2026 European Junior Championships: Day Six Finals Live Recap

2026 EUROPEAN JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, July 7 – Sunday, July 12, 2026
• Munich, Germany
• LCM (50 meters)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

We’ve finally arrived on the last day of action at the 2026 European Junior Swimming Championships.

Through the first five days, we’ve been treated to some high-octane racing and impressive results from swimmers on both the girls’ and boys’ side, with tonight’s agenda expected to bring us even more fireworks.

In addition to a plethora of individual events, including the boys’ and girls’ 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke, the session will be topped off by their respective medley relays.

GIRLS 200 IM – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 2:06.56, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2024
• European Junior Record: 2:10.32, Amalie Smith (GBR), 2026
• Championship Record: 2:12.41, Leah Schlosshan (GBR), 2023
• 2025 European Junior Champion: 2:12.62, Amalie Smith (GBR)

GOLD – Barbara Lesniewska (POL), 2:12.45
SILVER – Viktoriia Tarannikova (NA), 2:14.10
BRONZE – Anna Rzaeva (NA), 2:14.44

Nothing too crazy transpired in the final of the girls’ 200m IM but our winner, Barbara Lesniewska of Poland, did score the decisive victory.

16-year-old Lesniewska got to the wall in a time of 2:12.45, beating two Neutral Athletes by well over a second.

Viktoriia Tarannikova finished with the silver in 2:14.10, while teammate Anna Rzaeva rounded out the podium in 2:14.44.

Lesniewska’s effort marks a significant personal best, taking over the previous PB of 2:13.20 she registered at the Barcelona stop of this year’s Mare Nostrum Tour.

BOYS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 52.08, Miron Lifintsev (RUS), 2024
• European Junior Record: 52.08, Miron Lifintsev (RUS), 2024
• Championship Record: 52.91, Ksawery Masiuk (POL), 2022
• 2025 European Junior Champion: John Shortt (IRL), 54.09

GOLD – Mikhail Shcherbakov (NA), 53.99
SILVER – Nathan Muratory (FRA), 54.00
BRONZE – Chrissander Cerda (FRA), 54.52

A swimming race doesn’t get any closer than this, as the top two boys’ 100m backstroke performers wound up being separated by just .01.

When the dust settled, it was Neutral Athlete Mikhail Shcherbakov who got the job done, reaching the wall in a solid outing of 53.99.

Frenchman and University of Michigan commit Nathan Muratory settled for silver after winning the 200m back earlier in the meet. Muratory touched in 54.00.

His teammate Chrissander Cerda also landed on the podium in 54.52, good enough for bronze.

Shcherbakov split 26.29/27.70 on his way to nabbing the 2nd-best time of his career and just the 2nd outing under the 54-second barrier. The Russian’s personal best remains at the 53.54 logged this past April.

As for Muratory, the 17-year-old has been as swift as 53.45 in his career from this past May, with tonight’s performance checking in as his #2 fastest.

The field was right around the same level as last year, with the 2025 winner, John Shortt of Ireland, nabbing gold in 54.09.

GIRLS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA), 2019
• European Junior Record: 59.08, Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR), 2020
• Championship Record: 59.62, Polina Egorova (RUS), 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Daria Silișteanu (ROU), 1:00.40

GOLD – Irene Ciercoles (ESP), 1:00.06
SILVER – Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu (ROU), 1:00.11
BRONZE – Jeanne Lechevalier (FRA), 1:00.35

The girls’ 100m backstroke was nearly as close, with winner Irene Ciercoles of Spain and runner-up Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu separated by only .05 in their battle to the wall.

France’s Jeanne Lechevalier rounded out the podium not far behind, clocking 1:00.35 for her nation.

In our day five medal table roundup, we highlighted the fact that Spain, who finished 3rd in the overall medal table at last year’s edition of this competition, was still seeking its first gold. And, 16-year-old Ciercoles made it happen tonight to help Spain’s position as we move through this final day of swimming.

She picked the right time to put up a personal best, with her gold medal-worthy 1:00.06 slicing .04 off her former PB of 1:00.10 from last month.

And Ciercoles denied Silisteanu the gold, after the Romanian won this event last year in 1:00.40 in addition to claiming silver at the 2025 World Junior Championships in 1:00.02, the former national record before the 17-year-old dropped it down to a super quick 59.63 this past April.

BOYS 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 58.67, Shin Ohashi (JPN), 2026
• European Junior Record: 59.01, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• Championship Record: 59.23, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Filip Nowacki (GBR), 59.59

GOLD – Evangelos Efraim Ntoumas (GRE), 59.91
SILVER – Louis Hoffmann (GER), 1:00
BRONZE – Max Morgan (GBR), 1:00.41

Another nation earned its first gold medal of this competition, with Greece’s rising star Evangelos Efrain Ntoumas delivering the top spot in the boys’ 100m breaststroke.

Ntoumas upgraded his silver from last year to gold, stopping the clock at 59.91 as the sole swimmer in the field to delve into sub-minute territory.

Germany’s Louis Hoffman led the field out of the semi-finals, but dropped down one spot to still secure the silver this evening in 1:00.29, a new lifetime best by .35.

Max Morgan of Great Britain also landed on the podium in 1:00.41 for the bronze, repeating his same station from the 2025 World Junior Championships. There in Romania, Morgan turned in a time of 59.93.

BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 46.86, David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• European Junior Record: 46.86, David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• Championship Record: 47.30, David Popovici (ROU), 2021
• 2025 European Junior Champion: 48.25, Luca Hoek (ESP)

GOLD – Luca Hoek (ESP), 48.18
SILVER – Egor Proshin (NA), 48.49
BRONZE – Tajus Juska (LTU), 48.67

The top three performers out of last night’s boys’ 100m freestyle semi-finals remained in the top tier, albeit in a different order once medals were on the line.

Spanish national record holder Luca Hoek gave his country its second gold of the evening, courtesy of the 48.18 he notched to top the podium in this thrilling event.

Neutral Athlete Egor Proshin had led the pack after last night but dipped down to the silver medal position in 48.49, .02 faster than yesterday’s 48.51 semi-final.

17-year-old Tajus Juska bagged the bronze in 48.67, just .10 outside what it took for the Lithuanian to earn the silver behind Hoek last year.

Going back to Spaniard Hoek, the teen represents the first-ever man from his nation to clear the 48-second barrier in this 1free event. While competing at the Spanish Open Championships last month, he set a lifetime best of 47.72 to nail the new national standard and make history.

GIRLS 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• European Junior Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• Championship Record: 1:05.48, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Smiltė Plytnykaitė (LTU), 1:07.21

GOLD – Sofia Anufrieva (NA), 1:08.10
SILVER – Kay-Lyn Lohr (SUI), 1:08.88
BRONZE –Lucia Gregoria Martinez (ESP), 1:09.11

Ukraine earned the top two slots for tonight’s final of the girls’ 100m breaststroke, but Iryna Miliutina and teammate Yana Klikotska found themselves in the 6th and 8th positions in the medal-contending affair.

Elevating herself from 3rd seed to topping the podium was Neutral Athlete Sofia Anufrieva, clocking a time of 1:08.10.

That gave her a healthy advantage over Switzerland’s Kay-Lyn Lohr, who doubled up with her 200m breaststroke silver with another runner-up placement in this shorter event in 1:08.88.

Spain continued to carry momentum, with Lucia Gregoria Martinez earning the bronze in 1:09.11.

GIRLS 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 25.11, Rikako Ikee (JPN), 2018
• European Junior Record: 25.56, Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR), 2021
• Championship Record: 26.03, Andreanne Bourseul (FRA), 2026
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Flawia Kamzol (POL), 26.17

GOLD – Andreanne Bourseul (FRA), 26.19
SILVER – Carlota Rodriguez (ESP), 26.40
BRONZE – Jinth Engelse (NED), 26.49

Andreanne Bourseul of France added slightly to the 26.03 Championship Record she put on the books last night, but still got it done for gold in the girls’ 50m butterfly event.

18-year-old Bourseul registered a winning effort of 26.19 as the clear winner, with Carlota Rodriguez of Spain next in line at 26.40, followed by Dutch ace Jinth Engelse, who scored bronze in a mark of 26.49. Rodriguez’s time was just off the 26.35 PB and Spanish national record she put up last night.

Entering this competition, Bourseul’s lifetime best checked in at the 26.24 she notched just last month, so both last night’s semi performance and today’s gold medal-winning outing overtook that PB.

Engelse’s outing tonight tied the 26.49 from yesterday, with her PB remaining at the 26.36 from just a week ago.

BOYS 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 22.96, Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 2022
• European Junior Record: 22.96, Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 2022
• Championship Record: Dean Fern (GBR), 23.29, 2025
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Dean Fern (GBR), 23.29

GOLD – Jan Foltyn (CZE), 23.45
SILVER – David Antal (HUN), 23.59
BRONZE –Dean Fearn (GBR), 23.63

It was another hard-fought battle to the wall to make the podium in this men’s 50m butterfly, an event in which the top three performers were separated by only .18.

18-year-old Jan Foltyn of Czechia delivered an impressive time of 23.45 to earn the gold, although he was quicker last night in 23.37.

Foltyn already won the 50m freestyle at this competition, and he’s rapidly approaching the Czech national record in this sprint as well. That benchmark stands at the 23.23 Daniel Gracík notched in 2024.

Hungarian David Antal upgraded himself from the 3rd seed yesterday to snagging the silver in tonight’s final. 17-year-old Antal registered 23.59, quicker than last night’s effort of 23.73. His PB entering this competition checked in at the 23.67 notched this past April.

18-year-old Dean Fearn of Great Britain secured the bronze in 23.63. Fearn won this event both at the European Junior Championships (23.29) and at the World Junior Championships. (23.54), so he was a tad slower than his previous elite international competition performances.

GIRLS 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:56.08, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• European Junior Record: 4:03.57, Ajna Kesely (HUN), 2018
• Championship Record: 4:05.89, Ajna Kesely (HUN), 2018
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Sofia Diakova, 4:07.06

GOLD – Kseniia Misharina (NA), 4:05.54 *Championship Record*
SILVER – Sofia Diakova (NA), 4:06.86
BRONZE – Linda Roth (GER), 4:08.20

We saw our first Championship Record of the session go down, with Neutral Athlete Kseniia Misharina clocking a new meet standard on her way to winning this women’s 400m freestyle event.

17-year-old Misharina delivered a mighty performance of 4:05.54, a new personal best by over a second, to grab the gold. In doing so the Russian overtook the longstanding Championship Record of 4:05.89 Hungary’s Ajna Kesely put on the books at the 2018 European Junior Championships.

Teammate Sofia Diakova collected the silver tonight in 4:06.86, with Germany’s Linda Roth surging up from the 5th seed to earn the bronze tonight in 4:08.20.

Diakova is the reigning European Junior Championships gold medalist in this race, having produced a time of 4:07.06 last year in Slovakia. Misharina was the runner-up, less than half a second back in 4:07.52.

BOYS 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:42.82, Zhang Zhanshuo (CHN), 2025
• European Junior Record: 3:44.31, Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• Championship Record: 3:44.31, Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Gregorii Vekovishchev (NA), 3:48.71

GOLD – Grigorii Vekovishchev (NA), 3:44.58
SILVER – Oliver Papai (HUN), 3:47.88
BRONZE – Christian Giefing (AUT), 3:47.92

Neutral Athlete Grigorii Vekovishchev dominated the final of the boys’ 400m freestyle, throwing down a blistering winning time of 3:44.58. That represents a huge personal best, eliminating the 3:46.16 he notched just this past April.

Vekovishchev’s outing fell just .27 shy of the European Junior Record of 3:44.31 Bulgaria’s Petar Mitsin put on the books three yars ago.

Hungarian maestro Oliver Papai secured the silver this evening in 3:47.88, a mark only .06 outside his fastest-ever performance of 3:47.82 from just last month.

Top-seeded Christian Giefing of Austria was moved down to the bronze medal position, earning a still-solid swim of 3:47.92 as a new personal best by over a second.

GIRLS 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:58.38, Canada, 2017
• European Junior Record: 4:00.30, Russia, 2025
• Championship Record: 4:01.83, Russia, 2019
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Italy, 4:04.30

GOLD – Neutral Athletes, 4:01.83 *Championship Record*
SILVER – Italy, 4:02.75
BRONZE – Spain, 4:05.91

The Neutral Athletes delivered a powerful performance on their way to gold in the girls’ 4x100m medley relay, with their time of 4:01.83 matching the longstanding Championship Record Russia established in 2019.

Tonight, the combination of Varvara Filippova, Sofia Anufrieva, Serafima Fokina and Kira Manokina collectively climbed atop the podium, ripping notable splits on all four legs.

Filippova opened in 1:01.27, with Anufrieva continuing the momentum with a second leg of 1:08.47. The fly portion saw Fokina clock a split of 58.83 before Manokina unleashed an anchor of 53.26 to capture the gold.

Italy was the next-best squad in 4:02.75, with Spain also landing on the podium in 4:05.91, good enough for the bronze.

BOYS 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:33.19, Russia, 2025
• European Junior Record: 3:33.19, Russia, 2025
• Championship Record: 3:35.24, Italy, 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Great Britain, 3:38.09

GOLD – Italy, 3:35.59
SILVER – Neutral Athletes, 3:36.01
BRONZE – Great Britain, 3:36.39

Italy captured the final gold medal of the 2026 European Junior Championships, with the boys’ 4x100m medley relay getting it done for the nation in 3:35.59.

They beat Neutral Athletes by just under half a second, with NA hitting 3:36.01 for silver, followed closely by Great Britain, last year’s victors, who notched 3:36.39.

Italy’s lineup included Gabriele di Scola (55.25), Gabriele Garzia (1:00.52), Francesco Ceolin (51.60) and Cristian Tassan-Caser (48.22) to clinch the gold.

Additional notable splits came from Mikhail Shcherbakov‘s lead-off 54.11, with Egor Proshin‘s anchor of 48.16.

Great Britain’s squad saw Aran Bissett scorch an anchor of 48.08 to help the team earn bronze.