Heiko Gigler & Virginia Commit Pavalic Lower 50FR National Records In Euro SC Heats

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

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• 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 16 Qualifiers:

1. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 23.45 Q
2. Kasia Wasick (POL) – 23.47 Q
3. Silvia di Pietro (ITA) – 23.70 Q
4. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 23.80 Q
5. Valerie van Roon (NED) – 23.84 Q
6. Jana Pavalic (CRO) – 23.90 Q
7. Eva Okaro (GBR) – 23.96 Q
8. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 24.05 Q
9. Kornelia Fiedkiewicz (POL) – 24.07 Q
10. Milou van Wijk (NED) – 24.10 Q
11. Neza Klancar (SLO) – 24.15 Q
12. Barbara Janickova (CZE) – 24.16 Q
13. Kalia Antoniou (CYP) – 24.18 Q
14. Petra Senanszky (HUN)/Agata Ambler (ITA) – 24.19 Q (Senanszky only)
15. –
16. Daryna Nabojcenko (CZE) – 24.28 Q
17. Lilla Minna Abraham (HUN)/Julie Kepp Jensen (DEN) – 24.29 *SWIM-OFF*

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• WR: 19.90 – Jordan Crooks, CAY (2024)
• WJR: 20.84 – Nikita Sheremet, UKR (2025)
• ER: 20.18 – Ben Proud, GBR (2023)
• EJR: 20.84 – Nikita Sheremet, UKR (2025)
• CR: 20.18 – Ben Proud, GBR (2023)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Leonardo Deplano (ITA) – 20.98 Q
2. Jere Hribar (CRO)/ Heiko Gigler (AUT) – 21.00 Q
3. –
4. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 21.06 Q
5. Nikita Sheremet (UKR) – 21.08 Q
6. Szebastian Szabo (HUN) – 21.15 Q
7. Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA) – 21.18 Q
8. Adam Jaszo (HUN) – 21.20 Q
9. Sergio de Celis Montalban (ESP)/Daniel Zaitsev (EST) – 21.21 Q
10. –
11. Luka Hoek le Guenedal (ESP)/Matej Dusa (SVK) – 21.23 Q
12. –
13. Brandon van den Berg (NED) – 21.27
14. Kenzo Simons (NED) – 21.28
15. Luka Cvetko (CRO) – 21.32
16. Piotr Ludwiczak (POL) – 21.33

Two big players broker national records en route to top-six seeds in the 50 free this morning, as Jana Pavalic and Heiko Gigler both took time off their own previous standards.

This is the second 50 free record of the week for Gigler, and third in total. He took a hundredth off his record when leading off the 4×50 free relay in 21.05 in the heats on Day 1, before setting a new 100 free record in last night’s semi-finals. He clocked 46.30, slicing 0.15 seconds off the mark from last December.

Gigler also took bronze in the men’s 100 IM, out-touching teammate Luka Mladenovic by 0.03 seconds to claim the final podium step in 51.60.

He was out a tenth slower today than his previous record, but closed in 10.95 compared to 11.09.

Jana Pavalic has also been a multi-record threat this week, having broker the Croatian 50 fly record in the heats of that event with a swim of 25.83. She is committed to Virginia for next fall, and looks like yet another star sprinter for the ‘Hoos.

Current Virginia freshman Sara Curtis is the top seed in the 50 free after setting a big best time of 23.45, indicating that Pavalic will be in good hands once she joins Todd DeSorbo‘s group.

Pavalic is now the 32nd-fastest European woman in this event, with two more potential swims to rise even further up the rankings. She currently ranks as the 14th-fastest woman in the world this season.

Gigler ranks joint-13th this season, although only four of those ahead of him are competing in the 50 free here.

Pavalic’s teammate Jere Hribar has been delivering similar record-setting exploits this week, and matched Duje Draganja‘s super-suited 50 free record with a 20.70 leadoff in the men’s 4×50 free relay final. He was 21.00 this morning to match Gigler, and has the 100 free final tonight after setting a new national record of 45.76 in the semi-finals for the #2 seed.