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 Grigorii 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

The men’s 50 backstroke semifinals were close and are building to what will potentially be a very close final tomorrow with all eight swimmers coming in within four tenths of each other.

Belarus native Artsiom Yarmak sawm the top time of 25.05, nine hundredths ahead of Russian Neutral Athletes Grigorii Chernogaev and Matvei Asheko who took 2nd in 25.14 and 3rd in 25.18.

France will also be represented by two athletes in the final with Chrissander Cerda swimming 25.31 for 4th and Nathan Muratory swimming 25.37 to tie for 5th with Giovanni Phillipson from the Netherlands.

Germany’s Mitja Bauer and Hungary’s Sebestyen Papp will round out the final in 25.43 and 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

Sofia Anufrieva, a Neutral Athlete from Russia, swam 30.95 to set the top time in the women’s 50 breaststroke by more than half-a-second.

She won semifinal 2 over Belarusian breastroker Valeryia Shylko‘s 31.53, which was good for 3rd overall in the event. This swim was a tenth off the 30.85 she set in July of 2025. Shylko’s swim was a three tenth drop from the 31.89 she set in February.

Belarus will also be represented by Alisa Belaya in the final after she won the 2nd semifinal in 31.52, just one hundredth ahead of Shylko’s 31.53. This was also a personal best fo rBelaya, taking about a tenth off her 31.61 from february.

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

Max Morgan lowered his own British Age Record and tied the European Junior Championships record in the men’s 50 breaststroke, stopping the clock in 27.18 for the top time in the semifinals.

This swim came in two tenths faster than the 27.36 he swam in January to set the British Age record time. He also tied Jan Foltyn‘s prelims meet record.

Foltyn took 2nd in 27.41, two tenths back of Morgan for the win in the 2nd semifinal and the 2nd qualifying position.

Germany’s Louis Hoffmann took 3rd in 27.52, a tenth behind Foltyn’s 27.41. This swim was a half second drop from the 27.97 mark he set in April.

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

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. David Antal (HUN) — 1:58.56
2. Mateo Gregoire-Charmasson (FRA) — 1:59.26
3. Stefano Mogno (ITA) — 1:59.37
4. Georgios Kalandros (GRE) — 1:59.65
5. Paolo Couenne-Bensabeur (FRA) — 1:59.85
6. Botond Biben (HUN) — 2:00.23
7. Thomas Carapia (ITA) — 2:00.32
8. Matis Ondrej Kristof (SVK) — 2:00.47

Hungary’s David Antal is well on his way to another men’s 200 butterfly win after he was the only swimmer under 1:59 in the semifinal. He touched in 1:58.56 to win the first semifinal over France’s Mateo Gregoire-Charmasson’s 1:59.26.

Antal spilt 25.66/30.09/31.41/31.40 to lead his semifinal from start-to-finish as he came in about a second off his 2025 winning time of 1:57.42.

Gregoire-Charmasson finished 2nd in 1:59.26, splitting 26.64/30.18/30.88/31.56, to finish a tenth off his best of 1:59.17 from last year.

Stefano Mogno, from Italy, took 3rd in the first semifinal with his 1:59.37. He spit 26.81/30.28/31.03/31.25. This was a new lifetime best by three tenths from the 1:59.96 set in April.

Greece’s Georgios Kalandros finished 1st in the 2nd semifinal to qualify 4th overall with his 1:59.65. He split 26.30/29.99/31.22/32.14 to add a second from the 1:58.41 set in May of 2026.

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

Gold: Great Britain — 3:37.35 **New European Junior Record

Silver: Italy — 3:39.36

Bronze: Neutral Athletes — 3:39.36

The women’s 400 freestyle relay went to Great Britain in a new European Junior Record time of 3:37.35, taking three tenths off Russia’s EJR record of 3:37.87 from 2025.

Emma Wood led the team off in in 55.23, sitting in 2nd place behind the Neutral Athlete team, who had Kira Manokhina lead off in 54.28.

The 2nd leg saw Theodora Taylor swim 53.42 to maintain their 2nd place position behind Kseniia Sorokina‘s 54.16 for the AIN team.

The tide changed on the 3rd leg, which had Hannah Capron split 54.53 to take over the lead from Polina Kholopova‘s 56.38.

On the anchor leg, Amalie Smith split 54.17 to lock up the win and the EJR. Kseniia Misharina swam 54.80 for Russia to earn the bronze medal.

Italy finished 2nd with their team of Alessandra Leoni (55.88), Caterina Santambrogio (54.30), Penelope Olga Lopez-Casula (54.88), and Alessandra Mao (54.30) swimming 3:37.35, taking over 2nd on the final 100.

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

Gold: Neutral Athletes — 3:12.75 **New World Junior Record

Silver: Italy — 3:15.46

Bronze : Great Britain — 3:16.06

The neutral athlete delegation from Russia set their 2nd world junior record of the day en route to their win in the men’s 400 freestyle relay.

They stopped the clock in 3:12.75, taking two seconds off their prelims record time of 3:14.72, and winning the event by almost three seconds ahead of last year’s champion Italy.

Bogdan Toropkin led the team off in 49.21. He handed off to Egor Proshin, who split 47.58 on the 2nd leg. Matvei Miliav swam 48.36 in 3rd, and Mikhail Shcherbakov swam 47.60 on the anchor leg.

Italy finished 2nd with their team of Christian Tassan-Caser (49.49), Andrea Lucarelli (48.92), Damiano Cappellazzo (48.65), and Francesco Ceolin (48.40) swimming 3:15.46 to finish six tenths ahead of Great Britain’s 3:16.06.

Aran Bissett (48.98), Jensen Norris (49.21), Harry Milne (48.60), and Dean Fearn (49.27) swam 3:16.06 to finish 3rd overall.