2022 European Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2022 EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 11 – Wednesday, August 17, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Rome, Italy
• Parco Del Foro Italico
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 9:00 am local / 3:00 am ET
  • Finals: 6:00 pm local / 12:00 pm ET
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entries
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

DAY 3 FINALS HEAT SHEET

The 3rd finals session of the 2022 European Championships will feature some of the most highly anticipated races of these Championships. Sarah Sjostrom is chasing her 5th LC European Champs Gold medal in the women’s 50 fly tonight, where she’s heavily favored to win after speeding to a 25.10 in semifinals.

Of course, all eyes will be on 17-year-old Romanian David Popovici after he crushed the European Record in semifinals of the men’s 100 free yesterday. Popovici broke 47 seconds for the first time in his young career, and now finds himself just 0.07 seconds off the World Record, which has stood for 13 years. If he were able to crack that record tonight, it would truly be one of the most earth-shattering performances we’ve seen in swimming in a long time.

The men’s 800 free also ought to be a thrilling race, as any distance event featuring this group of European swimmers is. Ukrainian Mykhailo Romanchuk led prelims with a 7:47.93, a time which we could potentially see everyone in this final go under. Lukas Martens and Gregorio Paltrinieri present a very real threat to Romanchuk, and they’ll likely be the lead pack in the middle of the pool. Italian 16-year-old Lorenzo Galossi is someone to watch out for. He swims the race differently than the 3 swimmers seeded ahead of him. Galossi prefers to negative split the race, so don’t count him out even if he appears to be far behind the leaders at the halfway mark.

After a stunning turn of events in the women’s 400 IM prelims this morning, neither Katinka Hosszu or Mireia Belmonte will be racing in finals tonight. Hosszu, the World Record holder and defending European Champion in the event, was 4th this morning, but was the 3rd-fastest Hungarian in the field, and therefore, was ineligible to advance to finals. Belmonte was 10th and comes in as the 1st alternate for finals.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 1:54.95, Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Barbora Seemanova (CZE), 1:56.27

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 1:57.40
2. Isabel Gose (GER) – 1:57.70
3. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) – 1:57.73
4. Freya Anderson (GBR) – 1:57.76
5. Nikoletta Padar (HUN) – 1:57.80
6. Janja Segel (SLO) – 1:57.94
7. Katja Fain (SLO) – 1:58.25
8. Aleksandra Polanska (BEL) – 1:58.87

This evening’s semifinals of the women’s 200 free were significantly faster than prelims this morning. In prelims, no swimmer was under 1:59, but tonight, it took a 1:58.87 to advance to the final tomorrow night.

After looking disappointed in her 2:00.01 prelims performance this morning, Dutchwoman Marrit Steenbergen was all smiles tonight, roaring to a 1:57.40 to win the 1st heat of semifinals. Steenbergen, the 100 free champion from last night, established an early lead, and was able to hold off a late charge from Great Britain’s Freya Anderson. Having established her lifetime best of 1:56.05 at the World Championships in June, Anderson entered these Championships as the top seed in the event. Her final 50 tonight clocked in at 29.84, which could be a sign of things to come in the finals tomorrow night.

The 2nd semifinals heat saw France’s Charlotte Bonnet immediately get out the lead, flipping at the 50m turn nearly a full body length ahead of the field. She had expanded her lead to just shy of a second at the 100m turn, and she held that lead through the 3rd 50 of the race. Germany’s Isabel Gose and Hungary’s Nikoletta Padar both closed on Bonnet on the final 50, seeing Gose touch Bonnet out at the finish. It was a very tight finish, seeing the trio separated by just 0.10 seconds.

Notably, Slovenia was the only country in the event to advance 2 swimmers to the final. Janja Segel and Katja Fain were 6th and 7th and will be competing tomorrow night.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 1:53.23, Evgeny Rylov (RUS) – 2021 Russian Championships
• European Championships Record: 1:53.36, Evgeny Rylov (RUS) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:54.46

Results:

1. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA) – 1:55.62
2. Benedek Kovacs (HUN) – 1:56.03
3. Luke Greenbank (GBR) – 1:56.15
4. Roman Mityukov (SUI) – 1:56.45
5. Matteo Restivo (ITA) – 1:57.30
6. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) – 1:57.43
7. Mewen Tomac (FRA) – 1:57.71
8. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 1:57.84

After having to swim twice in semifinals last night due to an issue with the starting wedge, France’s Yohann Ndoye-Brouard put together a great race, tearing home in 29.51 to take the lead on the final 50. The 21-year-old cracked the French Record in the event with his time of 1:55.62 tonight.

Hungary’s Benedek Kovacs snuck in for Silver at the end of the race, posting the fastest final 50 in the field, bringing the race home in a blistering 29.20. The top seed coming into the meet, Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank made his move on the back half, working his way up the field to win Bronze.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• World Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014 Swedish Championships
• European Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014 Swedish Championships
• European Championships Record: 24.87, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014
• 2020 European Champion: Ranomi Kromowidjoj0 (NED), 25.30

Results:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.96
2. Marie Wattel (FRA) – 25.33
3. Maaike De Waard (NED) – 25.62
4. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE) – 25.83
5. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 25.91
6. Paulina Peda (POL) – 26.01
7. Kim Busch (NED) – 26.35 (Tie)
8. Anna Dowgiert (POL) – 26.35 (Tie)

Louise Hansson had a fantastic start, but once they were up and swimming, there was no doubt Sarah Sjostrom would win the race. With the performance, Sarah Sjostrom went under 25 seconds yet again in her career. Sjostrom is the only swimmer in history to have gone under 25 seconds in the women’s LCM 50 fly.

The performance marks Sjostrom’s 5th career European Championships Gold in the LCM 50 fly.

France’s Marie Wattel grabbed Silver by a considerable margin, coming in 0.29 seconds ahead of Bronze medalist Maaike de Waard.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 46.91, Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 2009 World Championships
• European Record: 46.98, David Popovici (ROU) – 2022 European Championships
• European Championship Record: 46.98, David Popovici (ROU) – 2022
• 2020 European Champion: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 47.37

Results:

1. David Popovici (ROU) – 46.86 (WORLD RECORD)
2. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 47.47
3. Alessandro Miressi (ITA) – 47.63
4. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 47.78
5. Nandor Nemeth (HUN) – 48.01
6. Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA) – 48.10
7. Thomas Dean (GBR) – 48.23
8. Andrej Barna (SRB) – 48.38

This kid is truly a showstopper. 17-year-old David Popovici doubled down on his European Record from semifinals, breaking one of the longest standing World Records on the books tonight. France’s Maxime Grousset took the race out faster than Popovici, but he wasn’t able to hold up with the youngster’s incredible closing speed. Despite being 2nd at the turn, Popovici’s first 50 split of 22.74 was still faster than his initial split in semifinals last night. Popovici was again electric coming home, splitting a stunning 24.12 on the 2nd 50.

The record is poetic. The men’s LCM 100 free World Record was one of the longest standing records on the books, having been set in this very same pool 13 years ago. It was also considered by many to be among the fastest World Records on the books, as few people have even been able to scare the mark in the last 13 years.

Moreover, Popovici is now the only swimmer in history to have gone under 47 seconds in the LCM 100 free more than once in his career.

To his credit, Hungary’s Kristof Milak also displayed phenomenal closing speed, splitting 24.61 on the 2nd 50 to propel himself to a Silver medal. Milak also broke the Hungarian Record in the event with his new personal best of 47.47. Italian Alessandro Miressi also came home fast, splitting 24.75 on the final 50 to help him to his Bronze medal.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) — 2017 World Championships
• European Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) — 2013 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 1:05.53, Yuliya Efimova (RUS) — 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Sophie Hansson (SWE), 1:05.69

Results:

1. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 1:05.97
2. Lisa Angiolini (ITA) – 1:06.34
3. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:06.50
4. Kotryna Teterevkova (LTU) – 1:06.61
5. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 1:07.14
6. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 1:07.31
7. Tes Schouten (NED) – 1:07.66
8. Kara Hanlon (GBR) – 1:08.08

After Popovici’s World Record electrified the crowd in Rome, the energy was only boosted when Italy went 1-2 in the women’s 100 breast just minutes later. Swimming in front of a home crowd, Benedetta Pilato sped to victory in 1:05.97, touching as the only swimmer under 1:06. Pilato led the 1st 50, splitting 30.75m then came home in 35.22, which was also the fastest split in the field.

Behind her, teammate Lisa Angiolini touched the wall just ahead of Ruta Meilutyte thanks to a late charge at the end of the race. Meilutyte was out 0.10 seconds faster than Angiolini, but was just a bit slower on the 2nd 50. Lithuania had an excellent performance as a team in the event, seeing Kotryna Teterevkova take 4th.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 49.50, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2019
• European Record: 49.68, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2022
• European Championship Record: 50.18, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2021
• 2020 European Champion: Kristof Milak (HUN), 50.18

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 51.01
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 51.16
3. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 51.46
4. Jakub Majerski (POL) – 51.58
5. Diogo Matos Ribeiro (POR) – 51.61 (TIE)
6. Matteo Rivolta (ITA) – 51.61 (TIE)
7. Simon Bucher (AUT) – 51.62
8. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 51.69

In an incredible display of his competitive grit, Hungarian star Kristof Milak posted the fastest time in semifinals of the men’s 100 fly approximately 15 minutes after setting a new Hungarian Record in the men’s 100 free final. While his 51.01 is well off his personal best of 49.68, Milak’s ability to lead the field in the 100 fly after such a short turnaround speaks to his toughness. Even coming off the double, Milak posted the fastest 2nd 50 split in the field, coming home in 27.05 on the 2nd 50 tonight.

Noe Ponti was right behind, swimming a 51.16. Nyls Kortsanje was 3rd tonight, touching in 51.46, just off his Dutch Record of 51.41, which he set just a few weeks ago.

Diogo Matos Ribeiro blew away the Portugues Record en route to tying for 5th tonight, swimming a 51.61. Ribeiro held the previous record at 52.31, marking a massive personal best for the youngster.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 26.98 – Liu Xiang, CHN (2018)
• European Record: 27.10 – Kira Toussaint, NED (2021)
• European Championships Record: 27.19 – Kathleen Dawnson, GBR (2021)
• 2020 European Champion: Kira Toussaint, NED – 27.36

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Silvia Scalia (ITA) – 27.39
2. Medi Harris (GBR) – 27.68 (TIE)
3. Analia Pigree (FRA) – 27.68 (TIE)
4. Kira Toussaint (NED) – 27.84
5. Mary-Ambre Moluh (FRA) – 27.86
6. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 28.00
7. Julie Jensen (DEN) – 28.16
8. Theodora Drakou (GRE) – 28.18

Silvia Scalia won the 1st semifinals heat in 27.39, breaking the Italian Record in the event. Scalia held the record previously at 27.65, a time which she swam at the World Championships in June of this year. Her time would stand as the fastest through the 2nd heat of semifinals, putting her as the top seed for tomorrow night’s final.

Great Briatain’s Medi Harris and France’s Analia Pigree were tied for 2nd tonight, both swimming 27.68. Pigree has been 0.4 seconds faster than that mark before, giving her a little bit of an edge heading into finals.

Kira Toussaint, the European Record holder in the event, swam a 27.84 for 4th tonight, going a little faster than she was in prelims this morning, Toussaint’s lifetime best stands at 27.10, making her the favorite still as we head into finals.

Frenchwoman Mary-Ambre Moluh was also under 28 seconds tonight, swimming a 27.86.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 2:05.95, Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) – 2022 Australian Trials
• European Record: 2:06.12, Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2019 World Championships
• European Championships Record: 2:06.80, Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2018
• 2020 European Champion: Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2:06.99

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Matti Mattsson (FIN) – 2:09.88
2. Luca Pizzini (ITA) – 2:10.48
3. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU) – 2:10.59
4. Dawid Wiekiera (POL) – 2:10.60
5. Antoine Viquerat (FRA) – 2:11.14
6. Anton McKee (ISL) – 2:11.47
7. Matej Zabojnik (CZE) – 2:11.48
8. James Wilby (GBR) – 2:11.73

Finland’s Matti Mattsson led the first heat of semifinals wire-to-wire, managing to get his hands on the wall first at the finish. He was much faster than this morning, dipping under 2:10 to safely qualify for finals. Mattsson holds the Finnish Record in the event at 2:07.13, a time which he swam at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last summer.

Poland’s Dawid Wiekiera touched 2nd in the first semifinals heat, swimming a 2:10.48. That swim came in just off his lifetime best of 2:09.99, which stands as the Polish Record. He set that record in April of this year.

The 2nd semifinals heat was slower than the 1st, although 5 swimmers qualified for the final out of it. Lithuanian Andrius Sidlauskas took over the lead on the 2nd 50 and held it through the finish, touching in 2:10.59. James Wilby, one of the top entrants in the event, narrowly made it back for finals tomorrow night, finishing 5th in the 2nd heat with a 2:11.73. He was 8th overall, narrowly advancing.

WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS

• World Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016 Olympic Games
• European Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016 Olympic Games
• European Championship Record: 4:30.90, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2016
• 2020 European Champion: Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:34.76

Results:

1. Viktoraia Milhalyvari-Farkas (HUN) – 4:37.56
2. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) – 4:39.79
3. Freya Colbert (GBR) – 4:40.06
4. Sara Franceschi (ITA) – 4:40.91
5. Alba Vazquez (ESP) – 4:42.40
6. Ilaria Cusinato (ITA) – 4:44.24
7. Katie Shanahan (GBR) – 4:49.38 (Tie)
8. Zoe Vogelmann (GER) – 4:49.38 (Tie)

In the end, Hungary’s Viktoraia Mihalyvari-Farkas, just 18 years old, won this race handily, breaking away from the field on backstroke, then fortifying her lead on breaststroke. She was particularly formidable on breaststroke, splitting 1:18.71 on that leg of the race.

It was a 1-2 punch for Hungary in what is one of their best women’s events historically. 33-year-old Zsuzsanna Jakabos won Silver with a 4:39.79, touching as the only other swimmer in the field under 4:40.

Great Britain’s Freya Colbert, another 18-year-old, won Bronze with a 4:40.06, leading the race through the first 150m.

MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 7:32.12 — Zhang Lin, China (2009)
• European Record: 7:39.27 — Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2019)
• European Championships Record: 7:42.33 — Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2016)
• 2020 European Champion: Mkyhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 7:42.61

Results:

1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 7:40.86 (Championships Record)
2. Lukas Martens (GER) – 7:42.65
3. Lorenzo Galossi (ITA) – 7:43.37
4. Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) – 7:45.03
5. Sven Schwarz (GER) – 7:47.36
6. Damien Joly (FRA) – 7:48.82
7. Joris Bouchaut (FRA) – 7:50.69
8. Victor Johansson (SWE) – 7:54.51

Italian superstar distance freestyler Gregorio Paltrinieri was met by raucous applause when he walked out behind the blocks, making it seem as though the crowd could sense what was coming. After his stunning performance in the 1500 at the World Championships in June, Paltrinieri had a fantastic performance tonight, pulling away from the field on the back half of the race. His 7:40.86, comes in well within 2 seconds of his own European Record mark of 7:39.27. He did, however, smash the European Championships Record, which he also held at 7:42.33 from the 2016 Championships.

Germany’s Lukas Martens was right with both Paltrinieri and Mykhailo Romanchuk through the first half of the race, but Romanchuk faded on tye back half, while Martens held steady. Italian 16-year-old Lorenzo Galossi threw down another negative split tonight, pulling up on Martens and closing the gap in the final 200 meters. Martens was able to fight off the charging teenager, getting into the wall 2nd in 7:42.65.

Notably, Galossi’s time of 7:43.37 was not only a lifetime best, it shattered the World Junior Record in the event by 2.3 seconds.

WOMEN’S 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• World Record: 3:29.69, Australia – 2021 Olympic Games
• European Record: 3:31.72, Netherlands – 2009 World Championships
• European Championship Record: 3:33.62, Netherlands – 2008
• 2020 European Champion: Great Britain, 3:34.17

Results:

1. Great Britain – 3:36.47
2. Sweden – 3:37.29
3. Netherlands – 3:37.59
4. Italy – 3:38.01
5. Hungary – 3:39.42
6. France – 3:39.61
7. Spain – 3:41.01
8. Germany – 3:43.92

Sweden got out to the early lead, thanks to World Record holder Sarah Sjostrom leading the squad off in 53.12. Not only was that swim enough to give Sweden the lead by 1.69 seconds going into the 2nd leg, Sjostrom’s performance would have been fast enough to win Gold in the individual 100 free last night. Moreover, her split was the 2nd fastest in the field, despite having come on the lead-off leg.

Sweden’s Louise Hansson was able to hold Sweden’s lead, splitting 54.21 on the 2nd leg, but the gap really started to close on the 2rd leg, where Sara Junevik split 55.12. Anchor Sofia Astedt did everything she could to hold off Freya Anderon on Great Britain’s anchor, but Anderson passed her on the first 50, continuing to pull away into the finish.

Great Britain’s team of Lucy Hope (54.88), Anna Hopkin (53.44), Medi Harris (54.61), and Anderson (53.54) got the job done.

The fastest split in the field once again came from Netherland’s Marrit Steenbergen, who anchored her relay to Bronze with a 53.02. Steenbergen has been exceptional at these Championships so far, posting the fastest split in the field in the women’s 4×200 free relay as well, and winning Gold in the women’s individual 100 free last night.