Baku 2015 European Games – Summary: Swimming Day 2

Ten Russian medals in eight finals

The Russian swimmers were on fire in the water at the European Games in Baku (AZE): they collected 10 medals in eight finals, four of them gold. The rest of the titles went to France, Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands.

The finals started where it finished on the opening day of the swimming competitions: another title landed in British hands, this time in the 100m back Luke Greenbank out-touched Russia’s Filipp Shopin by 0.05sec.

The Russians quickly found consolation and not just some: Arina Openysheva won the women’s 400m free with ease, gaining more than 4sec on runner-up Leonie Kullmann (GER). She was back for more a bit later but her campaign for a Phelps-like 8-gold medal haul was halted in the 100m free where Marrit Steenbergen (NED) continued the Dutch sprinting traditions by clinching the title.

The women’s 200m back brought another Russian-German battle with Polina Egorova reaching the wall first, her winning margin was just 0.15sec, ahead of Maxine Wolters. The Germans had something to cheer about after the women’s 200m fly which saw Julia Mrozinski winning with a convincing performance.

In the men’s 1500m free France’s Nicolas D’Oriano staged a great duel with Ernest Maksumov of Russia, he passed his rival at the 1150m turn and kept the lead until the end, though it was a tight finish as only 0.59sec separated the two after 30 laps.

The Russian men added their part to the golden afternoon: Anton Chupkov and Kirill Mordashev finished 1-2 in the 200m breast. And their mixed free relay team secured a happy ending to the session, they did a great job, Arina Openysheva was the finishing member and earned her third gold medal of the Games.

European Games – Swimming – Medallists, Day 2

Men

1500m free

1. Nicolas D’Oriano (FRA)​ 15:13.31
2. Ernest Maksumov (RUS)​ 15:13.90
3. Marc Hinawi (ISR)​ 15:25.63

100m back

1. Luke Greenbank (GBR)​ 54.76
2. Filipp Shopin (RUS)​​ 54.81
3. Marek Ulrich (GER)​​ 55.35

200m breast

1. Anton Chupkov (RUS)​ 2:10.85
2. Kirill Mordashev (RUS) ​2:12.94
3. Luke Davies (GBR)​ 2:13.45

Women

100m free

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED)​ 53.97
2. Arina Openysheva (RUS)​ 54.45
3. Mariia Kameneva (RUS)​ 55.19

400m free

1. Arina Openysheva (RUS)​ 4:08.81
2. Leonie Kullmann (GER)​ 4:12.86
3. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (RUS)​ 4:13.13

200m back

1. Polina Egorova (RUS)​ 2:11.23
2. Maxine Wolters (GER)​ 2:11.38
3. Maryna Kolesnykova (UKR) ​2:11.91

200m fly

1. Julia Mrozinski (GER)​​ 2:11.19
2. Elisa Scarpa (ITA)​ 2:12.27
3. Boglarka Bonecz (HUN) ​2:12.42

Mixed

4x100m free

1. Russia ​​3:30.30
2. Great Britain ​​3:32.65
3. Germany​ 3:33.74

All athletes are also considered junior European Championships medallists in 2015.

Press release from LEN