Present And Future Showing Out For Croatia as Hribar, Pavalic Lower Sprint Free Records

2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 2-7, 2025
• Lublin, Poland
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3| Day 4 | Day 5

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – Final

• WR: 44.84 – Kyle Chalmers, AUS (2021)
• WJR: 45.64 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• ER: 44.94 – Amaury Leveaux, FRA (2008)
• EJR: 45.64 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• CR: 44.94 – Amaury Leveaux, FRA (2008)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 45.17
2. Jere Hribar (CRO) – 45.64
3. Matthew Richards (GBR) – 45.82
4. Tomas Lukminas (LTU) – 45.87
5. Carlos D’Ambrosio (ITA) – 46.08
6. Adam Jaszo (HUN) – 46.27
7. Luca Hoek Le Guenedal (ESP) – 46.42
8. Sergio De Celis Montalban (ESP) – 46.43

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – Semifinal

• WR: 22.83 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• WJR: 23.66 – Eva Okaro, GBR (2024)
• ER: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• EJR: 23.66 – Eva Okaro, GBR (2024)
• CR: 23.12 – Sarah Sjostroem, SWE (2021)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 23.30
2. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 23.49
3. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 23.67
4. Valerie Van Roon (NED) – 23.74
5. Milou Van Wijk (NED) – 23.75
6. Eva Okaro (GBR) – 23.84
7. Jana Pavalic (CRO) – 23.86
8. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA) – 23.95

One current and one future NCAA swimmer broke a Croatian record in tonight’s final session. LSU’s Jere Hribar and future Virginia Hoosier Jana Pavalic showcased their sprint freestyle talents, lowering their own national standards in the men’s 100 free and women’s 50 free respectively.

Hribar has been on a roll in Lublin, matching Duje Draganja’s super-suited record of 20.70 in the 50 free when leading off the bronze medal-winning 4×50 free relay on Day 1. He then cracked his 100 free mark from last December in the semi-finals last night, posting a time of 45.76 to qualify 2nd into the final.

He sliced a tenth off that tonight, defending his seed to take silver in 45.64. He came back in exactly the same time on the second 50 tonight – all of the difference came in a faster front half.

Split Comparison

Compared to his previous record Hribar has shown significant improvement on his back end. His first 50 time is actually slightly slower than it was, but he is closing over half a second faster.

Hribar is the third-fastest qualifier into the 50 free final tomorrow, having swum 20.89 in the semi-finals at the start of tonight’s session. He holds the fastest personal best of any swimmer in the field thanks to his 20.70 leadoff from Day 1, and would be a strong contender to medal at a minimum tomorrow.

With two relay and three individual records set so far this week, including breaking or matching two of Draganja’s super-suited marks, Hribar owns seven Croatian records: three in long course and four in short course.

He now ranks as the 6th-fastest swimmer in the world this season, and is tied with David Popovici for 22nd all-time.

Jana Pavalic set her fifth Croatian record of the meet as well tonight, shaving 0.04 seconds from the previous 50 free mark she had set this morning. She was 23.90 then to take 0.04 seconds from her best time, and took the same amount of time off again tonight to go 23.86.

She took 0.15 seconds off her 50 fly record earlier in the meet, dropping to 25.83 from 25.98, and was part of the mixed free relay that broke the national record in both heats and finals, splitting 23.67. She owns 11 Croatian records in total, the most of any Croatian woman.

Pavalic has seen a significant improvement at these championships compared to her World Short Course Championships performance last year. She was 17th there in a time of 24.34, so was nearly half a second quicker in both heats and semi-finals here.

She ranks as the 14th-fastest woman in the world this year.

Pavalic will have just one swim tomorrow, but looks in good shape to continue her record-setting exploits from lane 1 in tomorrow’s women’s 50 free final.