2024 European Junior Championships: Day 6 Finals Live Recap

2024 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, July 2nd – Sunday, July 7th
• Prelims at 9:30am local/Finals at 6pm local
• Lazdynai Pool, Vilnius, Lithuania
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Entries
• Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap/Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap/Day 5 Finals Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream ($)

The 2024 European Junior Championships conclude in Lithuania on Sunday with finals of the girls 200 IM, both 100 backstrokes, both 100 breaststrokes, boys 100 freestyle, both 50 butterflies, both 400 freestyles, and both 400 medley relays.

Fresh off a senior European title last month, 17-year-old Estonian Eneli Jefimova is aiming for a Euro Juniors three-peat in the 100 breast after blasting a personal-best 1:06.08 to lead Saturday’s semifinals.

Turkish 17-year-old Ahmet Burak Isik impressed in the boys 400 free prelims this morning with the top qualifying time of 3:52.55, exactly two seconds off his lifetime best from last month’s Sette Colli Trophy. He’ll have to hold off Italy’s Alessandro Ragaini (3:54.01), fellow Turkish standout Kuzey Tuncelli (3:54.30), and others in tonight’s final.

Stay tuned for live updates below:

GIRLS 200 IM – FINAL

• World junior record: 2:06.89 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• European junior record: 2:11.03
• Meet record: 2:12.41 – Leah Schlosshan (GBR), 2023
• 2023 European Junior Champion: Leah Schlosshan (GBR) – 2:12.41

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Laura Cabanes Garzas (ESP) – 2:13.25
• SILVER: Phoebe Cooper (GBR) – 2:14.27
• BRONZE: Giulia Pascareanu (ITA) – 2:14.37

Spanish 18-year-old Laura Cabanes Garzas kicked off the session with a girls 200 IM victory in 2:13.25, within a second of her personal-best 2:12.28 from last month.

British 16-year-old Phoebe Cooper touched about a second behind Cabanes Garzas for silver in 2:14.27. She has been as fast as 2:13.28 last July.

Italy’s Giulia Pascareanu (2:14.37) held off Germany’s Linda Roth (2:14.38) by the slimmest of margins for the final spot on the podium.

GIRLS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World junior record: 57.57 – Regan Smith (USA), 2019
• European junior record: 59.08 – Anastasia Shkurdai (BLR), 2020
• Meet record: 59.62 – Polina Egorova (RUS), 2017
• 2023 European junior champion: Lora Komoroczy (HUN) – 1:01.10

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu (ROU) – 1:00.72
• SILVER: Lora Komoroczy (HUN) – 1:01.39
• BRONZE: Estella Tonrath (ESP) – 1:01.49

Romanian 15-year-old Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu dethroned defending champion Lora Komoroczy of Hungary with a winning time of 1:00.72, knocking a few tenths off her previous-best 1:01.07 from last July. Silisteanu is now only about half a second away from the Romanian record of 1:00.21 that Diana Mocanu set way back at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Komoroczy settled for silver in 1:01.39, a couple tenths slower than her winning time from last year (1:01.10). Spain’s Estella Tonrath rounded out the podium with a 3rd-place showing in 1:01.49, within half a second of her personal-best 1:01.02 from last month.

BOYS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World junior record: 52.53 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• European junior record: 52.53 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• Meet record: 52.91 – Ksawery Masiuk (POL), 2022
• 2023 European Junior Champion: Oleksandr Zheltyakov (UKR) – 54.18

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Daniele del Signore (ITA) – 54.68
• SILVER: John Shortt (IRL) – 54.74
• BRONZE: Jakub Jan Krischke (CZE) – 55.18

Italy’s Daniele del Signore held off Ireland’s John Shortt (54.74) for the boys 100 back title in 54.68, shaving a few tenths off his best time from last November (54.99).

Shortt narrowly missed his personal-best 54.70 from May on his way to the silver medal. Already the owner of the Irish record in the 200 back, he’s about a second shy of the national record in the 100 back (53.73) belonging to Shane Ryan from 2019.

Czech 18-year-old Jakub Jan Krischke took bronze in 55.18, slightly off his personal-best 55.02 from Saturday’s semifinals.

GIRLS 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World junior record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• European junior record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• Meet record: 1:05.48 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• 2022 European junior champion: Eneli Jevimova (EST) – 1:06.81

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Eneli Jefimova (EST) – 1:06.12
• SILVER: Smilte Plytnykaite (LTU) – 1:07.91
• BRONZE: Theodora Taylor (GBR) – 1:08.59

European champion Eneli Jefimova captured her third consecutive 100 breast crown in 1:06.12, just a blink off her Estonian record (1:06.08) from Saturday’s semifinals. The 17-year-old was a few tenths quicker tonight than she was en route to the European title last month (1:06.41).

Jefimova reached the wall almost two seconds ahead of Lithuania’s Smilte Plytnykaite (1:07.91), who had never been under 1:10 before clocking 1:09.79/1:08.31 in Saturday’s prelims and semifinals, respectively.

British 15-year-old Theodora Taylor secured the bronze medal in 1:08.59, lowering her previous-best 1:09.19 from March. In the process, she dipped under the British age record for 15-year-old girls (1:08.60) that Rebecca Ajulu-Bushell established back in 2009.

BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World junior record: 46.86 – David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• European junior record: 46.86 – David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• Meet record: 47.30 – David Popovici (ROU), 2021
• 2023 European junior champion: Boldizsar Magda (HUN) – 49.52

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Tajus Juska (LTU) – 48.74
• SILVER: Vlaho Nenadic (CRO) – 48.80
• BRONZE: Carlos D’Ambrosio (ITA) – 48.99

Lithuanian 15-year-old Tajus Juska rose to the occasion with a huge lifetime best in the 100 free, blazing a 48.74 to claim the Euro Juniors crown barely ahead of Croatian 18-year-old Vlaho Nenadic (48.80).

Juska dropped almost a second off his previous-best 49.55 from Saturday’s semifinals, where he was the No. 7 qualifier. His best time entering this meet stood at 49.72 from April.

Juska’s new personal best is faster than Kaii Winkler‘s U.S. boys 15-16 national age group (NAG) record of 48.81 from last year — and he’s only 15. The overall Lithuanian record stands at 48.04 by Danas Rapsys from last month’s European Championships. Earlier this week, Juska became the fastest 15-year-old 50 freestyler of all time at 22.34 on his way to the bronze medal.

Italian 17-year-old Carlos D’Ambrosio broke 49 seconds for the first time en route to the bronze medal in 48.99.

BOYS 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World junior record: 59.01 – Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• European junior record: 59.01 – Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• Meet record: 59.23 – Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• 2023 European junior champion: Jonas Gaur (DEN) – 1:01.78

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Evangelos Efraim Ntoumas (GRE) – 1:00.80
• SILVER: Nil Cadevall Micolau (ESP) / Maksim Manolov (BUL) – 1:01.10
• BRONZE: –

Evangelos Efraim Ntoumas emerged victorious in the boys 100 breast with a time of 1:00.80, taking a few tenths off his previous-best 1:01.16 that made him the top qualifier in Saturday’s semifinals. Entering this meet, the 15-year-old owned a lifetime best of 1:02.35 from March. Ntoumas is now within a second of Dimitrios Xynadas‘s Greek record of 1:00.03 from 2009.

Spain’s Nil Cadevall Micolau and Bulgaria’s Maksim Manolov tied for the silver medal in 1:01.10. Micolau shaved a tenth off his previous-best 1:01.27 from last month while Manolov dropped almost half a second off his previous-best 1:01.53 from March.

GIRLS 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World junior record: 25.46 – Rikako Ikee (JPN), 2017
• European junior record: 25.66
• Meet record: 26.10 – Lana Pudar (BIH), 2023
• 2023 European Junior Champion: Lana Pudar (BIH) – 26.10

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Martine Damborg (DEN) / Jana Pavalic (CRO) – 26.21
• SILVER: –
• BRONZE: Anna Maria Borstler (GER) – 26.44

Denmark’s Martine Damborg and Croatia’s Jana Pavalic tied for gold in the girls 50 fly at 26.21 apiece, just about a tenth off Lana Pudar‘s meet record (26.10) from last year.

Damborg dropped about a tenth off her previous-best 26.33 from Saturday’s semifinals, where she was the top qualifier. Pavalic snuck under her previous-best 26.25 from last month’s European Championships, where she ultimately placed 7th.

German 18-year-old Anna Maria Borstler wound up with bronze in 26.44, shaving about a tenth off her lifetime best from last July.

BOYS 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World junior record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 2022
• European junior record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 2022
• Meet record: 23.46 – Teo del Riego Torres (ESP), 2024
• 2023 European junior champion: Casper Puggaard (DEN) – 23.67

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Teo del Riego Torres (ESP) – 23.44
• SILVER: Daniele Momoni (ITA) – 23.54
• BRONZE: Lukas Edl (AUT) – 23.62

Spanish 18-year-old Teo del Riego Torres took down his own meet record of 23.46 from Saturday’s semifinals with a 50 fly win in 23.44. Swiss star Noe Ponti had previously held the meet record at 23.48 from 2019. Before this meet, Torres’s best time stood at 23.72 from April.

Italy’s Daniele Momoni wasn’t far behind Torres with a runner-up finish in 23.54. Austria’s Lukas Edl placed 3rd in 23.62, slightly slower than his 23.52 from Saturday’s semifinals.

GIRLS 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World junior record: 3:56.08 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• European junior record: 4:03.57 – Ajna Kesely (HUN), 2018
• Meet record: 4:05.89 – Ajna Kesely (HUN), 2018
• 2023 European Junior Champion: Nikolett Padar (HUN) – 4:08.06

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Minna Abraham (HUN) – 4:09.85
• SILVER: Lucrezia Domina (ITA) – 4:11.01
• BRONZE: Sarah Dumont (BEL) – 4:11.48

Hungarian 18-year-old Minna Abraham absolutely demolished her lifetime best from last August by more than six seconds en route to the girls 400 free win in 4:09.85. The rising USC sophomore had never been under 4:16 in the event before today.

Italy’s Lucrezia Domina (4:11.01) held off Belgium’s Sarah Dumont (4:11.48) for the silver medal by less than half a second across the eight-lap affair. Domina dropped more than four seconds off her previous-best 4:15.77 from November while Dumont lowered her previous-best 4:16.57 from last July by more than five seconds.

BOYS 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World junior record: 3:44.31 – Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• European junior record: 3:44.31 – Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• Meet record: 3:44.31 – Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• 2023 European Junior Champion: Petar Mitsin (BUL) – 3:44.31

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Alessandro Ragaini (ITA) – 3:47.96
• SILVER: Ahmet Burak Isik (TUR) – 3:48.53
• BRONZE: Johannes Liebmann (GER) – 3:49.32

Italy’s Alessandro Ragaini picked up the boys 400 free victory in 3:47.96, about a second off his personal-best 3:46.66 that earned him silver at last September’s World Junior Championships.

Turkey’s Ahmet Burak Isik dipped under 3:50 for the first time to secure the silver medal ahead of Germany’s Johannes Liebmann (3:49.32). Isik’s runner-up finish in 3:48.53 dropped more than two seconds off his previous-best 3:50.55 from last month’s Sette Colli Trophy.

GIRLS 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World junior record: 3:58.38 – Canada, 2017
• European junior record: 4:00.30 – Russia, 2019
• Meet record: 4:01.83 – Russia, 2019
• 2023 European junior champion: Italy – 4:04.26

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Italy – 4:04.48
• SILVER: France – 4:05.46
• BRONZE: Denmark – 4:05.85

Italian sprinter Sara Curtis ripped a blistering 53.68 freestyle anchor to clinch the girls 400 medley relay crown in 4:04.48, less than a second ahead of rival France (4:05.46). Benedetta Boscaro (1:03.44 backstroke leadoff), Irene Mati (1:08.76 breast split), and Caterina Santambrogio (58.60 fly split) joined Curtis on Italy’s triumphant relay.

BOYS 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World junior record: 3:33.19 – Russia, 2019
• European junior record: 3:33.19 – Russia, 2019
• Meet record: 3:35.24 – Italy, 2017
• 2023 European junior champion: Italy – 3:39.80

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Italy – 3:37.13
• SILVER: Spain – 3:38.09
• BRONZE: Great Britain – 3:38.37

Italy pulled off a 400 medley relay sweep by capturing the boys crown in 3:37.13 behind Daniele del Signore (54.56), Lorenzo Fuschini (1:02.55), Daniele Momoni (51.89), and Carlos D’Ambrosio (48.13).

Spain (3:38.09) held off Great Britain (3:38.37) by less than a few tenths for the silver medal.