2017 European Short Course Swimming Championships, Copenhagen (DEN)
Peaty’s first-ever s/c title comes with ER, Hosszu strikes 6/6
Britain’s Adam Peaty did something he’d never done before: the British superstar won a major short-course title. It came with the European record right away on the penultimate day of the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Copenhagen. Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu completed her mission, winning all six events she competed in as she added two more titles to her tally. The Netherlands brought down one more mixed relay WR, this time in the 4x50m free.
Adam Peaty has been unbeaten for four years, collected all titles on offer in breaststroke, bettered the world records seven times – but it all happened in long-course. Until Day 5 he could clinch silver medals in the 25m pool in the previous years and a bronze in the 50m here in Copenhagen. Now the story had a different ending: Peaty won a magnificent battle against Fabio Scozzoli (ITA) and Kirill Prigoda (RUS) and he did in style as he bettered the European record (55.94).
However, Peaty didn’t keep his historical gold too long. As soon as the victory march concluded he gave it to a young spectator who, with dozens of other kids cheering at the athletes’ exit, was honoured with a life-lasting memory holding the treasure in her hand.
The other 100m breaststroke title, among the women, went to Ruta Meilutyte. After a shorter setback in the previous years, the Lithuanian confirmed her return to the big stage by making the 50m-100m double here.
Katinka Hosszu remained on the big stage – in fact, the Hungarian superhero was in the spotlight again as she managed to match her 6-gold medal haul from Netanya. In 2015 she was 6-0-1, now she finished her campaign in Copenhagen with a perfect 6/6 (let the 400m free go on the last day, where she had claimed bronze two years ago). Hosszu added the 200m IM and 50m back titles to her tally this evening, thus completing the triple in the medley and in the backstroke. In the IM event she came 1-2 with compatriot Evelyn Verraszto, a feat they produced once seven years ago, at the long-course Europeans in Budapest.
France got its first title in this meet, courtesy of Charlotte Bonnet who won a brilliant race in the 200m free. The men’s 50m fly produced one of the closest races in the history of the Europeans as the first four hit the wall within 0.02 seconds. The top finishers were: Aleksandr Popkov (RUS) 22.42, Andriy Govorov (UKR, winner of the last three editions) 22.43, Ben Proud (GBR), tied with Sebastian Sabo (SRB) 22.44…
The Netherlands captured their third relay title in the Royal Arena, after the women’s 4x50m free and the mixed medley they won the mixed free too – again, with a new world record.
Further information at: www.euroswim2017.com and www.len.eu or via the Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/euroswim2017/
Tickets for the ten sessions are available at: http://www.ticketmaster.dk/
Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Giorgio Scala
