2022 European Junior Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2022 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, July 5th – Sunday, July 10th
• Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 10 a.m. local / 3 a.m. ET
  • Finals: 5 p.m. local / 10 a.m. ET
• Meet Central
• Entries
• Live Results
• Live Stream

We are in for a very stacked finals session here on day two of the 2022 European Junior Championships.

The session starts off with the boys’ and girls’ 200 free races, where we will see event headliner David Popovici compete in front of a home crowd in Bucharest, Romania. He recently dropped a massive 1:43.21 swim at the 2022 World Championships, and the big question headed into tonight is whether he will be able to near or better that time. In the girls’ version of the event, Hungary’s Nikoletta Padar is the top seed by over a second, clocking a time of 1:58.86. She will be the heavy favorite to win in finals.

In 50 back events, there are two dominant forces primed to capture their first European Junior title of the meet. In the girls’ 50 back, Frenchwoman Mary-Ambre Moluh is fresh off breaking the championship record in the semis with a time of 27.75, and looks to improve upon that in finals. In the boys’ 50 back, it’s going to be Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk against the clock as he attempts to continue his streak of success after winning bronze at Worlds.

Estonian record holder Eneli Jefimova is the favorite to win the girls’s 50 breast, while Koen de Groot of the Netherlands and Uros Zivanovic of Serbia will be engaged in a tight battle in the boy’s 50 breast. In the girls’ 1500 free, European Junior Record holder Merve Tuncel will make her finals debut.

Other events that will be contested include the semifinals of the girls’ 100 fly and 50 free, and the boys’ 200 IM. The session will conclude with the mixed 4×100 free relay, where Popovici will get another opportunity to clock a 100 free time. He swam a 48.66 leading off Romania’s relay in the morning, which helped them get into the finals.

GIRLS’ 200 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 1:52.98 — Federica Pellegrini, ITA (2009)
• European Record: 1:52.98 — Federica Pellegrini, ITA (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:54.79 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
• European Junior Record: 1:56.78
• European Junior Championship Record: 1:57.51 – Isabel Gose, GER (2019)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Nikoletta Padar (HUN) – 1:59.38

Podium:

1. Nikoletta Padar, HUN — 1:58.43
2. Giulia Vetrano, ITA — 1:59.60
3. Merve Tuncel, TUR — 2:00.02

Nikoletta Padar successfully defended her title in the girls’ 200 time, leading from start to finish in this race and finishing first in a time of 1:58.43. She was just over half a second off her best time of 1:57.91 that she set in April 2022, but she was faster than the 1:58.90 time that she swam at the World Championships a week ago.

Italy’s Giulia Vetrano was the only other girl under two minutes in the field, finishing second with a 1:59.60. She was also just a few tenths off her personal best of 1:59.33 set last year. Turkey’s Merve Tuncel improved upon her fifth place finish from last year to take bronze.

BOYS’ 200 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 1:42.00 — Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• European Record: 1:42.00 — Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:43.21 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• European Junior Record: 1:43.21 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• European Junior Championship Record: 1:45.26 – David Popovici, ROU (2021)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: David Popovici (ROU) – 1:45.95

Podium:

1. David Popovici, ROU — 1:45.45
2. Lorenzo Galossi, ITA — 1:47.71
3. Jacob Whittle, GBR — 1:47.85

World Champion David Popovici added another European Junior title to his name, winning the boys’ 200 freestyle final in a time of 1:45.45. He was well off the 1:43.21 he went in Budapest, but his time was still fast enough t0 beat the field by 2.26 seconds.

Popovici split 24.25/26.49 on his first 50 to open in 50.74. His third 50 was the slowest at 27.58, before he sped up to close the race in a 27.13 final 50.

16-year-old  and top seed headed into finals Lorenzo Galossi took silver, improving upon his lifetime best of 1:47.73 by 0.02 seconds to set a new Italian age group record. He flipped in 53.21 at the 100-meter mark, but then split 27.03/27.47 coming home to take second (his third 50 was the fastest of the field).

Great Britain’s Jacob Whittle finished just 0.14 seconds to win bronze in a time of 1:47.85, surpassing his old best time of 1:48.10. He opened in a very quick 51.40 and was less than a second behind Popovici at the 100-meter mark, but then split 28.22/28.23 in his closing 100 to fade to third, finishing 2.4 seconds behind Popovici.

GIRLS’ 50 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 26.98 — Liu Xiang, CHN (2018)
• European Record: 27.10 — Kira Toussaint, NED (2021)
• World Junior Record: 27.49 – Minna Atherton, AUS (2016)
• European Junior Record: 27.51 – Daria Vaskina, RUS (2019)
• European Junior Championship Record: 27.75 – Mary-Ambre Moluh, FRA (2022)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Carmen Weiler Sastre (ESP) – 28.42

Podium:

1. Mary-Ambre Moluh, FRA — 27.74
2. Lora Komoroczy, HUN — 28.31
3. Roos Vanotterdijk, BEL — 28.62

Mary-Ambre Moluh, as expected, won this race. She had a 0.57 advantage over the rest of the field, finishing in a new championship record time of 27.74. This is a 0.01 second improvement from the old championship record time of 27.75 that she set in the semifinals yesterday. Moluh’s lifetime best still stands at 27.63, which she set in May 2022.

Hungarian swimmer Lora Komoroczy was second, shedding 0.09 seconds off her best time to swim a 28.31. Roos Vanotterdijk, who broke the Belgian record in the semifinals yesterday with a 28.50, was slightly slower today but still was fast enough to win bronze.

BOYS’ 50 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 23.71 — Hunter Armstrong, USA (2022)
• European Record: 23.80 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2021)
• World Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• European Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• European Junior Championship Record: 24.52 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Aleksei Tkachev (RUS) – 25.14

Podium:

1. Ksawery Masiuk, POL — 24.65
2. Jonathon Marshall, GBR — 25.21
3. Aron Szekely, HUN — 25.36

Just like the girls’ version of the event, the boys’ 50 back results were very predictable, with Worlds bronze medalist Ksawery Masiuk taking victory by over half a second. His time of 24.65 was just 0.17 seconds slower than the 24.48 he swam at Worlds semifinals, which stands as his best time.

U.S. trained Florida commit Jonathon Marshall won silver with a new best time, 0.09 seconds faster than his old mark of 25.30 from semifinals yesterday. Aron Szekely of Hungary just out-touched fourth place finisher Inbar Danziger by 0.01 to get himself on the podium for bronze.

GIRLS’ 100 BUTTERFLY – SEMIFINAL

• World Record: 55.48 — Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
• European Record: 55.48 — Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
• World Junior Record: 56.43 — Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• European Junior Record: 56.46 — Target Time
• European Junior Championship Record: 57.39 — Anastasiya Shkurdai, BYS (2019)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Lana Pudar (BSH) — 57.56

Top 8:

1. Roos Vanotterdijk, BEL — 59.15
2. Lana Pudar, BSH — 59.28
3. Julia Ullmann, SUI — 59.62
4. Paola Borrelli, ITA — 59.77
5. Lisa-Marie Finger, GER — 1:00.41
6. Anna Porcari, ITA — 1:00.44
7. Tabatha Avetand, FRA — 1:00.57
8. Kristine Norby, DEN — 1:00.70

Reigning European Junior Champion Lana Pudar won the first girls’ 100 fly semifinal in 59.28. She was the only swimmer under the 28-second mark at 50 meters, opening in 27.82 before coming home in 31.46. while Swiss swimmer Julia Ullmann swam a near-best time of 59.62 to take second behind her, closing in 31.33 to clock the fastest back half split in the race. They were the only two swimmers in their heat to get under the one-minute threshold.

In the second semifinal, the top seed from prelims Roos Vanotterdijk won in a time of 59.15 coming off of bronze in the 50 back. Her time was the fastest out of all the semis. She was only leading by 0.01 seconds at the 50-meter mark, going out in 28.03, but she had the fastest back half of the entire field with her 31.12 last 50. Paola Borrelli was the fourth girl in semifinals to get under a minute, finishing second behind Vanotterdijk with a 59.77.

BOYS’ 200 IM – SEMIFINAL

• World Record: 1:54.00 — Ryan Lochte, USA (2011)
• European Record: 1:55.18 — Laszlo Cseh, HUN (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:56.99 — Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
• European Junior Record: 1:56.99 — Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
• European Junior Championship Record: 1:59.17 — Tom Dean, GBR (2019)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Berke Saka (TUR) — 2:00.04

Top 8:

1. Yigir Oktar, TUR — 2:02.21
2. Danill Pancerevas, LIT — 2:02.82
3. George Smith, GBR — 2:02.93
4. Michal Piela, POL – 2:02.02
5. Simone Spediacci, ITA — 2:03.46
6. Zsombor Bujodoso, HUN — 2:03.66
7. Luka Mladenovic, AUS — 2:03.79
8. Vasileios Sofikitis, GRE — 2:04.02

In the first semifinal of the boys’ 200 IM, the lead changed four times between Great Britain’s George Smith and Turkey’s Yigit Oktar. Smith was leading after fly, before Oktar took over on backstroke. Smith was back on top during the breaststroke leg, but Oktar passed him in freestyle to win the race in 2:02.21. Smith ended up fading to third with a time of 2:02.93, behind second-place finisher Danill Pancerevas, who came home in a lightning-fast 27.72 to go from fifth to second in the last 50 meters of the face.

Michal Piela, who was sixth at the 100-meter mark, had a solid 35.14/28.43 back half to come back and win the second semifinal in 2:03.03. Simone Spediacci and Zsombor Bujodoso were also under the 2:o4 barrier, finishing second and third with times of 2:03.46 and 2:03.66 respectively.

GIRLS’ 50 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
• European Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
• World Junior Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
• European Junior Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
• European Junior Championship Record: 29.75 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 30.13

Podium:

1. Eneli Jefimova, EST — 30.44
2. Schastine Skifter Jabor, DEN — 31.31
3. Karolina Piechowicz, POL — 31.44

Last year at the European Junior Championships, Eneli Jefimova took bronze in the girls’ 50 breast in a time 30.91. Today, she swam 0.47 seconds faster to win gold with a 30.44, beating out her competition by 0.87 seconds. The Estonian record time of 30.08 that she set in Worlds prelims this year still stands.

Silver medalist Schastine Skifter Jabor set a best time of 31.31, improving upon her mark of 31.49 from semifinals. Karolina Piechowicz matched her semis time of 31.44 to finish third.

BOYS’ 50 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 25.95 — Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)
• European Record: 25.95 — Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)
• World Junior Record: 26.97 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
• European Junior Record: 26.97 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
• European Junior Championship Record: 27.23 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Simone Cerasuolo (ITA) – 27.29

Podium:

1. Volodymyer Lisovets, UKR — 27.62
2. Koen De Groot, NED — 27.65
3. Uros Zivanovic, SRB – 27.69

There was an extremely tight race in the boys’ 50 breast, with the top three being separated by just 0.07 seconds. It was Ukraine’s Volodymyr Lisovets who emerged victorious in a time of 27.62, improving upon his bronze medal finish from last year. Koen De Groot and Uros Zivanovic, the top two seeds from semis, were second and third respectively. The two of them were both faster than the 27.75 it took to win silver in last year’s meet.

GIRLS’ 50 FREESTYLE – SEMIFINAL

• World Record: 23.67 — Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• European Record: 23.67 — Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• World Junior Record: 24.17 — Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• European Junior Record: 24.87 — Daria Tatarnikova, RUS (2021)
• European Junior Championship Record: 24.87 — Daria Tatarnikova, RUS (2021)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Daria Tatarnikova (RUS) — 24.87

Top 8:

1. Nina Jazy, GER — 25.27
2. Jana Pavalic, SER — 25.34
3. Bianca Costea, ROU — 25.51
4. Matilde Bigaotti/Sara Curtis, ITA — 25.52
6. Lillian Slusna, SVK — 25.72
7. Eva Okaro , GBR — 25.74
8. Smilte Plytnykaite, LIT — 25.80

Nina Jazy had a substantial lead over the field in the first semifinals, winning her race in 25.27. Italian teammates Matilde Biagiotti and Sara Curtis tied for second in 25.52, and defending bronze medalist Eva Okaro clocked a 25.74 to finish fourth in her race to sneak into the finals.

Last year’s silver medalist Jana Pavalic clocked a 25.35 to win the second semifinal, a time that is 0.01 faster than what she went in the 2021 finals. Romanian Bianca Costea finished second behind her with a 25.51 in front of her home crowd.

All eight finals qualifiers were faster than 26 seconds.

BOYS’ 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 1:50.34  — Kristof Milak, HUN (2022)
• European Record: 1:50.34  — Kristof Milak, HUN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:53.79 – Kristof Milak, HUN (2017)
• European Junior Record: 1:52.71 – Kristof Milak, HUN (2018)
• European Junior Championship Record: 1:53.79 – Kristof Milak, HUN (2018)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL) – 1:56.29

Podium:

1. Krzysztof Chmielewski, POL — 1:55.49
2. Michal Chimelewski, POL — 1:56.88
3. Ramil Valizada, AZE — 1:58.35

Twin brothers Krzysztof and Michal Chmielewski went 1-2 in the finals of the boys’ 200 fly just like they did in semis.

It was actually Bulgaria’s Petar Mitsin who was in first at the halfway mark, flipping in 55.71 on his first 100 compared to Krzysztof’s 56.19 that had him in second. Defending European Junior champion Krzysztof then charged home to take the win by over a body length, clocking a 29.75 last 50—the fastest closing split of the field. He was just a bit off the 1:55.01 he swam at World Championships to take ninth.

2021 silver medalist Michal was in sixth at the 100-meter mark, but closed in 29.89/30.18 to push him to second behind his brother. His time of 1;56.68 was just 0.02 seconds off what he went last year at European Juniors in the prelims. Ramil Valizada, who was in last at the 100-meter mark, soared back to finish third in a time of 1:58.35 to improve upon his best time of 1:58.98 set in semis yesterday.

GIRLS’ 1500 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 15:20.48 — Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
• European Record: 15:38.88 — Lotte Friis, DEN (2013)
• World Junior Record: 15:28.36 — Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
• European Junior Record: 15:55.23 — Merve Tuncel, TUR (2021)
• European Junior Championship Record: 15:55.23 — Merve Tuncel, TUR (2021)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Merve Tuncel (TUR) — 15;55.23

Podium:

1. Merve Tuncel, TUR — 16:13.68
2. Alexa Reyna, FRA —16:21.46
3. Julia Barth, GER — 16:33.87

European Junior record holder Merve Tuncel had control of this entire race, following up her 200 free bronze medal to win by 7.78 seconds in a time of 16:13.68. She was well off her record, which she set at last year’s edition of this meet with a 15:55.23. France’s Alexa Reyna was a lock for silver, and was within three seconds behind Tuncel for the front portion of the race. However, she ended up fading on her back half but was still fast enough to beat out everyone aside from Tuncel.

Germany’s Julia Barth, who is just 15 years old, finished third in a time of 16:33.87. She shattered her best time of 16;40.51 set earlier this year in may.

MIXED 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• World Record: 3:19.18 — Australia (2022)
• European Record: 3:21.81 — Netherlands (2017)
• World Junior Record: 3:25.92 — United States (2019)
• European Junior Record: 3:27.35 — Russia (2020)
• European Junior Championship Record: 3:28.43 — Germany (2019)
• 2021 European Junior Champion: Russia — 3:29.71

Podium:

1. Hungary — 3:28.83
2. Romania — 3:29.35
3. Poland — 3:29.85

David Popovici got Romania off to a strong start with a 47.34 leadoff leg. This overtakes his 47.54 leadoff from the boys’ 4×100 free relay as his third-fastest swim ever, just behind his 47.13 from Worlds semifinals and his 47.30 from the European Junior Championships last year. He opened in 23.11 (faster than yesterday’s 23.35) and closed in 24.23, just 0.04 seconds slower than his 24.19 back half from yesterday.

Ksawery Masiuk put the Polish in second place after the first 100 with a 48.37 leadoff. This is a massive best time for him, beating out his 50.09 from last year’s European Juniors meet.

The Romanians held onto the lead that Popovici gave them until the last 50 meters of the race. When the girls’ dove in, it was Hungary’s Nikoletta Padar and Dora Molnar who split 54.28 and 54.49 respectively to bring their country into the lead and win gold alongside their teammates Boldizsar Magda and Benedek Bona. Padar’s split was the fastest out of all the girls in the relay.

Mary-Ambre Moluh also had a strong 54.49 split to help France finish fifth.