2021 LEN EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, November 2nd – Sunday, November 7th
- Aquatics Palace, Kazan Russia
- SCM (25m)
- Prelim recap
- Results
Four teams—including all three medalists—broke their respective National Records during the timed final of the women’s 4×50 medley relay at the 2021 European SC Championships in Kazan, led by the gold medalists from Russia.
The event was raced as a timed final due to the fact that there were only 10 countries entered (and 10 lanes available for racing).
The Russian quartet of Maria Kameneva (26.42), Nika Godun (29.47), Arina Surkova (24.49) and Daria Klepikova (23.81) combined for a final time of 1:44.19, holding off Sweden for gold while also breaking their National Record of 1:44.96 set at the 2019 European SC Championships.
Surkova’s butterfly splits ranks as the eighth-fastest of all-time.
The previous mark was set by three of the four same swimmers, with only Klepikova being a new member of the team.
Russia Split Comparison
| Russia, 2019 Euros | Russia, 2021 Euros |
| Maria Kameneva – 26.22 | Maria Kameneva – 26.42 |
| Nika Godun – 30.11 | Nika Godun – 29.47 |
| Arina Surkova – 24.70 | Arina Surkova – 24.49 |
| Daria Ustinova – 23.93 | Daria Klepikova – 23.81 |
| 1:44.96 | 1:44.19 |
The Swedes were the runners-up in 1:44.32, with Sarah Sjostrom throwing down a blazing-fast 22.94 anchor to tie for the seventh-fastest 50 free split in history.
Sjostrom was joined by Hanna Rosvall (26.57), Emelie Fast (29.96) and Sara Junevik (24.85) on the relay team, as they lowered the previous Swedish Record of 1:44.43 set at the 2017 Euros.
Sweden Split Comparison
| Sweden, 2017 Euros | Sweden, 2021 Euros |
| Hanna Rosvall – 26.96 | Hanna Rosvall – 26.57 |
| Sophie Hansson – 29.30 | Emelie Fast – 29.96 |
| Sarah Sjostrom – 24.27 | Sara Junevik – 24.85 |
| Michelle Coleman – 23.90 | Sarah Sjostrom – 22.94 |
| 1:44.43 | 1:44.32 |
The bronze-medal Italians had four very solid legs to edge out the Netherlands in a time of 1:44.46, breaking their previous National Record of 1:44.92 set when they won bronze in 2019.
Like Russia, Italy’s 2021 team featured three of the same members as 2019.
Italy Split Comparison
| Italy, 2019 Euros | Italy, 2021 Euros |
| Silvia Scalia – 26.60 | Silvia Scalia – 26.59 |
| Benedetta Pilato – 29.18 | Arianna Castiglioni – 29.36 |
| Elena Di Liddo – 25.02 | Elena Di Liddo – 24.97 |
| Silvia Di Pietro – 24.12 | Silvia Di Pietro – 23.54 |
| 1:44.92 | 1:44.46 |
The fourth nation to lower a record was Austria, which placed seventh in a time of 1:48.05. That broke the previous Austrian Record of 1:49.32 set at the 2016 SC World Championships.
Austria Split Comparison
| Austria, 2016 SC Worlds | Austria, 2021 Euros |
| Caroline Pilhatsch – 27.67 | Caroline Pilhatsch – 26.54 |
| Christina Nothdurfter – 30.53 | Cornelia Pammer – 30.53 |
| Lena Kreundl – 26.42 | Lena Kreundl – 26.44 |
| Birgit Koschischek – 24.70 | Nina Gangl – 24.54 |
| 1:49.32 | 1:48.05 |
WOMEN’S 4X50 MEDLEY RELAY FINAL RESULTS (TOP 7)
The world record in the event stands at 1:42.38, set by the United States at the 2018 World Championships in Hangzhou, while the Dutch women set the European Record at 1:42.69 during the 2009 SC Euros in Istanbul.
