De Groot Takes Down Own Dutch Record In Men’s 50 Breaststroke

2026 DUTCH EUROPEAN SWIMMING TRIALS

We saw the second national record bite the dust on day one of the 2026 Dutch European Swimming Trials, with 24-year-old Koen de Groot joining the party with a new lifetime best in the men’s 50m breaststroke.

Powering his way to the wall first, de Groot stopped the clock at a rapid result of 26.68 to take the gold ahead of two Olympic medalists.

Caspar Corbeau settled for silver well behind in 27.34, as Arno Kamminga bagged the bronze in 27.55.

De Groot’s performance overtook his own former Dutch benchmark of 26.71 he put on the books in the semi-final of the event at the 2025 World Championships. There in Singapore, the former University of Florida Gator ultimately placed 7th in the final in a slightly slower time of 26.81.

His time of 26.68 from tonight would have rendered him the 4th-place finisher in that final; however, it would have topped the podium at the 2024 European Championships.

De Groot now ranks 6th in the world on the season, tying Chris Smith of South Africa.

2025-2026 LCM Men 50 BREAST

VanUSA
MATHIAS
06/17
26.30
2Simone
CERASUOLO
ITA26.5104/18
3Ivan
Kozhakin
RUS26.5206/26
4Melvin
IMOUDU
GER26.5704/25
5Sam
WILLIAMSON
AUS26.6106/10
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About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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