Euro Meet: Govorov, Sjöström set 2018 fastest times in 50m butterfly

2018 EURO MEET

• January 26th-28th, 2018
• d’Coque, Luxembourg-Kirchberg
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Entry Lists
• Live stream 

On the schedule for the first day are: Women’s and men’s 400m IM (timed finals), 200m butterfly (heats, women and men), women’s 800m freestyle (timed final), men’s 1500m freestyle (timed final), 100m backstroke (heats, women and men), 50m butterfly (heats, women and men).

Today’s races feature Olympic champion Sarah Sjöström in the 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle, Great Britain’s Hannah Miley in the 400m IM and a star-studded field in the men’s 50m butterfly with Ben Proud (GBR, 2017 World Champion), Andriy Govorov (UKR, bronze at the 2017 World Championships) and Andrii Khloptsov (UKR, Finalist at the 2017 World Championshipls and also Laszlo Cseh (HUN), Shinri Shioura (JPN) and Bruno Fratus (BRA).

The women’s 800m freestyle promises a tought battle between Sarah Köhler (GER; 2017 European SC Champion) and Jazz Carlin (GBR, silver medalist 2016 Olympic Games).

And Russia’s shooting star Kliment Kolesnikov will make his first appearance at the Euro Meet in the 100m backstroke today.

With Olympic Champion Katinka Hosszu pulled out of the Euro Meet, Great Britain’s Hannah Miley stepped into the role of the favorite in the 400m IM, she won several inernational medals in this event during her career.

Miley took the first victory of the 2018 Euro meet in the women’s 400m IM in 4:39,28, this is the second fastest time worldwide in the fresh season of 2018.

Women’s 400m IM, timed fnal: 

1. MILEY Hannah 89 Great Britain 4:39.28
2. WILLMOTT Aimee 93 Great Britain 4:41.69
3. HARVEY Mary-Sophie 99 Canada 4:46.53

On the men’s side, Germany’s Jacob Heidtmann touched the wall first in 4:19,18, this is the second fastest time in the world so far for 2018. He overtook Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh and Peter Bernek with the fastest time on the last freestyle lane.

Men’s 400m IM, timed final: 

1. HEIDTMANN Jacob 94 German Swimming Federation 4:19.18
2. CSEH Laszlo 85 HUN  Egri UK 4:19.82
3. BERNEK Peter 92 HUN BVSC-Zuglo 4:19.95

Franziska Hentke (GER) set the fastest time in the heats of the 200m butterfly in 2:09,64. Hentke missed the German qualification standard for prelims (2:09,21). The German qualification period for the 2018 European and Junior European (LC) Championships starts on Monday and ends on April, 29th, the athletes must crack the nominations standards at an international swim meet during this period.

Also in tomorrow’s final are: SZILAGY Liliana (HUN), ATKINSON Charlotte (GBR), MILEY Hannah (GBR), STEPHENS Laura (GBR),  LAHTINEN Laura (FIN), BROCKHAUS Marie (GER), FELDVOSS Emily (GER).

James Guy (GBR) earned the top spot for finals on Saturday evening, he was clocked at 1:59,06  in the men’s 200m butterfly. Laszlo Cseh returned after the grueling 400m IM for the 200m butterfly with the 4th fastest time in heats. All finalists: KLENZ Ramon (GER), POPOV Dmitry (RUS), CSEH Laszlo (HUN), KUNERT Alexander (GER), KESIL Denys (UKR), VERLINDEN Joeri (NED), HEINTZ Philip (GER), 2:03.29.

Sarah Köhler (GER) won the timed final of the 800m freestyle in 8:35,15. She now sits on the third place in the FINA World Ranking 2018.

Women’s 800m freestyle (timed final):

1. KOEHLER Sarah 94 GER – SG Frankfurt 8:35.15
2. BOY Lea 00 GER – Swim-Team Stadtwerke Elmshorn 8:46.08
3. CARLIN Jazz 90 GBR  Swim Wales 8:46.92

First in the men’s 1500m freestyle was Florian Wellbrock (GER) with a time of 15:18,82 (personal best: 14:55,49), at this time of the year the 6th fastest time in the world.

Men’s 1500 m freestyle (timed final):

1.WELLBROCK Florian 97 GER in 15:18.82
2.FROLOV Sergiy 92 RUS – Energy Standard 15:26.65
3.GEORGAKOPOULOS Andreas 00 GRE  15:34.93

Georgia Davies (GBR) came in first in the women’s 100m backstroke in 1:01,41. She trains with the squad of Energy Standard like many swimmers from all over Europe who participate at the Euro Meet. Also Sarah Sjöström showed up in the heats of the 100m backstroke, she finished 4th in 1:02,08 (personal best: 59,98).

Fastest 8 swimmers into tomorrow’s finals:  DAVIES Georgia 1:01,41, EGOROVA Polina (RUS – Energy Standard), MENSING Jenny (GER), SJOESTROEM Sarah (SWE), ZEVINA Daryna  (UKR), GRAF Lisa (GER), HARVEY Mary-Sophie 99 Canada, SHKURDAI Anastasia (BLE  – Energy Standard) in 1:02.51.

Kliment Kolesnikov punched his ticket for the final with the fastest time in the men’s 100m backstroke, posting a 55,51, followed by Great Britain’s Chris Walker-Hebborn (55,88). Also qualified for the final are:  CECCON Thomas, BOLLIN Thierry (SUI), STACCHIOTTI Raphael (LUX), MATHIEU Geoffroy (FRA),  BERNEK Peter (HUN), MANNES Max (LUX) in 58.36.

Sarah Sjöström made it into the women’s 50m butterfly final with the fastest time (25,60), also the fastest time in 2018 so far worldwide. Additional finalists: SZILAGY Liliana (HUN), CLARK Imogen (GBR), BIANCHI Ilaria (ITA), ATKINSON Charlotte (GBR), STEPHENS Laura (GBR), BIONDANI Giorgia, SCHEGOLEVA Alexandra (Cyprus) in 27,81.

Andriy Govorov came out on top in the men’s 50m butterfly with a time of 23,20, this is a new Euro Meet record, the first on this first day of competition day. Another 7 finalists: PROUD Ben (GBR), WIERLING Damian (GER), SHIOURA Shinri  (JPN), SHEVTSOV Sergii (UKR –  Energy Standard), VERLINDEN Joeri (NED), MINAKOV Andrei, KOZMA Dominik (HUN) in 24.21.

The Euro Meet fnished at 9.00 pm local time today and will continue tomorrow morning at 8.30 am  (UTC + 1).