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
Highlighting the final night of the 2022 European Junior Championships was Ksawery Masiuk of Poland who won the boys 100 backstroke in a European Junior Championship Record of 52.91, slipping past his own old record of 53.11 which he swam in semifinals. Masiuk won all the backstroke events at the meet saying he did a “hat-trick”.
Masiuk also spoke of his goals saying, “I wanted to break the junior world record but I’m a bit tired, it’s the last day, I had 13 starts and I feel that. The first 50m was great, 25.5 but then the pain kicked in. At least I have a goal to achieve, I want that record so when I’ll be fresh, I’ll do it.”
Also highlighting the night was Eneli Jefimova of Estonia who won the girls 100 breaststroke in a 1:06.50. That was just off. ofher personal best and national record of 1:06.47. Jefimova spoke of what the race and winning meant to her as, “It was about to give a special gift to my grandfather who celebrated his birthday yesterday. I couldn’t be with him, because I’m here so I thought this gold would be a nice present.”
David Popovici won gold in the boys 100 freestyle in a 47.69 in front of the home crowd. The 2022 World Champion in the event spoke of swimming in front of the home crowd saying, “the love I felt during the week – this was the most beautiful thing I could imagine here at home.”
Popovici also spoke of his expectations coming into the race saying they were, “to win and to have fun. In terms of improvement, bettering my times, I have time for that. This event was about the show, and it was absolutely worth it. There was no pressure at all as I told myself I should never take any pressure from anyone, the only pressure I should feel can come from myself and that’s something I can control.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Lana Pudar won the girls 50 fly in a 26.49. Pudar spoke of her success this year compared to last year saying, “Comparing this to Rome 2021? Well, then I have one gold and two silvers, now I have two golds so it’s better.” Pudar won the girls 200 butterfly earlier in the meet.
Leah Schlosshan of Great Britain won the girls 200 IM in a 2:13.49. Schlosshan spoke of her goals saying, “I wanted to go inside 2:14, and I ticked that too.” She also spoke of her progression in the race over the past year saying, “After I qualified first from the heats and then from the semis, I thought, OK, I could get the gold so yeah, it’s a kind of relief that I won. Last year I was nowhere close to the final, so it’s feeling great.”
Hungary’s Dora Molnar won the girls 100 back in a 1:00.88, winning by 0.02 seconds. Molnar spoke of her strengths in the race saying, “My underwater kicks helped me again to come back for the second 50m, then pushed hard enough to touch in first. I’m extremely happy and proud of this result. ”
Molnar also spoke of the meet altogether saying, “It was a long week, I had sixteen starts altogether but it was an awesome ending to get another medal with the girls in the relay.” Molnar also was on Hungary’s silver medal winning girls 4×100 medley relay.
Winning the boys 100 breast was Volodymyr Lisovets of Ukraine. Lisovets won in a 1:00.96 defending his title from a year ago. Lisovets spoke of his future plans for the summer saying, “I think I’ll stay in Hamburg for the next weeks, train there and try to prepare myself for the European Championships in Rome.” The European Championships and the swimming portion are scheduled for August 11-17.
Denmark’s Casper Puggaard won the boys 50 fly in a 23.67. Puggaard spoke of his habits during the week saying, “I tried to stay focused during the week, take care of the swims, the sleep, the food, to get everything right for the big day but this time, I mean… That’s simply incredible, cannot describe with words.”
Turkey’s Merve Tuncel defended her title in the girls 400 freestyle swimming a 4:07.30. Tuncel spoke of her race saying, “I was close to the time I wished to clock but I’m happy with these gold medals. It was a tiring week, but it was another good championship for me.”
After winning two golds on day five, and picking up another in the boys 400 free, Lorenzo Galossi spoke of his state saying he was “tired… No, I’m dead.”
Galossi came into the final as the eighth seed placing him in lane eight for the final. He spoke on his morning swim saying, “Yes, it was intentional in the morning to swim a time which puts me on the side lane. This was Greg (Paltrinieri) did at the Worlds, he is a great friend of mine and we talked, and he gave me that advice. Go for the side and this is the way to win the match. It worked, and I’m so happy now that I could achieve this, and also made my friends happy.” Galossi won in a 3:48.14.