Meilutyte Sets Championship Record in 100 Breast Semi-Finals

2016 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2

  • Monday, May 16th – Sunday, May 22nd
  • Prelims: 10:00 AM (London Time) / 5:00 AM (Eastern Time)
  • Finals: 6:00 PM (London Time) / 1:00 PM (Eastern Time)
  • London Aquatics Center, London, UK
  • Meet Central
  • Psych Sheet
  • Live Results
  • Live Stream

Reigning Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania defended her top seed from prelims in the women’s 100 breast semi-finals, posting the top time of 1:06.16. That time eclipses the European Championship meet record previously held by Rikke Moller Pedersen of Denmark in 1:06.23. Pedersen posted that time in the final two years ago in Berlin where she won gold. Meilutyte didn’t compete.

Here’s a comparative look at Meilutyte’s splits tonight versus Pedersen’s from 2014:

  • Pedersen, 2014 European final: 31.14 / 1:06.23 (35.09)
  • Meilutyte, 2016 European semis: 30.80 / 1:06.16 (35.36)

That swim is just off Meilutyte’s best swim of 2016, achieved in March at 1:05.82. She’ll have a good shot at taking down that time in the final tomorrow night. She currently sits 3rd in the world behind only Yuliya Efimova of Russia (who is currently suspended after a positive doping test) and Lilly King of the United States.

The 100 is Meilutyte’s only event of the meet.

In This Story

0
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

Read More »