Katinka Hosszu
European champ Katinka Hosszu said the 400 IM final “wasn’t that inspiring as there were many big names missing,” calling it strange to compete “without world-class opponents.”
“The final wasn’t that inspiring as there were many big names missing,” Hosszu said. “Racing without world-class opponents is a bit strange though I was satisfied with my swim and I’m really happy with this gold medal.”
The field only included 18 entrants, and didn’t feature Spain’s Mireia Belmonte, who topped Hosszu for the Short Course Euro title in 2013 and set a world record on the World Cup tour this fall.
Hosszu’s quote comes courtesy of LEN, the European Swimming Federation, which released flash quotes from all day 1 medalists. Other key tidbits came from star breaststrokers. Great Britain’s Adam Peaty and Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte both had illuminating comments.
Adam Peaty
Peaty, who took bronze in the 50 breast, categorized himself as a long course swimmer and said his main focus is still on next year’s Commonwealth Games.
“I’m a long-course swimmer basically and prepare for the following season especially for the Commonwealth Games,” Peaty said. “We haven’t worked much on the turns and finishes so I came here to see where we have to improve. Also, here I race against guys who usually rests for this meet so it usually turns out as it has today.”
That last line seems to imply that while others “usually” rest for Short Course Euros, Peaty did not.
Ruta Meilutyte
Coming off a coaching change, women’s 50 breast champ Meilutyte said her enjoyment in the sport is beginning to return:
”A lot of things changed in my preparations as I have a new coach,” she said. “Last season was a bit difficult but now the enjoyment is coming back and so do the results.”
Meilutyte was a rising star at the age of 15, winning Olympic gold in 2012. She’s had some adversity lately, fighting an elbow injury and having surgery in 2015, with complications holding her out of 2016 Euros. She finished just outside the medals at 2017 Worlds, changing coaches during that season as she returned to her native Lithuania. Meilutyte had previously trained out of Great Britain. She’s now starting to look like her old self, and finding fun in the sport is a sign she could be primed to break back out on the world stage at age 20.
More Quotes
Here are the full flash quotes from day 1:
Men’s 200m backstroke
Gold
Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia, 1:48.02 – WJ, EJ, CR
“This was a very hard final, because I pushed hard, following my feelings from my prelims. I felt that I could break a junior world record. The gold medal is the icing on the cake.”
Silver
Radoslaw Kawecki, Poland, 1:48.46
“I have been so tired after this season and I’m not happy now because of the second place. It would be much more better to come first but Kolesnikov was better now.”
Bronze
Danas Rapsys, Lithuania, 1:49.06
“I’m happy, that’s my personal best. I’m really satisfied with the bronze medal, the swim was pretty good.”
Women’s 400m IM
Gold
Katinka Hosszu, Hungary, 4:24.78
“The final wasn’t that inspiring as there were many big names missing. Racing without world-class opponents is a bit strange though I was satisfied with my swim and I’m really happy with this gold medal.”
Silver
Lara Grangeon, France, 4:28.77
“This medal came as a kind of surprise, because I’m not really training for individual medley. My quote is: ‘If you have the will, you can’.”
Bronze
Fantine Lesaffre, France, 4:28.77
“The changes in my private life and in my club and coach brought a lot of balance for me. I feel very relaxed in my head and this my best time, improved by two seconds.”
Men’s 400m free
Gold
Aleksandr Krasnykh, Russia, 3:35.51
“I am happy since I won but not satisfied with the time. I started really slowly it could have been much more better.”
Silver
Peter Bernek, Hungary, 3:37.14
“This year, just like in Windsor, I couldn’t produce the same swims I was able to do in Doha or in Netanya. We didn’t put the same emphasis to freestyle, though. What I’m really looking forward to is the 400m IM final tomorrow.”
Bronze
Henrik Christiansen, Norway, 3:38.63
“My aim for this final was to swim my personal best but unfortunately I was somewhat 1.5sec off. Nevertheless, it’s a bronze medal at the European Championships.”
Women’s 50m breaststroke
Gold
Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania, 29.36
”A lot of things changed in my preparations as I have a new coach. Last season was a bit difficult but now the enjoyment is coming back and so do the results.”
Silver
Jenna Laukkanen, Finland, 29.54
“It’s fantastic feeling, in the semis I’ve already felt that it’s going to be great in the final. Though I haven’t won I’m really happy with this medal and above all my personal best.”
Bronze
Sophie Hansson, Sweden, 29.77
“I’m really happy I couldn’t believe it! Coming to these championships I had good feelings and now the dream came true. I could swim under 30sec, once more, it’s a great feeling!”
Men’s 50m breaststroke
Gold
Fabio Scozzoli, Italy, 25.62 ER-CR
“I knew I definitely had to swim better than in the semi-final. There is no long thinking during this short race you have to be one-hundred per-cent from start to finish.”
Silver
Kirill Prigoda, Russia, 25.68
“My start was a bit lazy but later I caught up with the others. I’m happy with my medal, it helps to keep the focus on the 200m which is due tomorrow.”
Bronze
Adam Peaty, Great Britain, 25.70
“I’m a long-course swimmer basically and prepare for the following season especially for the Commonwealth Games. We haven’t worked much on the turns and finishes so I came here to see where we have to improve. Also, here I race against guys who usually rests for this meet so it usually turns out as it has today.”
Men’s 4x50m freestyle relay
Gold
Russia (Vladimir Morozov), 1:23.23
“Typical first day swimming, the time could be much better. Still, we are satisfied with the first place.”
Silver
Italy (Marco Orsi), 1:23.67
We are very happy. As I know this is our best time as a relay in textile. It could have been slightly better had we won the gold medal.”
Bronze
Poland (Konrad Czerniak), 1:24.44
“I must admit that the race was a bit difficult for me even if it’s only 50m. I had a semi-final of the 100m fly, thirty minutes earlier. But the emotions and the team-spirit give you the power.”
I’m sure Lara Grangeon, who has been winning medals in the 400 IM at Europeans since 2010 and has a PB of 4:36 long course appreciated not being considered world-class. For someone who has been on the scene as long as she has, Katinka really should choose her words better.
This.
Katinka has always acted like a complainer who thinks she’s just the best. Too bad Maya quit.
I still believe that Ohashi has her number in the very near future.
I understand that what Peaty said is probably true, but I felt like he was making excuses and discrediting the achievements of those who beat him.
A little bit, but I can also understand why he would say what he did. Many people are overly critical when a great swimmer does not win a race against competitors they usually dominate so I think it was more to point out where he is personally instead of taking away from the other swimmers achievements.
It might also depend on what he was asked before he gave that quote.