By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
2021 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Swimming: Monday, May 17th – Sunday, May 23rd, 2021
- Budapest, Hungary
- Prelims at 10:00 am local/Finals at 6:00 pm local
- Event Site
- Entry List
- Live Results
- Live Stream
The penultimate finals session from Budapest will be an action-packed one with 11 events on the docket, including finals in the men’s 800 free, 50 breast and 200 back, the women’s 100 free and 200 IM, and the mixed 400 free relay.
Katinka Hosszu has the opportunity to make history in the women’s 200 IM – a sixth straight victory would mark the longest streak in an individual event at the LC European Championships, men or women. Hosszu’s run of five in a row in the event is tied with fellow Hungarian Laszlo Cseh, who won five straight in both the men’s 200 IM (2006-14) and 400 IM (2004-12).
Israel’s 17-year-old breakout star Anastasia Gorbenko may have something to say about that, however, having qualified first out of the semi-finals in 2:10.35. Great Britain’s Abbie Wood should also be a factor.
In the men’s 800 free, Gregorio Paltrinieri, the winner in 2014 and 2016, will look to reclaim his title from defending champion Mykhailo Romanchuk. Romanchuk beat Paltrinieri head-to-head earlier in the meet in the 1500 free.
The women’s 100 free crown is up for grabs with the winner of the last four titles, Sarah Sjostrom, absent as she heals up from an elbow injury. In her absence, the Dutch duo of Femke Heemskerk and Ranomi Kromowidjojo will duke it out, with France’s Marie Wattel and Brits Freya Anderson and Anna Hopkin also in the mix. Heemskerk has notably won a medal in four of the last five championships in this event, but has never stood atop the podium.
Adam Peaty will shoot for four straight in the men’s 50 breast, which would tie Oleg Lisogor‘s record in the event (2002-08), and Luke Greenbank will look to upend defending champ Evgeny Rylov in the men’s 200 back after lowering the British Record in both the prelims and semis.
This morning’s prelims featured a few swims worth mentioning – Kristof Milaktied the Championship Record in the men’s 100 fly (50.64), and Benedetta Pilato broke the meet, Italian and World Junior Records in the women’s 50 breast (29.50).
Men’s 800 Free Final
- European Record: 7:39.27, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 2019
- European Championship Record: 7:42.33, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 2016
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 7:54.31
- Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR), 7:42.61
- Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:43.62
- Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:46.10
There was nothing in the men’s 800 free final early on, with two-time winner Gregorio Paltrinieri inching his way into the lead around the 300m mark. Defending champion Mykhailo Romanchuk refused to let the Italian get away, and the two duelled it out over the final 100.
As we’ve seen before, Romanchuk had more finishing kick at the end, taking out Paltrinieri on the final 50 in 27.70 to win it by a full second in 7:42.61, just off his Ukrainian Record of 7:42.49. Romanchuk moves into second in the world rankings this season, trailing only Paltrinieri’s 7:41.96 from April.
Paltrinieri touched second in 7:43.62, his fifth straight medal in the event, while his teammate Gabriele Detti won his third medal in the last four championships with bronze in 7:46.10. Detti improves his season-best of 7:46.58, but falls one spot in the rankings due to Romanchuk’s swim.
2020-2021 LCM Men 800 Free
Paltrinieri
7:41.96
| 2 | Mykhaylo Romanchuk | UKR | 7:42.61 | 05/22 |
| 3 | Gabriele Detti | ITA | 7:46.10 | 05/22 |
| 4 | Felix Auboeck | AUT | 7:46.72 | 04/11 |
| 5 | Henrik Christiansen | NOR | 7:47.99 | 05/22 |
Norwegian Henrik Christiansen takes fourth for the second straight championships in 7:47.99.
Jose PauloLopes set a Portuguese Record and hit the FINA ‘A’ cut in 7:52.68 to place sixth.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINAL
- European Record: 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017
- European Championship Record: 52.67, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 54.38
- Femke Heemskerk (NED), 53.05
- Marie Wattel (FRA), 53.32
- Anna Hopkin (GBR), 53.43
Femke Heemskerk‘s fifth medal in the 100 freestyle at the European Championships is her first gold, as the Dutchwoman executed a strong race to win it in 53.05, elevating her into fourth in the world this season.
The time ties Heemskerk’s third-fastest ever, having only been faster on a pair of occasions in 2015 (52.69 is her PB). She had won a medal in four of the last five championships with two silvers and two bronzes.
France’s Marie Wattel tied her best time on the nose in 53.32 to win silver, closing faster than everyone in 27.34. Anna Hopkin led at the 50 in 25.56, and managed to hold off Ranomi Kromowidjojo by .01 for bronze in 53.43.
MEN’S 50 BREAST FINAL
- European Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2017
- European Championship Record: 26.09, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2018
- Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.21
- Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.55
- Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 26.68
Adam Peaty, mustache and all, made it four straight in the men’s 50 breaststroke, using his patented up-tempo stroke rate to accelerate ahead of the field and touch first in a time of 26.21, taking over the #1 time in the world this season.
Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich, who missed his National Record by .01 in the semi-finals, was about a tenth slower in 26.55 for silver, while Italian Nicolo Martinenghi rounds out the podium in 26.68. Shymanovich was eighth in this event in Glasgow.
Women’s 200 Back Semi-Finals
- European Record: 2:04.94, Anastasia Fesikova (RUS), 2009
- European Championship Record: 2:06.18, Margherita Panziera (ITA), 2018
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:10.39
- Margherita Panziera (ITA), 2:07.61
- Lena Grabowski (AUT), 2:08.60
- Katalin Burian (HUN), 2:08.89
- Cassie Wild (GBR), 2:09.31
- Africa Zamorano Sanz (ESP), 2:09.89
- Eszter Szabo Feltothy (HUN), 2:09.97
- Katie Shanahan (GBR), 2:10.84
- Daryna Zevina (UKR), 2:11.73
18-year-old Lena Grabowski charged home in 31.58 to smash her Austrian Record for the second time today in the first semi of the women’s 200 back, clocking 2:08.60 to lower her prelim mark of 2:09.12.
Great Britain’s Cassie Wild led the heat the majority of the way and still hit a sizable best time of her own in second, clocking 2:09.31 to crack 2:10 for the first time. Wild went a best of 2:10.94 at British Trials in April.
Defending champion Margherita Panziera cruised to the top seed for tomorrow’s final from the second semi, surely riding some momentum after claiming silver in last night’s 100 back re-swim. Panziera posted a time of 2:07.61, holding her splits steady at 32s over the final 150. The Italian ranks second in the world this year with a time of 2:05.56 set in late March.
2018 bronze medalist Katalin Burian of Hungary was second in the heat for third overall in 2:08.89.
Men’s 50 Free Semi-Finals
- European Record: 20.94, Frederick Bousquet (FRA), 2009
- European Championship Record: 21.11, Ben Proud (GBR), 2018
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 22.01
- Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE), 21.60
- Florent Manaudou (FRA), 21.67
- Ari-Pekka Liukkonen (FIN), 21.72
- Thom De Boer (NED), 21.80
- Ben Proud (GBR), 21.84
- Alessandro Miressi (ITA) / Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA), 21.86
- –
- Maxime Grousset (FRA), 21.95
Two-time champion Florent Manaudou blasted a season-best time of 21.67 to win the first semi in the men’s 50 free, leading a tight field that saw six swimmers break 22 seconds. Finland’s Ari-Pekka Liukkonen was a close second in 21.72. Manaudou won back-to-back golds in 2014 and 2016, while Liukkonen won bronze in Berlin seven years ago.
Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev overtook Manaudou time in winning the second semi, blasting a time of 21.60 to mark his fastest swim since the 2019 World Championships. Gkolomeev won silver in 2018.
Thom De Boer of the Netherlands touched second in 21.80, .06 off his PB, and defending champion