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Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.
The boys didn’t hold back in the final of the 200 freestyle on Wednesday at the European Junior Championships in Samorin, as the top three seeds went out with reckless abandon through the first 150 meters.
Lithuanian prodigy Tajus Juska assumed the early lead, flipping in a blazing 23.97 at the 50, and then Norwegian Sander Sorensen powered his way to the front at the halfway mark, splitting 26.31 on the second length to check in with a 100-meter split of 50.66, leading Juska (50.93) and Austrian Christian Giefing (51.59).
Giefing made his move on the third 50, splitting 27.18 to overtake Juska and pull within 41 one-hundredths of Sorensen, and then coming home, Giefing pulled ahead as Sorensen faded badly.
Ultimately, the 18-year-old Giefing clocked 1:46.88 to win the gold medal and European Junior title, while Juska was the runner-up in 1:47.03 and Sorensen settled for bronze in 1:47.47.
Split Comparison
| Giefing | Juska | Sorensen |
| 24.82 | 23.97 | 24.35 |
| 51.59 (26.77) | 50.93 (26.96) | 50.66 (26.31) |
| 1:18.77 (27.18) | 1:18.89 (27.96) | 1:18.36 (27.70) |
| 1:46.88 (28.11) | 1:47.03 (28.14) | 1:47.47 (29.11) |
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The swim for Giefing marked his second personal best in the event in as many days, having clocked 1:47.58 in the semis to improve on his PB coming into the meet of 1:48.10.
Split Comparison
| 2024 Gyor Open World Qualifier | 2025 Euro Junior Semis |
2025 Euro Junior Final
|
| 25.41 | 24.91 | 24.82 |
| 53.01 (27.60) | 51.87 (26.96) | 51.59 (26.77) |
| 1:19.93 (26.92) | 1:19.53 (27.66) | 1:18.77 (27.18) |
| 1:48.10 (28.17) | 1:47.58 (28.05) | 1:46.88 (28.11) |
Giefing also becomes the 12th-fastest 18 & under European in the event’s history, and now ranks #2 all-time among Austrians, only trailing National Record holder Felix Auboeck (1:45.11).
Giefing’s performance also put his improvement over the last 12 months on display, as at the 2024 Euro Juniors, he placed 7th in the 200 free in a time of 1:49.86.
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Giefing also set a new lifetime best leading off the Austrian boys’ 4×100 free relay earlier in the meet, breaking 50 seconds for the first time on the lead-off leg in 49.71, and he’s scheduled to swim the 400 free to close out the competition on Sunday.
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Luka clears 💀💀💀