2026 European Junior Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2026 EUROPEAN JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, July 7 – Sunday, July 12, 2026
• Munich, Germany
• LCM (50 meters)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Recap

Welcome to the first finals session of the 2026 European Junior Championships!

This morning’s prelims had some exciting races, including a new World Junior Record in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, with Russia’s Neutral Athlete relay swimming 3:14.72, and a new Championship Record in the men’s 50 breaststroke, courtesy of Czechia’s Jan Foltyn swimming 27.18.

Tonight’s finals session features just one individual event final, the women’s 400 IM, where last year’s champion Amalie Smith will be racing European Junior record holder Vivien Jackl for the overall event win.

The session will then feature a number of semifinals where the top eight athletes in each event will move onto the event final. It will wrap up with the finals of the 400 freestyle relays for both the men and women.

Women’s 400 IM — Final

• World Junior Record: 4:24.38 — Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2024
• European Junior Record: 4:34.96 — Vivien Jackl (HUN), 2024
• Meet Record: 4:37.02 — Amalie Smith (GBR), 2025
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Amalie Smith (GBR) — 4:37.02

Gold: Amalie Smith (GBR) — 4:35.32 **New Championship Record
Silver: Vivien Jackl (HUN) — 4:37.47
Bronze: Viktoriia Blinova (AIN) — 4:45.78

For the 2nd year in a row, Amalie Smith has earned the 2026 European Junior Championships Title in the women’s 400 IM in Championship Record time.

She stopped the clock in 4:35.32, taking nearly two seconds off her own 2025 record time of 4:37.02 and breaking the British Age Record time for 16-year-olds that was set by Georgia Coates at 4:39.94 in August of 2025.

Smith grabbed the lead at the first 50, splitting 29.53 to turn a tenth ahead of Vivien Jackl‘s 29.67 in 2nd place.

After the first 50, Jackl took the lead, splitting 33.70 to turn in 1:03.37, just ahead of Smith’s 1:03.41 (33.88).

Jackl massively extended her lead on the backstroke splitting 34.32/33.12 to turn almost five seconds ahead of Smith in 2:10.81. Smith was 36.73/35.43 to turn in 2:15.57 for 2nd place.

The breaststroke saw Smith make up almost all the ground she lost on the first 50. She split 37.81 to Jackl’s 41.22 to turn just over a second back.

Smith took the lead back on the 2nd breaststroke 50 with her 38.14 to Jackl’s 41.68. Smith was 32.68/31.11 on the freestyle leg to finish two seconds ahead of Jackl’s 32.31/31.45 and 4:37.47.

Viktoriia Blinolva, who is competing as a Neutral Athlete from Russia, finished 3rd in 4:45.78, a seven second add from the 4:38.48 she swam in April.

Women’s 200 Free — Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 1:53.65 — Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• European Junior Record: 1:56.14 — Nikolett Padar (HUN), 2024
• Meet Record: 1:57.51 — Isabel Gose (GER), 2019
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Bianca Nannucci (ITA) — 1:58.41

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Ieva Jurkunaite (LTU) — 1:58.79
2. Linda Roth (GER) — 1:59.11
3. Juliana Buttler (GER) — 1:59.39
4. Sofia Diakova (AIN) — 1:59.82
5. Bianca Nannucci (ITA) — 2:00.16
6. Barbara Lesniewska (POL) — 2:00.59
7. Maeline Bessard (FRA) — 2:01.15
8. Lucrezia Domina (ITA) — 2:01.20

There were four women under 2:00 in tonight’s 200 freestyle semifinal, and they were led by Lithuania’s Ieva Jurkunaite, who swam 1:58.79 for the top time and the only sub-1:59 swim.

The top four swimmers all came from the 2nd semifinal. Jurkunaite led the heat from start-to-finish, splitting 27.42/29.90/30.72/30.75. She came in just a tenth off her best of 1:58.62 from April.

Germany took 2nd and 3rd in the heat. Linda Roth split 27.75/29.84/30.96/30.56 to finish 2nd in 1:59.11, two seconds off her best of 1:57.52, and Juliana Buttler was 1:59.39 with her splits of 28.02/30.04/30.92/30.41.

The first semifinal went to last year’s champion Bianca Nannucci of Italy in 2:00.16 after she split 28.61/30.36/31.11/30.19.

Men’s 200 Free– Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 1:42.97 — David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• European Junior Record: 1:42.97 — David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• Meet Record: 1:45.26 — David Popovici (ROU), 2021
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Christian Giefing (AUT) — 1:46.88

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Grigorii Vekovishchev (AIN) — 1:45.75
2. Christian Giefing (AUT) — 1:45.88
3. Bogdan Toropkin (AIN) — 1:46.63
4. Tajus Juska (LTU) — 1:47.00
5. Oliver Papai (HUN) — 1:47.64
6. Ahmet Mete Boylu (TUR) — 1:47.69
7. Gabriel Crassard (FRA) — 1:48.34
8. Damiano Cappellazzo (ITA) — 1:48.36

Neutral Athlete Grigorri Vekovischev swam the top time in the men’s 200 freestyle semifinal, stopping the clock in 1:45.75 to finish just a tenth ahead of Christian Giefing’s 1:45.88 in the same heat.

Vekovishchev split 24.65/26.63/27.07/27.40 to sit in 2nd through the first 150 meters before taking over the lead on the final 50. This swim was a two second drop from the 1:47.91 he swam in April of 2026.

Giefing swam 24.95/26.50/26.86/27.57 to finish 2nd in the heat and the event semifinals, dropping a second from the 1:46.88 he swam at this meet last year.

Bogdan Toropkin, another Neutral athlete, won the first semifinal in 1:46.63, splitting 24.78/26.83/27.27/27.75. This was a best by two tenths from the 1:46.85 he swam in April.

Women’s 50 Back — Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 27.22 — Fu Yuanhui (CHN), 2013
• European Junior Record: 27.51 — Daria Vaskina (RUS), 2019
• Meet Record: 27.74 — Mary-Ambre Moluh (FRA), 2022
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Blythe Kinsman (GBR) — 27.79

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Irene Ciercoles Galve (ESP) — 27.97
2. Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu (ROU) — 28.11
3. Jeanne Lechavalier (FRA) — 28.25
4. Aleksandra Kolobrodova (AIN) — 28.32
5. Fanni Viktoria Kokas (HUN) — 28.38
6. Eva Rottink (NED) — 28.40
7. Emilija Pociute (LTU) — 28.47
8. Varvara Filippova (AIN) — 28.54

Spain’s Irene Ciercoles Galve swam 27.97 to win the women’s 50 backstroke semifinals as the only swimmer under 29 seconds. She added about a tenth from the 27.86 she swam at the Mare Nostrum stop in Monaco.

Romania’s Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu took 2nd in 28.11 with her win in the 1st semifinal. this was a new lifetime bes from the 28.26 she swam at this meet last year.

French European Championships qualifier Jeanne Lechavalier finished 3rd in 28.25, picking up the 3rd qualifying spot for tomorrow’s event final.

Eva Rottink and Roos Rottink, who both live and train in the United States, finished 6th and 10th in the event respectively for the Netherlands, with Eva Rottink swimming 28.40 to earn her way into the final.

Men’s 50 Back — Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 24.00 — Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• European Junior Record: 24.00 — Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• Meet Record: 24.52 — Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Georgii Iakovlev (RUS) — 25.04

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Artsiom Yarmak (BLR) — 25.05
2. Grigorii Chernogaev (AIN) — 25.14
3. Matvei Asheko (AIN) — 25.18
4. Chrissander Cerda (FRA) — 25.31
5. Giovanni Phillipson (NED)/Nathan Muratory (FRA) — 25.37
6. —
7. Mitja Bauer (GER) — 25.43
8. Sebestyen Papp (HUN) — 25.45

Women’s 50 Breast — Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 29.30 — Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2021
• European Junior Record: 29.30 — Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2021
• Meet Record: 29.75 — Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2021
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Smilte Plytnykaite (LTU) — 31.16

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Sofia Anufrieva (AIN) — 30.95
2. Alisa Belaya (BLR) — 31.52
3. Valeryia Shylko (BLR) — 31.53
4. Lucia Gregoria Martinez Moreno (ESP) — 31.59
5. Kay-Lyn Lohr (SUI) — 31.64
6. Iryna Miliutina (UKR) — 31.69
7. Gabrielle Beavers (GBR) — 31.78
8. Francesca Petrillo Giannini (ITA) — 31.81

Men’s 50 Breast — Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 26.95 — Jan Malte Graefe (GER), 2025
• European Junior Record: 26.95 — Jan Malte Graefe (GER), 2025
• Meet Record: 27.18 — Jan Foltyn (CZE), 2026
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Nusrat Allahverdi (TUR) — 27.24

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Max Morgan (GBR) — 27.18 **Tie Championship Record
2. Jan Foltyn (CZE) — 27.41
3. Louis Hoffmann (GER) — 27.52
4. Mark Teler (ISR) — 27.72
5. Evangelos Efraim Ntoumas (GRE) — 27.73
6. Rio Halawi (DEN) — 27.81
7. Aleksei Grabko (AIN) — 27.90
8. Kirstaps Cilipans (LAT) — 28.00

Men’s 200 Fly — Semifinal

• World Junior Record: 1:52.71 — Kristof Milak (HUN), 2018
• European Junior Record: 1:52.71 — Kristof Milak (HUN), 2018
• Meet Record: 1:53.79 — Kristof Milak (HUN), 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: David Antal (HUN) — 1:57.42

Women’s 400 Free Relay — Final

• World Junior Record: 3:35.53 — United States, 2025
• European Junior Record: 3:37.87 — Russia, 2025
• Meet Record: 3:40.10 — Russia, 2021
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Spain — 3:41.29

Men’s 400 Free Relay — Final

• World Junior Record: 3:14.72 — Russia, 2025
• European Junior Record: 3:14.72 — Russia, 2025
• Meet Record: 3:14.72 — Russia, 2025
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Italy — 3:18.34