2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 2-7, 2025
- Lublin, Poland
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Recaps:
Marrit Steenbergen led off the Netherlands’ women’s 4x50m medley relay during the final prelims session of the 2025 European Short Course Championships, breaking the Championship Record in the women’s 50 back in the process.
Steenbergen blasted into the wall in 25.64 to kick off the race and shaved .06 off of the previous record time of 25.70, which was set by Croatia’s Sanja Jovanovic back in 2009 during the super-suited era. Steenbergen’s race also tied her at 21st on the ranking of all-time top performances in this event, sharing the spot with Nina Gangl of Austria and Maggie MacNeil of Canada.
Prior to this morning’s swim, Steenbergen’s top time in the 50 back was a 28.72 from December 2024.
Her record-breaking performance on the backstroke leg helped lead the Netherlands into the top qualifying spot for the women’s 4x50m medley relay heading into the finals session tonight. She was joined by teammates Britta Koehorst, Tessa Giele and Milou Van Wijk, with the foursome throwing down an overall time of 1:44.75 to mark the only sub-1:45 time in the heats. The Dutch team currently leads the competition by .3, as Germany claimed the 2nd qualifying spot this morning in 1:45.15.
Steenbergen has been on fire throughout the competition in Lublin, having already won all of her individual events to go four for four. She brought home gold in the 100 free (50.42), 200 free (1:50.33), 100 IM (56.26) and 200 IM (2:01.83), clocking lifetime best times in each event.
Her Championship Record in the 50 back was also far from her first, as she broke both the Championship Record and European Record in all four of her individual events. Two of those European Records were formerly held by Katinka Hosszu, and two were held by Sarah Sjostrom.
She is having a meet and has taken her performances to another level – emerging as a challenger to the American and Aussie women.
Not exactly. M. Steenbergen was 0 for 5 versus K. Douglass and 0 for 3 versus G. Walsh at the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.
R. Smith and K. Berkoff have faster personal best times in the W 50 BK (SCM). K. Douglass and G. Walsh have faster personal best times in the W 50 FR (SCM) and W 100 FR (SCM).
Furthermore, M. Steenbergen has yet to post a World Record (SCM) unlike G. Walsh (4), K. Douglass (3), R. Smith (2).
In addition, it would not shock me if K. Douglass rattles let alone breaks the World Record (SCM) in the W 100 BR (her new toy) during calendar year 2026.