2017 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Netanya, Israel
- June 28th – July 2nd
- Psych Sheets
- Meet central
- Live Stream
- Results
Russia went to town at day 4 prelims of the European Junior Championships, taking top qualifying spots in five of ten events, including reigning junior world record-holder Kliment Kolesnikov in the 50 back.
Kolesnikov, who doesn’t turn 17 until next July 9, was a smooth 25.49 to take the top qualifying spot in the 50 back. That’s still a half-second off his junior world record, but watch for the young Russian to go after the mark tonight. He already leads by three tenths of a second over Ireland’s Conor Ferguson. Kolesnikov set the junior world record on his 16th birthday last summer, and still has 18 months in which he’s eligible to further lower the mark.
Russia will gear up for a backstroke sweep tonight, as Polina Egorova is the top qualifier in the women’s 100 back by a longshot. Her 1:00.24 this morning is 1.7 seconds ahead of the competition, and Russia currently sits 1-2-3 in the event with Daria Vaskina second and Anastasia Avdeeva third. Egorova is only about nine tenths of a second off the junior world record. She’s 17 and can still break the mark through December of 2018.
Other Russian top qualifiers include Egor Kuimov in the boys 100 fly (52.45), Evgenii Somov in the boys 100 breast (1:01.85) and the mixed 4×100 medley relay.
Hungary, trailing Russia for the overall medal count lead by just one, have a few gold medal shots of their own tonight. Nandor Nemeth is the top qualifiers in the boys 200 free after going 1:49.61, but he’ll have to hold off Moldova’s Alexei Sancov, who was 1:49.80 in prelims. Hungary also has the top two seeds in tonight’s fastest 800 free heat: Akos Kalmar and David Lakatos. The two slower heats swam this morning, with Croatia’s Marin Mogic leading the way in 8:01.49.
Other top qualifiers from Saturday’s prelims:
- Denmark’s Julie Kepp Jensen leads the girls 50 free at 25.21.
- Cyrielle Duhamel of France went 2:16.04 to take the top spot in the girls 200 IM.
- Ireland’s Mona McSharry is the girls 100 breast leader at 1:08.00, more than a second ahead of the field.
