (TIE)
6. Julie Jensen (Denmark) – 26.33 (TIE)
7. Jana Pavalic (Croatia) – 26.38
8. Anna Dowgiert (Poland) – 26.43

After leading prelims this morning, Sara Junevik dipped under 26 seconds in the women’s 50 fly, earning the top seed for tomorrow night’s final with a 25.84. Junevik was the only swimmer in the field to crack 26 seconds tonight, setting her up well for a potential gold medal tomorrow.

Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki improved upon her prelims time from this morning, taking 2nd this evening in 26.12. Behind Ntountounaki, the field was very tight, even for a 50, seeing 3rd through 8th separated by just 0.20 seconds. That should make for an awesome final tomorrow night.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol, USA (2009)
• European Record: 1:53.23 – Evgeny Rylov, Russia (2021)
• Championship Record: 1:53.36 – Evgeny Rylov, Russia (2018)
• OQT: 1:57.50

Final Qualifiers:

1. Apostolos Siskos (Greece) – 1:56.54
2. Oleksandr Zheltiakov (Ukraine) – 1:56.90
3. Roman Mityukov (Switzerland) – 1:57.00
4. Adam Telegdy (Hungary) – 1:57.12
5. Ksawery Masiuk (Poland) – 1:57.62
6. Benedek Kovacs (Hungary) – 1:57.99
7. David Gerchik (Israel) – 1:58.38
8. John Shortt (Ireland) – 1:58.89

In a strong semifinals of the men’s 200 back tonight, Greece’s Apostolos Siskos led the way with a 1:56.54. Siskos was out fast tonight, splitting 56.50 on the first 100m, then holding on with a 1:00.04 on the back half. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zheltiakov was 2nd in 1:56.90, but swam his race differently than Siskos. Zheltiakov was 57.50 on the first 100m, then came home in 59.40.

17-year-old John Shortt out of Ireland made it through to the final tomorrow night, coming in 8th tonight with a 1:58.89.

MIXED 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World Record: 3:37.58 – Great Britain (2021)
• European Record: 3:37.58 – Great Britain (2021)
• Championship Record: 3:38.82 – Great Britain (2021)

Final:

1. Israel – 3:45.74
2. Germany – 3:48.12
3. Hungary – 3:48.79
4. Sweden – 3:49.93
5. Denmark – 3:50.99
6. Ireland – 3:51.06
7. Poland – DQ
8. Greece – DQ

Following disqualifications for Poland and Greece, Israel found themselves standing atop the podium in the 4×100 mixed medley relay. Poland had won the race prior to the DQ being finalized, and Greece had originally finished 3rd.

The Israeli team of Anastasia Gorbenko (59.44), Ron Polonsky (59.80), Gal Groumi (51.90), and Andrea Murez (54.60) teamed up for a 3:45.74 to win the gold medal. They did it using a female-male-male-female lineup, which is somewhat uncommon. There’s more shuffling around of the genders in the mixed medley relays than the free relays, however, going male-male-female-female is still the most common mixed medley lineup. Nonetheless, it worked out for Israel, as Gorbenko was excellent on the backstroke leg, and Groumi provided a very strong fly leg as well.

Germany wound up with the silver medal, helped greatly by a 59.09 breast split out of Melvin Imoudu, and a 51.51 fly split from Luca Armbruster. The Hungarian team got out to great start hanks to a 53.71 backstroke leg from Hubert Kos. They earned the bronze medal with a 3:48.79.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 8:04.79 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2016)
• European Record: 8:14.10 – Rebecca Adlington, Great Britain (2008)
• Championship Record: 8:15.54 – Jazmin Carlin, Great Britain (2014)
• OQT: 8:26.71

Final:

1. Ajna Kesely (Hungary) – 8:29.96
2. Fleur Lewis (Great Britain) – 8:33.54
3. Deniz Ertan (Turkey) – 8:34.31
4. Francisca Martins (Portugal) – 8:34.35
5. Jeannette Spiwoks (Germany) – 8:40.05
6. Merve Tuncel (Turkey) – 8:40.32
7. Boglarka Telegdy (Hungary) – 8:40.33
8. Grace Palmer (Belgium) – 8:51.04

Hungarian Ajna Kesely won gold in the women’s 800 free comfortably tonight, putting up an 8:29.96. She swam her race very well, sitting in 6th early on, then steadily improving her placement in the field over the front half of the race. By the 350m turn, Kesely was in 2nd place, and she then moved into 1st by the 500m turn. From there, Kesely grew her lead over the field, and ended up finishing 1st by nearly 4 seconds.

There was a great race for 2nd going on, as Great Britain’s Fleur Lewis was 2nd in 8:33.54, Deniz Ertan (Hungary) was 8:34.31 for 3rd, and Portugal’s Francisca Martins was 4th in 8:34.35. Martins was leading the race through the first 450m, but may have pushed it too hard too early, as she faded to 4th down the stretch.