Nikoletta Padar Helps Hungary Regain Euro Jrs Medal Table Lead

2022 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Tuesday, July 5th – Sunday, July 10th
  • Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
  • LCM (50m)
  • Start Times
    • Prelims: 10 a.m. local / 3 a.m. ET
    • Finals: 5 p.m. local / 10 a.m. ET
  • Meet Central
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Yet another night of European Junior Championships action brought yet another new leader of the overall medal table here in Bucharest.

Hungary now sits ahead of the rest of the field with just 2 days remaining, regaining its leadership position since first wearing the hardware crown on night 2.

Currently holding 10 total medals in its hands, including 5 golds, Hungary overtook previous leaders Poland and Romania. Poland has more total medals with 13 but is one gold shy, rendering the country in the runer-up spot while Romania is holding fast as the 3rd ranked nation in the medal table standings.

Tonight 16-year-old Nikoletta Padar reaped gold for Hungary in the girls’ 100m free, doubling up on her 200m free title earlier in the meet. The teen produced a time of 54.60 to notch the only sub-55 second outing of the field en route to taking the 1free title.

Although Padar repeated her 200m free title from 2021, the Hungarian missed the 100m free final entirely at last year’s European Junior Championships. She posted a semi-final mark of 55.83 to place 10th overall, which means she dropped over a second between 2021’s competition and now to grab the gold here tonight.

Snagging silver behind Padar in the 1free was Hungarian teammate Dora Molnar. Molnar punched a time of 55.20 for the 1-2 punch, clocking a new lifetime best in the process. Entering this meet, Molnar’s personal best rested at the 55.47 she produced at this past April’s national championships.

Molnar will have another chance to strike gold tomorrow as she became the 3rd seeded swimmer in the girls’ 100m backstroke in tonight’s semi-final (1:01.64).

As impressive as the girls have been here for Hungary, securing 7 medals in all, the boys have been well behind. Through day 5, Hungarian boys have earned just 2 medals, one silver and one bronze.

 

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NB1
2 years ago

lovely

NKS
2 years ago

Just take your time to appriciate the writer of this article…and everyone else who made this kind of articles of the future potencial small country stars instead of the 1000th articles about big nations and/or its super stars. It’s really great to read about EJC and guessing whether this young girls and boy will have the ability to reach to the top of the word in five or more years. So just thank you for this article.

NathenDrake
Reply to  NKS
2 years ago

This is the first 1-2 by hungarian women swimmers in any kind of major competition since the 1954 European Swimming Championship.

When Hungary ruled the World on the women side in swimming.

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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