2022 European Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2022 EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 11 – Wednesday, August 17, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Rome, Italy
• Parco Del Foro Italico
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 9:00 am local / 3:00 am ET
  • Finals: 6:00 pm local / 12:00 pm ET
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entries
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

DAY 3 PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

Day 3 Prelims Events:

• Women’s 200 freestyle
• Men’s 100 butterfly
• Women’s 50 backstroke
• Men’s 200 breaststroke
• Women’s 400 IM
• Women’s 4×100 freestyle relay

The 3rd prelims session of the 2022 European Championships will feature heats of the women’s 200 free, men’s 1o0 fly, women’s 50 back, men’s 200 breast, women’s 400 IM, and women’s 4×100 free relay. The women’s 400 IM will be one of the most thrilling races of the day, featuring two great European veterans in the event. Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, 33, is the World Record holder in the event (4:26.36) and enters as the top seed today (4:34.76). Hosszu, one of the greatest and most decorated women’s swimmers in history, has won 4 European Championships Gold medals in the LCM 400 IM, and will be chasing #5 today. That journey begins this morning.

The 400 IM also features Spain’s Mireia Belmonte, who comes in as the #2 seed and is also one of the fastest performers all-time in the event. 31, Belmonte won Silver in the 400 IM at the 2014 LC European Champs, but hasn’t won a Euros medal in the event since.

We’ll also see Hungarian Kristof Milak in the men’s 100 fly, where he is the top seed and the favorite by a wide margin. Milak is the #2 performer all-time in the event and the European Record holder. Though Milak has spoken about really focusing on his freestyle races at these Championships, he’s a one-of-a-kind flyer who could pull away from a field at any time.

Great Britain’s Freya Anderson leads the women’s 200 free seeds with the 1:56.05 she swam at the World Championships in June. It will be interesting to see how Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen performs in the event individually after swimming a 1:56.26 split on the anchor of the Dutch 4×200 free relay on Thursday night.

European Record holder Kira Toussaint (NED) enters as the top seed in the women’s 50 back (27.22). We’ll see Toussaint face off against the threat of France’s Analia Pigree, who swam her lifetime best of 27.29 earlier this year.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 1:54.95, Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Barbora Seemanova (CZE), 1:56.27

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Isabel Gose (GER) – 1:59.17
2. Janja Segel (SLO) – 1:59.48
3. Aleksandra Polanska (POL) – 1:59.55
4. Imani de Jong (NED) – 1:59.57
5. Nikoletta Padar (HUN) – 1:59.62
6. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 2:00.01
7. Valentine Dumont (BEL) – 2:00.12
8. Freya Anderson (GBR) – 2:00.14
9. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) – 2:00.21
10. Silke Holkenborg (NED) – 2:00.35 (X – country limit)
11. Katja Fain (SLO) – 2:00.40
12. Antonietta Cesarano (ITA) – 2:00.44
13. Julia Mrozinski (GER) – 2:00.59
14. Alice Mizzau (ITA) – 2:00.67
15. Ajna Kesely (HUN) – 2:01.08
16. Karyna Snitko (UKR) – 2:01.49
17. Noemi Cesarano (ITA) – 2:01.56 (X – country limit)
18. Linda Caponi (ITA) – 2:01.81 (X – country limit
19. Ainho Campabadal (ESP) – 2:01.88

Battling steady rainfall, the women in the 200 free this morning were a bit sluggish, with only 5 swimmers breaking 2:00 and none under 1:59. It was Germany’s Isabel Gose who posted the top time, winning the final heat in 1:59.17. Gose showed off her endurance this morning, splitting 28.34, 30.00, 30.82, and 30.01 by 50.

Top seeded Freya Anderson out of Great Britain put together a relaxed 2:00.14 for the 8th fastest time of the morning. The swim comes in 4 seconds slower than Anderson’s lifetime best, which she swam at the World Championships in June.

Janaj Segel (Slovenia) had a nice swim this morning, taking heat 2 in 1:59.48 to finish 2nd overall. 100 free champion Marrit Steenbergen also advanced, touching in 2:00.01 to take 6th overall.

Italy was once again subject to the rules that limit each country to just 2 athletes who can advance out of prelims.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – HEATS

• World Record: 49.50, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2019
• European Record: 49.68, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2022
• European Championship Record: 50.18, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2021
• 2020 European Champion: Kristof Milak (HUN), 50.18

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 51.56
2. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 51.81
3. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 51.82
4. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 51.88
5. Matteo Rivolta (ITA) – 51.90
6. Federico Burdisso (ITA) – 51.95
7. Simon Bucher (AUS)/Edward Mildred (GBR) – 52.19
8. –
9. Jakub Majerski (POL) – 52.21
10. Piero Codia (ITA) – 52.26 (X – country limit)
11. Josif Miladinov (BUL) – 52.27
12. Adrian Jaskiewicz (POL) – 52.30
13. Jacob Peters (GBR) – 52.35
14. Diogo Matos Ribeiro (POR) – 52.38
15. Clement Secchi (FRA) – 52.56
16. Jan Sefl (CZE) – 52.67
17. Mario Molla (ESP)/Andreas Vazaios (GRE) – 52.68 (swim-off required)

**The swim-off has now concluded, seeing Mario Molla blow away his prelims time with a 52.07 to advance to semifinals. Vazaios was right on the time from prelims, swimming a 52.71. Notably, Molla’s time from the swim-off would have put him 7th in prelims. **

The men’s 100 fly was tightly packed this morning, seeing 1st place separated from 16th by just over a second. It was Switzerland’s Noe Ponti who clocked the fastest time of the morning, posting a 51.56. Ponti was great on the 2nd 50 this morning, swimming a 27.36.

Nyls Korstanje was able to beat out European Record holder Kristof Milak at the finish in the final heat this morning. Korstanje’s time of 51.81 put him 2nd overall, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Milak.

The other Hungarian to advance was Hubert Kos, who was 4th overall at 51.88.

Yet again Italy was subject to the 2-swimmer cap on finals for each country. Matteo Rivolta and Federico Burdisso were 5th and 6th respectively, while Piero Codia was 10th, but as the 3rd Italian, he’s unable to advance.

There will be a swim-off later in the session to settle the tie for the 16th qualifier for the semifinals. Mario Molla (ESP) and Andreas Vazaios (GRE) both swam 52.68 this morning, and will be racing head-to-head to determine who will move on to semifinals.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 26.98 – Liu Xiang, CHN (2018)
• European Record: 27.10 – Kira Toussaint, NED (2021)
• European Championships Record: 27.19 – Kathleen Dawnson, GBR (2021)
• 2020 European Champion: Kira Toussaint, NED – 27.36

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Analia Pigree (FRA) – 27.53
2. Silvia Scalia (ITA) – 27.71
3. Maaike De Waard (NED) – 27.87
4. Medi Harris (GBR) – 27.92
5. Mary-Ambre Moluh (FRA) – 27.96
6. Kira Toussaint (NED) – 28.10
7. Simon Kubova (CZE) – 28.17
8. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 28.18 (Tie)(X – country limit)
9. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 28.18(Tie)
10. Johanna Roas (GER) – 28.29
11. Pauline Mahieu (FRA) – 28.39
12. Costanza Cocconcelli ITA) – 28.42
13. Caroline Pilhatsch (AUT) – 28.43
14. Julie Jensen (DEN) – 28.59
15. Theodora Drakou (GRE) – 28.54 (Tie)
16. Danielle Hill (IRL) – 28.54 (Tie)
17. Federica Toma (ITA) – 28.56
18. Lauren Cox (GBR) – 28.70
19. Hanna Rosvall (SWE) – 28.73

French 21-year-old Analia Pigree established the top time of the morning, swimming a 27.53 to lead a strong French performance in the event. Mary-Ambre Moluh took 5th this morning, swimming a 27.96. With the swims, France was the only country this morning to have more than 1 swimmer under 28 seconds. That bodes well for tonight’s semifinals as well. Frenchwomen Beryl Gastaldello (28.18) and Pauline Mahieu (28.39) were both well within the top 16 this morning, however, France had already reached its maximum of 2 swimmers for semifinals, so neither will advance.

Italy’s Silvia Scalia had a solid swim this morning, posting the 2nd fastest time overall with a 27.71.

Top seeded Kira Toussaint, the European Record holder in the event, swam a 28.10 this morning, which is exactly 1 second off her personal best.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 2:05.95, Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) – 2022 Australian Trials
• European Record: 2:06.12, Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2019 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 2:06.80, Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2:06.99

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Matej Zabojnik (CZE) – 2:11.16
2. Matti Mattsson (FIN) – 2:11.51
3. Anton McKee (ISL) – 2:11.82
4. Gabriel Lopes (POR) – 2:11.92
5. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU) – 2:12.47
6. Dawid Wiekiera (POL) – 2:12.50
7. Darragh Greene (IRL) – 2:12.53
8. Lyubomir Epitropov (BUL) – 2:12.56
9. Maksym Ovchinnikov (UKR) – 2:12.69
10. Luca Pizzini (ITA) – 2:12.72
11. James Wilby (GBR) – 2:12.87
12. Gregory Butler (GBR) – 2:13.08
13. Antoine Viquearat (FRA) – 2:13.35
14. David Verraszto (HUN) – 2:13.81
15. Andrea Castello (ITA) – 2:13.88
16. Gabor Zombori (HUN) – 2:13.93

Top seed Arno Kamminga was entered to race this event this morning, however, he didn’t show. The no-show comes on the back of a sub-par performance for Kamming in the 100 breast final last night, wherein he took 7th. Kamminga had to pull out of semifinals of the 200 breast at the World Championships in late June due to an illness. He subsequently pulled out of the rest of the meet. It’s unclear at this time what the reason for Kamminga’s absence is.

Matej Zabojnik led the heats this morning, clocking a 2:11.16. Zabojnik was out the fastest of anyone this morning, splitting 1:02.65 on the opening 100. He didn’t fade too much off that pace as the race progressed, splitting 34.25 and 34.26 on the final pair of 50s, for a 1:08.51 on the 2nd 100.

Matti Mattsson, Anton McKee, and Gabriel Lopes all were under 2:12 this morning as well. For Lopes, the swim marks a new Portuguese Record, shattering the previous mark of 2:13.21.

WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – HEATS

• World Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016 Olympic Games
• European Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016 Olympic Games
• European Championship Record: 4:30.90, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016
• 2020 European Champion: Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:34.76

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Viktor Mihalyvari-Farkas (HUN) – 4:41.01
2. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) – 4:41.30
3. Ilaria Cusinato (ITA) – 4:44.89
4. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 4:45.07 (X – country limit)
5. Sara Franceschi (ITA) – 4:45.55
6. Freya Colbert (GBR) – 4:46.39
7. Alba Vazquez (ESP) – 4:46.72
8. Katie Shanahan (GBR) – 4:47.30
9. Zoe Vogelmann (GER) – 4:48.03

In a stunning turn of events, the top 2 seeds in the women’s 400 IM failed to qualify for tonight’s final. World Record holder and defending European Champion Katinka Hosszu was 4th this morning, swimming a 4:45.07, but she was the #3 Hungarian in the field, making her ineligible to advance to finals. The time wasn’t great for Hosszu, whose World Record stands at 4:26.36 and who won the European Champs title last year in 4:34.76. Moreover, Hosszu took 4th at the World Championships earlier this summer in 4:37.89, marking her performance this morning as pretty lackluster.

Similarly, #2 seed Mireia Belmonte (Spain) finished 10th this morning, landing as the 1st alternate for finals. Belmonte was 4:48.18, 17 seconds off her personal best and 13 seconds off her seed time.

Hungary performed well as a team, taking the top 2 spots this morning. Viktor Mihalyvari-Farkas and Zsuzsanna Jakabos led the field by a wide margin this morning, each swimming 4:41s. Jakabos is 33 years old, 1 month older than her Hungarian teammate Hosszu. She led the first heat from start to finish swimming great on all 4 legs of the race.

Mihalyvari-Farkas swam a different race, establishing herself with a strong breaststroke leg of 1:20.16.