2025 European SC Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 2-7, 2025
• Lublin, Poland
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1

Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

Event Schedule

• Women’s 50m butterfly (final)
• Men’s 50m butterfly (final)
• Women’s 200m backstroke (final)
• Men’s 200m backstroke (final)
• Women’s 200m freestyle (semifinal)
• Men’s 200m freestyle (semifinal)
• Women’s 100m breaststroke (final)
• Men’s 100m breaststroke (final)
• Women’s 100m individual medley (semifinal)
• Men’s 100m individual medley (semifinal)
• Mixed 4x50m medley relay (final)

Cześć Wszystkim!!!

Day 2 action of the 2025 European Short Course Swimming Championships is expected to be an even faster occasion than yesterdays proceedings as the elite of European swimming have descended upon Lublin, Poland.

Tonight’s schedule start with a bang as the finals of the 50 fly kick things off. In the women’s final, all eyes will be locked on the center of the pool as just .06 separate the top four and just .10 separates 1st from 6th. France’s Beryl Gastaldello is the top seed at 25.00, but she will be under great threat from Angelina Kohler, Roos Vanotterdijk and Martine Damborg, all of whom tied yesterday in the semifinal at 25.06, with Damborg once again resetting her European Junior Record.

The men’s 50 fly is more spread out as the difference between the top two seeds is greater than that of the entire women’s field. It’s not that surprising however, as the top seed is the fastest man ever in the event. Noe Ponti, the World Record holder and reigning World Champion, was 21.51 last night and will look to tackle his best of 21.32. Only France’s Maxime Grousset joined Ponti under 22.00 last evening, but Estonia’s Daniel Zaitsev (22.06) will be eager to do so as well.

The 50 fly rolls quickly into the 200 back, where Great Britain’s Katie Shanahan will look to improve upon her silver from 2023 and climb to the top of the podium. It won’t be easy however as the Brit will have to overcome top seed Pauline Mahieu, who collected bronze back in 2023. The men’s race sees John Shortt of Ireland, looking to claim his nation’s first gold of the meet as the top seed will look to hold off France’s Mewen Tomac and Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank.

The 100 breaststroke is set to be a barnburner for both the men and women’s races as Eneli Jefimova will have her work cut out for her as she attempts to claim gold, a feat not made easier as she has to fend off World Champion Anna Elendt as well as newly minted Belgian record holder Florine Gaspard. On the men’s side Caspar Corbeau, who has been on fire this season will looks to extend his run of dominance in the breaststrokes.

The last final of the day sees the mixed medley relay, a fast, and unpredictable event which is likely to see many lead changes.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY – Final

• WR: 23.72 – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2025
• WJR: 24.55 – Claire Curzan (USA), 2021
• ER: 24.38 – Therese Alshammar (SWE), 2009
• EJR: 25.06 – Martine Damborg (DEN), 2025
• CR: 24.50 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2021

Top 8

1. Martine Damborg (DEN) – 24.61 *** EURO JUNIOR RECORD***
2. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 24.84
3. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 24.93
4. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 24.97
5. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 25.13
6. Angelina Kohler (GER) – 25.14
7. Neza Klancar (SLO) – 25.16
8. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA) – 25.36

It was expected to be a fast final but with the top four all under 25.00, it certainly met expectations. Slovenia Neza Klancar, who won a swim-off to advance was out first to the wall, splitting 11.39, but it was the middle of the pool who asserted their authority on the last 25 and took over control. Denmark’s Martine Damborg, who was 6th at the turn (11.55) exploded off the wall and closed in 13.06 to demolish her own European Junior Record set last night of 25.06, as she claimed gold in 24.61. Her new best time now sitting just .06 off the World Junior Record set by Claire Curzan in 2021.

Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk also set a record, as she reset her national record from last night as she claimed the silver with a new best of 24.84. The Belgian held off a fast charging Beryl Gastaldello, who was last at the 25 wall (11.62), but closed in 13.31 to climb up into the bronze medal spot.

MEN’S 50 FLY – Final

• WR: 21.32 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
• WJR: 22.28 – Ilya Kharun (CAN), 2022
• ER: 21.32 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
• EJR: 22.34 – Andrei Minakov (RUS), 2020
• CR: 21.51 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2025

Top 8

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 21.54
2. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 21.89
3. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 21.99
4. Simone Stefani (ITA) – 22.13
5. Daniel Zaitsev (EST) – 22.24
6. Daniel Gracik (CZE) – 22.41
7. Denis-Laurean Popescu (ROU) – 22.43
8. Michele Busa (ITA) – 22.44

It might not have been as fast as he would have liked, but Noe Ponti kept his position as the man to beat in the 50 fly, as he claimed the gold in 21.54. The Swiss star, who was 21.51 last night, was 2nd at the 25, opening in 9.96, but used his trademark swift turn and underwaters to pull himself ahead of Szebasztian Szabo, who was 9.89 at the 25 turn.

Szabo, who saw his Championship record fall last night, claimed the silver as his early speed was enough to hold off France’s Maxime Groussett, who closed .09 faster but ran out of room in the end and had to settle for the bronze with his 21.99, a time which was a little off his french record from last night of 21.95.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – Final

• WR: 1:57.33 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2025
• WJR: 1:59,96 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2024
• ER: 1:59.23 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014
• EJR: 2:02.25 – Benchmark
• CR – 1:59.84 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015

Top 8

1. Carmen Weiler Sastre (ESP) – 2:01.66
2. Katie Shanahan (GBR) – 2:02.79
3. Pauline Mahieu (FRA) – 2:03.02
4. Camila Rodrigues Rebelo (POR) – 2:03.51
5. Lise Seidel (GER) – 2:05.45
6. Hanna Rosvall (SWE) – 2:05.74
7. Eszter Szabó Feltóthy (HUN) – 2:06.22
8. Adela Piskorska (POL) – 2:06.29

Yesterday in the semifinals, Katie Shanahan and Pauline Mahieu attacked their respective semifinals and built themselves strong leads that were unassailable. Tonight, Spain’s Carmen Weiler Sastre seemed to copy that playbook and never looked back when she took over the lead at the 75 meter mark.

Weiler Sastre trailed Mahieu at the 50, but the just pulled herself away, opening up a lead of .25 at the 100 and then extending it to nearly a second over the next 50. With the finish in sights, the Spainard increased her turnover and surged into the wall hitting in 2:01.66, lowering her own national record by exactly half a second.

Mahieu did her best to stay with Weiler Sastre and remain in the silver medal position, but Shanahan, who was 3rd for much of the race used a strong last 50 to close the gap and a good finish to steal the silver, 2:02.79 to 2:03.02. The podium position are familiar for the Brit and Frenchwomen, as the collected the silver and bronze at the 2023 Otopeni Championships.

MEN’S 200 BACK – Final

• WR: 1:45.12 – Hubert Kos (HUN), 2025
• WJR: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017
• ER: 1:45.12 – Hubert Kos (HUN), 2025
• EJR: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017
• CR: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017

Top 8

1. John Shortt (IRL) – 1:47.89 ***World Junior, European Junior, Championship Record***
2. Mewen Tomac (FRA) – 1:48.62
3. Jan Cejka (CZE) – 1:49.43
4. Luke Greenbank (GBR) – 1:49.48
5. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) – 1:49.74
6. Apostolos Siskos (GRE) – 1:50.26
7. Benedek Kovacs (HUN) – 1:51.38
8. Ivan Martinez Sota (ESP) – 1:51.58

What a race and what a strong backhalf.

Ireland’s John Shortt, the world junior champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke (long course), earned his first senior international gold medal as he stormed his way to the win in the 200 back, taking not only the championship record, but the European and World Junior records to boot, with his time of 1:47.89. The Irishman was 8th at the 25, but pulled his way through the field to sit 2nd at the 100 (53.04) chasing the Frenchman Mewen Tomac, who attacked the race with abandon, opening in 51.99.

However, the Irish star clawed Tomac back, closing the over a second gap at the 100 to just over half a second at the 150 and by the 175  he had taken over the lead by .01. Using a strong underwater on the last turn, Shortt erased Kliment Kolesnikov from the record book taking over all three of his spots. Tomac claimed the silver in 1:48.62, with the Czech Republic’s Jan Cejka taking the bronze in 1:49.43, holding off Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank by .05.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – Semifinal

• WR: 1:49.36 – Mollie O’Callaghan, AUS (2025)
• WJR: 1:51.62 – Claire Weinstein, USA (2024)
• ER: 1:50.43 – Sarah Sjoestroem, SWE (2017)
• EJR: 1:52.81 – Nikoletta Padar, HUN (2024)
• CR: 1:51.17 – Federica Pellegrini, ITA (2009)

Top 8

1. Freya Colbert (GBR) – 1:51.94
2. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 1:53.35
3. Minna Abraham (HUN) – 1:53.50
4. Freya Anderson (GBR) – 1:53.69
5. S.S. Jorunnardottir (ISL) – 1:53.78
6. Nikolett Padar (HUN) – 1:53.81
7. Maria Daza Garcia (ESP) – 1:54.41
8. Justina Kozan (POL) – 1:54.52

Great Britain’s Freya Anderson posted the time to beat in the women’s 200 free as she won the first semifinal with a time of 1:53.69, .09 ahead of Iceland’s S.S. Jorunnardottir, who reset her national record of 1:54.23 from the 2023 European Championships as she touched 2nd in the semi with a time of 1:53.78. With the top two swimmers guaranteed advancement to the final the 3rd and 4th place finishers Nikolett Padar and Maria Daza Garcia must anxiously wait to see if their 1:53.81 and 1:54.41 are swift enough to advance.

The 2nd semifinal was a faster affair as the three swimmers all posted times faster than Anderson’s 1:53.69. Her fellow Brit, Freya Colbert, jumped out to an early lead and attacked the race from the front, separating herself from the top seeds Minna Abraham and Marrit Steenbergen. Colbert was 54.20 at the 100 and continued to attack the race as she turned what had been a lead of .90 over the Dutchwomen Steenbergen, to a win of 1.41 as Colbert touched in 1:51.94. Her time came within .07 of the British record of 1:51.87 set by Anderson back in 2020.

While Steenbergen was 1.41 back of Colbert, her time of 1:53.35 was still fast enough to advance to the semifinal in 2nd place with Abraham’s 1:53.50 becoming the 3rd fastest time. Sneaking into the final and getting the host nation’s support will be Justina Kozan, who was 1:54.52 for 8th place. Kozan recently started representing Poland, after having swam club and collegiately in the United States.

Of note, because of the limit of two swimmers per nation in semifinals and final, Panna Ugrai’s, who was 4th fastest this morning, but 3rd among Hungarians, time of 1:54.29 would have been fast enough to make the final.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – Semifinal

• WR: 1:38.61 – Luke Hobson, USA (2024)
• WJR: 1:40.65 – Matt Sates, RSA (2021)
• ER: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• EJR: 1:40.79 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• CR: 1:39.81 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)

Top 8

1. Duncan Scott (GBR) / Lucas Henveaux (BEL) – 1:41.56
3. Jack McMillan (GBR) – 1:41.69
4. Kamil Sieradzki (POL) – 1:41.90
5. Robin Hanson (SWE) – 1:41.99
6. Tomas Lukminas (LTU) – 1:42.00
7. Evan Bailey (IRL) – 1:42.01
8. Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 1:42.10

The semifinal victors, Great Britain’s Duncan Scott and Belgium’s Lucas Henveaux, posted equal times of 1:41.56 and will set up a tantalizing final tomorrow night. Scott, the 2nd seed from this morning’s prelims, was in 49.46 in the first semifinal and continued to build his lead over Ireland’s Evan Bailey (49.89) and the Lithuanian pair of Danas Rapsys (49.96) and Tomas Lukminas (50.01). While the slowest of the four at the 100, Lukminas had a strong last 100 to pass both his countryman and Bailey to touch 2nd in the heat and guarantee his spot in the final with his 1:42.00.

While Henveaux ended up with the same time as Scott, he did so in a different fashion as he opened up the 200 in 49.85, which was 7th at the 100 turn. Germany’s Lukas Martens was out fastest with his 49.39 but, faltered over the last 100 and wound up finishing 6th in the heat and 10th overall at 1:42.28. Henveaux powered through the last 100 splitting 51.71 to narrowly out touch the top seed and Scott’s compatriot Jack McMillan, who was 1:41.69.

Also advancing from that second semi was Kamil Sieradzki, the home crowd favorite, and Sweden’s Robin Hanson, who stopped the clock in 1:41.99, a time that is .01 off his national record of 1:41.98 set last month.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – Final

• WR: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013 & Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2014/2016
• WJR: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• ER: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• EJR: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• CR: 1:02.92 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013

Top 8

1. Eneli Jefimova (EST) – 1:02.82 ***CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD***
2. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 1:03.73
3. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 1:03.90
4. Anna Elendt (GER) – 1:03.91
5. Dominika Sztandera (POL) – 1:03.97
6. Angharad Evans (GBR) – 1:04.40
7. Kotryna Teterevkova (LTU) – 1:04.58
8. Ellie McCartney (IRL) – 1:05.25

With the television screen showing Eneli Jefimova under WR pace at the 50 (29.54) the crowd started to ramp up their cheering and the young Estonian surged even further into the lead as she pulled away from both Florine Gaspard and Anastasia Gorbenko and used a powerful 33.28 last 50 to secure the win and defend her title as she posted a time of 1:02.82.

While she fell off the record of 1:02.36 set by fellow European Champion Ruta Meilutyte and twice by Jamaican star Alia Atkinson, Efimova’s time did erase Meilutyte’s championship record of 1:02.92 set twelve years ago in 2013. Her time also jumps up her way up the all time performer rankings jumping her from 10th to 6th, with her time tying as the 23rd fastest performance of all time.

Gaspard was a little off her national record of 1:03.61 from yesterday but was still quick enough to claim the silver medal. Israeli’s Anastasia Gorbenko claimed the bronze with her time of 1:03.90, which stand as a new national record and makes her the 26th fastest performer of all time in the event.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – Final

• WR: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 2021
• WJR: 56.66 – Simone Cerasuolo (ITA), 2021
• ER: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 2021
• EJR: 56.66 – Simone Cerasuolo (ITA), 2021
• CR: 55.45 – Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 2021

Top 8

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 55.85
2. Emre Sakci (TUR) – 56.22
3. Luka Mladenovic (AUT) – 56.27
4. Simone Cerasuolo (ITA) – 56.33
5. Carles Coll Marti (ESP) – 56.42
6. Koen de Groot (NED) – 56.58
7. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 56.78
8. Lucas Matzerath (GER) – 57.15

Italy’s Simone Cerasuolo and The Netherland’s Caspar Corbeau were out very fast with the pair opening in 25.92 and 26.08 respectively. Each were flirting with the World Record line of Ilya Shymanovich, but struggled to keep up with the Belorussian’s backhalf and each fell off the pace in the last 25.

Cerasuolo paid for his early turn of speed, as the only mane under 26.00 at the 50, he stuggled to keep up that pace and slipped from tied for 1st at the 75 turn to finishing off the podium as he came home in 15.55, the slowest last 25 in the field to finish 4th overall with a time of 56.33. On the other hand however, Corbeau, the WR holder in the 200 breast, used as strong last 50 to pull himself into the lead and closed in 15.07 to secure the win and gold medal with a time of 55.85, the lone swim under the 56-second barrier. Turkiye’s Emre Sakci and Luka Mladenovic of Austria were 5th and 7th at both the 50 and 75 but powered into the final wall with the fastest two last splits of 14.97 and 14.92 to claim the silver and bronze medals in times of 56.22 and 56.27, with the latter time representing a new Austrian record.

WOMEN’S 100 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – Semifinals

• WR: 55.11 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• WJR: 57.59 – Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• ER: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2017)
• EJR: 57.59 – Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• CR: 56.67 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)

Top 8

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 57.96
2. Barbora Janickova (CZE) – 57.97
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 58.02
4. Tessa Giele (NED) – 58.12
5. Ellen Walshe (IRL) – 58.19
6. Martine Damborg (DEN) – 58.25
7. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 58.26
8. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 58.31

Barbora Janickova of the Czech Republic employed some outside smoke in the first semifinal as she stormed her way into the final winning the first heat in 57.97. Swimming out one lane 1, the Czech native was 59.87 this morning, but sliced 1.90 off that tonight setting a new national record. Janickova had the fastest fly split of the field (11.55) and never looked back, however she was nearly caught by lane 4’s Roos Vanotterdijk, the 50 fly silver medalist, who touched .05 back at 58.02.

While the 2nd semifinal had the top seed Marrit Steenbergen post the fastest time of 57.96, her semi was a slower affair as they only advanced three swimmers into the final, with fellow Dutchwoman Tessa Giele posting the 4th fastest time of 58.12, while fresh off an Isreali record and bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke, Anastasia Gorbenko finished 8th overall at 58.31.

Joining Janickova and Vanotterdijk out of the first semi were Ellen Walshe of Ireland, Martine Damborg, the 50 fly winner and Beryl Gastaldello, the bronze medalist in the 50 fly.

MEN’S 100 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – Semifinals

• WR: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• WJR: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• ER: 49.92 – Leon Marchand, FRA (2024)
• EJR: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• CR: 50.76 – Peter Mankoc, SLO (2009)

Top 8

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 51.24
2. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 51.37
3. Luka Mladenovic (AUT) – 51.57
4. Miroslav Knedla (CZE) – 51.72
5. Heiko Gigler (AUT) – 51.77
6. Robert Pedersen (DEN) – 51.91
7. Berke Saka (TUR) – 51.94
8. Andreas Vazaios (GRE) – 52.31

The results of the men’s semifinals of the 100 IM were an equal split of four and four but the favorites in the final tomorrow both swam in the first heat as Noe Ponti and Maxime Grousset posted the swiftest times of the evening going, 51.24 and 51.37 respectively. Each has already swum this session, with the Swiss star winning the 50 fly and the Frenchman taking the bronze. Grousset had a lead of over half a second on his rival at the 75 mark, but Ponti used his strong unders to close in 12.61 (the fastest split in the field and just one of three under 13) to secure lane 4 tomorrow.

The second semifinal also was led by a fellow medalist from tonight as Luka Mladenovic, like Gorbenko fresh from the 100 breast podium, posted the 3rd overall fastest time, winning the 2nd semifinal with his time of 51.57, .15 ahead of Miroslav Knedla who touched in 51.72. The pair were the only other two to split sub-13 on the last 25.

Top seeds Heiko Gigler and Andreas Vazaios struggled to replicate their form from this morning with the Austrian finishing 3rd in his heat and 5th overall, while the Greek, Vazaios, the top seed, snuck into the final by just .02 as his 52.31 was 8th overall.

MIXED 4×50 MEDLEY RELAY – Final

• WR: 1:35.15 – USA (2022)
• WJR: 1:41.21 – USA (2021)
• ER: 1:35.36 – NAB (2024)
• CR: 1:36.18 – Netherlands (2021)

Top 8

1. Italy (Lazzari, Cerasuolo, DiPietro, Curtis) – 1:36.09 ***CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD***
2. Netherlands (De Waard, Corbeau, Niewold, Steenbergen) – 1:36.18
3. Poland (Stys, Kalisowski, Fiedkiewicz, Wasick) – 1:36.98
4. Denmark – 1:38.24
5. Hungary – 1:38.27
6. Sweden – 1:38.62
7. Lithuania – 1:38.71
8. Estonia – 1:38.79

What a tight finish!!!

Italy’s Sara Curtis, who is in the midst of her first-year at the University of Virginia, employed some crucial underwaters to split 22.92 and bring the Italians back into the lead when it matters the most as Curtis joined by the likes of Francesco Lazzari (22.88), Simone Cerasuolo (25.67), and Silvia Di Pietro (24.62) stormed their way to a new championship record of 1:36.09 hacking .09 off the old record from 2021.

Swimming out of lane 7, Lazzari got the Italian out to a hot start touching ahead of Estonia’s Ralf Tribuntsov (22.96) and Poland’s Aleksander Stys (23.13) and turned things over to Cerasulolo, who kept the Italians in the lead, but giving back nearly a second to the Dutch, who used 100 champion Caspar Corbeau (24.78) on the breaststroke leg. The Dutch, employing a FMMF order were in 6th at the 50 thanks to Maaike De Waard‘s 26.02, but with Sean Niewold swimming fly, they jumped ahead of the Italians by .10, 1:13.07 to 1:13.17.

The Dutch looked to be in good hands as they called upon ace Marrit Steenbergen, but the sprinter was just in the 1oo IM semifinals, and her underwaters lacked the pep of Curtis’s who was out in 10.75 as compared to Steenbergen’s 11.13 and that was more than enough to give the Italians the lead.

Host nation Poland earned their third of three possible relay medals this meet as Stys turned things over to Jan Kalusowski (25.71), who pulled the Poles into 2nd before handing things over to Kornelia Fiedkiewicz (25.32). With just a 50 left, the host had slipped to 4th but called upon star Kasia Wasick, who dropped the fastest female 50 free split of the field (22.82) to pull them ahead of the Estonians and claim the bronze medal with their time of 1:36.98, a new national record.