Two days into swimming competition at the first-ever European Games, the Russian delegation is dominating the medal table.
The event, featuring only junior-aged swimmers, is off and running (or swimming) in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the Russians lead with 6 gold medals.
Russia is being led by the versatile Arina Openysheva, who came into the meet with a shot at a Phelpsian 8 gold medals overall. She dropped the 100 free today to Dutch superstar Marrit Steenbergen, but has otherwise been perfect, earning 3 golds and that silver over the first two days of action.
Openysheva is currently the second-best performer for Russia in any sport, based on medal tallies, behind only rhythmic gymnast Yana Kurdryavtseva, who has four golds.
In total, Russia has 16 swimming medals, more than double the next-best nations.
Great Britain is second with seven, four of them gold. Germany also has seven total medals, but only two golds, though the German federation has been smashing national age records in the early goings.
| Rank | Country | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Russia |
6 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2 |
 Great Britain |
4 | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 |
 Germany |
2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 4 |
 Netherlands |
1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 5 |
 France |
1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 5 |
 Ukraine |
1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 7 |
 Italy |
0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 8 |
 Poland |
0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 8 |
 Greece |
0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 10 |
 Hungary |
0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 |
 Israel |
0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 |
 Spain |
0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 |
 Serbia |
0 | 0 | 1 |
The following athletes competed at 2011 european junior championships and 2012 olympic games:
Gkolomeev, Stjepanovic, Detti, Paltrinieri, Benson, Mattsson, Bonnet, Nielsen, Sztankovics, Laukkanen, Wenk, Szilagyi, O’Connor (maybe i forgot some)
Out of the german team we could see the following athletes at 2016 olympic games:
Kullmann (200 free, 400 free, 4 x 200 free relay)
Wolters (200 back, 200/400 IM)
Mrozinski (200 fly)
Bermel (1500 free)
Ulrich (100 back)
Tesch/Brandt (200 fly)
If Johannes Hintze would compete (he is too young to compete), he would be the 8th name on the list. I think Mrozinski, Kullmann and Wolters have a pretty good chance.
Men:
1500 free:
10th best time… Read more »
Note for womens 200 fly;
Mrozinski was born in 2000, therefore she also will be able to improve her time next year.
More notes:
1) I only named the medal winners at 2011 junior european swimming championships, there also might be some athletes that didnt win a medal but still competed at 2012 olympic games.
2) The german guy that won the 400 free was only the 5th fastest german athlete of his age group at 2015 german age group championships and in my opinion Bermel, Mühlleitner and Brandt are all more talented, therefore it was very surprising that he won and i dont think he will be the best european guy in 400 free at 2015 junior world championships.
I just went thru the SwSw rankings top 5 for 2013-2014 . Usa swimmers lead only 4 & I counted only 25 total entrants . If anyone does not believe this – go check . ( I am not going to count something called a 1650) .
That is 34 events x 5 possible places for a Total of 170 . USA was 25/170 . Hardly a dominance whereby it is a throwdown that they could wipe the floor with Europe or its juniors. Europeans are on a roll & without Ledecky ,
Sometimes what posters post is a little bit of a joke . Mike is from Texas & from LBJ to the Bushes – they have their… Read more »
I am a European history fan but that is it . I only like Scandinavian liquorice now & Christmas treats from Germany . Someone gave me some French champagne in little bottles which was very handy for a snack but I didn’t notice anything special .
Let them have their little games if It stops them annoying everybody else on the planet . Azerbaijanis are better than I as I would have thrown out all the Dutch ( whose liquorice is horrible ) .
Russia on top form as always. As a Brit, very happy to see how much our juniors have progressed, especially as one of my team mates was part of the gold medal winning relay on the first night.
Which one was a team mate?
Does “Mike in Dallas” realise the girls racing in this meet are high school Freshman and Sophmores? I don’t have time to look into the current US Swimming Top 16 lists, I’m pretty sure these European times would be doing pretty well against American 14-15 year olds. Agree that on the men’s side the U.S. would be a little stronger though as the boys are 16-17 years old. Overall I think wiping the floor may be a little presumptuous.
Jared- I kind of take issue with called Marrit Steenberge a “superstar.”
Not that she isn’t talented. Not that she hasn’t begun to make her presence felt on the international stage, and not to imply that her accomplishments aren’t legitimate or worthy. It’s just that it’s so early in the game, that using the superlative term “superstar” is unnecessary and over the top.
If she is a superstar because she was close to the World Junior Record, then what is Shen Duo, who holds the WJR? What would Ranomi Kromowidjojo be, as a 3-time Olympic gold medalist? What term could possibly describe Michael Phelps?
Of course there aren’t hard and fast rules about who is a “star” and… Read more »
McGillRocks – fair point. I meant “superstar” more within the context of this meet, where she’s been one of headliners, much the same way as any Division I recruit is probably a “superstar,” relatively speaking, within the context of their high school state championship meet.