Swimmer's Daily

  • Russian relay breaks ER, title No. 20 for Hosszu, Anderson stuns Pellegrini

    Russia holds a 7-5 lead over Italy and the Netherlands on the medal chart after landing two more titles on Day 4 in Glasgow, including a mixed free relay gold which came with a new European record. Katinka Hosszu wrote history by claiming her 20th individual gold medal at the short-course Europeans – that put her on the top of the all-time rankings and she also extended her unbeaten run in the 200m IM at major events to 66 races, an incredible feat. The golden pair of Kira Toussaint and Arno Kamminga delivered wins for the Netherlands again, while Freya Anderson completed a 100-200m free double as she stunned world champion Federica Pellegrini  over the longer distance.

    CARRARO Martina Italy ITA, CASTIGLIONI Arianna Italy ITA 100 breaststroke women Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    CARRARO Martina Italy ITA Gold Medal CASTIGLIONI Arianna Italy ITA Silver Medal LAUKKANEN Jenna Finland FIN Bronze Medal 100 breaststroke women Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    HOSSZU Katinka Hungary HUN Gold Medal UGOLKOVA Maria Switzerland SUI Silver Medal O CONNOR Siobhan Marie Great Britain GBR Bronze Medal 200 Individual Medley women Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KOSTIN Oleg Russia RUS Gold Medal 50 butterfly men Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KAMMINGA Arno Netherlands NED Gold Medal SHYMANOVICH Ilya Belasus BLR Silver Medal SCOZZOLI Fabio Italy ITA Bronze Medal 100 breaststroke men Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KOSTIN Oleg Russia RUS Gold Medal SZABO Szebasztian Hungary HUN Silver Medal GUERES Uemitcan Turkey TUR Bronze Medal 50 butterfly men Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    TOUSSAINT Kira Netherlands NED Gold Medal GASTALDELLO Beryl France FRA Silver Medal TCHORZ Alicja Poland POL Bronze Medal 50 backstroke women Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Russia Gold Medal 4×50 freestyle relay mixed Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Russia Gold Medal Team Great Britain Silver Medal Team France Bronze Medal 4×50 freestyle relay mixed Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    PELLEGRINI Federica Italy ITA Silver Medal ANDERSON Freya Great Britain GBR Gold Medal HEEMSKERK Femke Netherlands NED Bronze Medal Women’s 200m Freestyle Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    TOUSSAINT Kira Netherlands NED Gold Medal Women’s 50m Backstroke Final Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KAMMINGA Arno Netherlands NED Gold Medal Men’s 100m Breaststroke FINAL Glasgow 07/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

    Italy opened the day with a brilliant 1-2 in the women’s 100m breast – just like in the 50m. This time the runner-up in the dash Martina Carraro came first, ahead of compatriot Arianna Castiglioni while Finland’s Jenna Laukkanen finished third after being second in 2017 and first in 2015.

    The Italians expected at least another gold some ten minutes later in the women’s 200m free as world champion Federica Pellegrini – who also won this event four times in this meet, first in 2008 – was a clear favorite but  GB’s Freya Anderson just came up with another devastating homecoming leg. Just like in the 100m, she turned 6th before the last lap but then she blew the field away. In fact she gained 1.1sec on Pellegrini over the last 50m and completed her brilliant 100-200m free double –something only Belorussia’s  Alena Popchanka had been capable of in the meet’s history back in 2002.

    Soon Katinka Hosszu accomplished what no other swimmer could before at the short-course Europeans: she clinched her 20th individual title (the 4th here in Glasgow), surpassing Martina Moravcova (SVK) and compatriot Laszlo Cseh who had led the all-time ranks before Glasgow with 19 victories apiece. By finishing atop in the 200m IM she also completed the IM treble at the third straight edition after 2015 and 2017 and extended her unbeaten run in this event to 66 races at major events (Olympics, Worlds, Europeans, World Cups)  – for seven years no one could beat her in the 200m IM, an unparalleled feat in the world of swimming. Interestingly, the first-ever international medal Katinka Hosszu grabbed came at the short-course Europeans, in Vienna, when she finished third as a 15-year old in the 400m IM – celebration of the 15th anniversary is due in five days.

    The Dutch title-delivery service run by Kira Toussaint and Arno Kamminga was on time again – just like on Day 2. Kamminga added the 100m breast crown to the one he had in the 200m, and this was even more precious as he managed to finish off Belorussia’s Ilya Shymanovich who had set a new ER in the semis but in the final, where only racing matters, he couldn’t come up with the same effort. He was 0.53sec off his record-breaking pace while  Kamminga’s killing second 50 proved to be a winning effort.

    Toussaint won the self-declared ‘fun-race’, the 50m back, so she snatched medals in all three backstroke events, gold in the 100m and bronze in the  200m. France’s Beryl Gastaldello managed to put together a never-seen-before silver collection as she finished runner up in this 50m back, just like in the 50m fly and the 100m free.

    Russia didn’t leave the Tollcross complex without triumphs this day either. Towards the end of the session Oleg Kostin touched in first in the 50m fly, the next four stormed in within 0.07sec but Florent Manaudou was the last in the line to finish 5th a bit surprisingly. On the contrary, faith paid something back to Turkey’s Umitcan Gures who missed the podium by 0.02sec in the 100m  but this time the tiniest difference (0.01sec) helped him to get the bronze.

    Soon the Frenchman showed something special, though, as he threw in an amazing 20.09 split over the second leg of the mixed 4x50m free relay which helped his team go finish third – the Russians were too fast for the rest and after setting a new WR in the mixed medley, here they break the ER  (1:28.31). Vlad Morozov was on fire as usual and claimed his fifth gold in  Glasgow.

    Press release from LEN, images courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Giorgio Scala

  • Two European records, Morozov downs Manaudou, Hosszu wins two in 40min

    A day of heroic efforts and brilliant battles saw some truly outstanding swims at 20th European Short-Course Swimming Championships in Glasgow. Two European records fell in the evening, Ilya Shymanovich brought the mark down in the 100m breast and Andreia Vazaios in the 200m IM. In the most anticipated clash of the entire meet, Vladimir Morozov managed to beat returning French superstar Florent Manaudou in the 50m free. Katinka Hosszu won two titles in 40 minutes, with 19 golds now she is tied first in the all-time individual ranks in the short-course Europeans. Italy added two more titles as Gregorio Paltrinieri sat back to his throne in the 1500m and Margherita Panziera came first in the 200m back. The hosts could celebrate another triumph thanks to Freya Anderson’s surprising win in the 100m free, Kliment Kolesnikov showed his class in the 100m back and as a worthy ending of this magnificent day France and the Netherlands were tied for gold in the women’s 4x50m free relay.

    HOSSZU Katinka Hungary HUN 400 Individual Medley women preliminary Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    VAZAIOS Andreas Greece GRE 200 Individual Medley men Heats Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insediato a Kiev
    SHYMANOVICH Ilya Belasus BLR 100 breaststroke men Semi Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    France and Netherlands Gold medal, Denmark bronze medal 4×50 freestyle relay women Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    ANDERSON Freya Great Britain GBR Gold Medal GASTALDELLO Beryl France FRA Silver Medal HEEMSKERK Femke Netherlands NED Bronze Medal 100 freestyle women Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    ANDERSON Freya Great Britain GBR Gold Medal GASTALDELLO Beryl France FRA Silver Medal HEEMSKERK Femke Netherlands NED Bronze Medal 100 freestyle women Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    PANZIERA Margherita Italy ITA Gold Medal ZEVINA Daryna Ukraina UKR Silver Medal TOUSSAINT Kira Netherlands NED Bronze Medal 200 backstroke women Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    VAZAIOS Andreas Greece GRE Gold Medal ZENIMOTO HVAS Tomoe Norway NOR Silver Medal HEINTZ Philip Germany GER Bronze Medal 200 Individual Medley men Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    HOSSZU Katinka Hungary HUN Gold Medal BIANCHI Ilaria Italy ITA Silver Medal JAKABOS Zsuzsanna Hungary HUN Bronze Medal 200 butterfly women Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KOLESNIKOV Kliment Russia RUS Gold Medal DIENER Christian Germany GER Silver Medal GLINTA Robert Andrei Roumania ROU Bronze Medal 100 backstroke men Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    HOSSZU Katinka Hungary HUN Gold Medal KAMENEVA Maria Russia RUS Silver Medal LAUKKANEN Jenna Finland FIN Bronze Medal 100 Individual Medley women Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    PALTRINIERI Gregorio Italy ITA Gold Medal CHRISTIANSEN Henrik Norway NOR Silver Medal AUBRY David France FRA Bronze Medal 1500 freestyle men Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    NETHERLANDS NED Gold Medal Ex Aequo VAN VLIET Tamara , TOUSSAINT Kira , HEEMSKERK Femke , VAN ROON Valerie Women’s 4×50 Freestyle Relay Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    FRANCE Gold Medal Ex Aequo FRANCE GASTALDELLO Beryl , HENIQUE Melanie , BOUSQUIN Lena , SANTAMANS Anna Women’s 4×50 Freestyle Relay Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    MANAUDOU Florent France FRA Silver Medal MOROZOV Vladimir Russia RUS Gold Medal LOBANOVSKII Maksim Hungary HUN Bronze Medal Men’s 50m Freestyle Final Glasgow 06/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

    The home fans could get on their feet right at the beginning as Freya Anderson kicked in the party by winning the 100m free. The Brit turned sixth at the half-way mark but produced a breath-taking homecoming leg and became only the second Brit to win this event 21 years after Sue Rolph’s victory in Sheffield.

    Next came the first European record of the day, Belorussian Ilya Shymanovich brought down Adam Peaty’s mark from 2017 in the 100m breast by clocking 55.89 in the semis. Soon another ER was gone, Andreias Vazaios did an outstanding job and he beat another legend’s best effort, Hungarian Laszlo Cseh’s record stood for four years before the Greek hero bettered it now (1:50.85).

    There were other kind of doubles, first of all Katinka Hosszu’s passed a couple of milestones by claiming golds in a span of 40 minutes in the 200m fly and the 100m IM. The latter one was Hungary’s 1000th medal in swimming history at major events (all pools, Olympics, Worlds, Europeans, age-group included) – and her 19th title at the short-course Europeans, which ties her with Slovakia’s Martina Moravcova on the all-time ranks among the women. These are all individual victories, all-time bests as well (tied with Cseh), though the absolute leader Germany’s Thomas Rupprath is still a bit away with his 26 wins (17 individual, 9 relay golds).

    Russia and Italy also enjoyed a golden double respectively. Vladimir Morozov won the most anticipated duel of the meet by beating Florent Manaudou who came back some six months ago, having opted to play handball for three years after the Rio Olympics. Morozov was dominant in all three acts, heats, semis and in the final where he gained 0.26sec on the French giant whose WR was also in danger but the Russian rocket missed it by 0.14sec.

    Compatriot Kliment Kolesnikov was close to his own ER too in the 100m back, 0.19sec separated him from beating it – and 0.85sec from silver medallist Christian Diener so the young Russian retained his 2017 title with ease.

    Italy grabbed two golds too: Margharita Panziera delivered the nation’s first-ever title in the 200m back – she turned her 2017 bronze into gold while Ukraine’s Daryna Zevina, three-time champion in 2011-13, now returning from a year-long sabbatical, claimed silver just like in Copenhagen. Then Gregorio Paltrinieri re-conquered the 1500m free – once unbeaten for four years, Super-Greg couldn’t claim a title in his favourite race since the summer of 2017 but now he was back and ruled the race right from the beginning.

    The session was closed by a special double: two relays stood on the top of the podium as the anchors of the French and the Dutch quartet in the 4x50m free clocked identical times so they shared the gold medals – in fact it was almost a three-way tie as the Danish touched the wall just 0.03sec later.

    The European Championships return on Saturday with eight finals in the evening session – the morning heats start at 9.30 (GMT) while the finals kick-off at 17.00 GMT.

    For detailed results please visit: http://glasgow2019.microplustiming.com/index.php

    Follow our free live streaming with English commentary on our website here: http://www2.len.eu/?p=15525

    Press release from LEN, images courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Giorgio Scala

  • Russia smashes WR, Dutch double, Rapsys gets second gold

    The second day saw the first world record of the 20th European Short-Course Swimming Championships: the Russian mixed medley relay brought down the global mark. Dutch swimmers grabbed two titles, the hosts also opened their golden account like France and Germany, while Danas Rapsys added the 200m free crown to his win in the 400m on Day 1.

    TOUSSAINT Kira Netherlands NED Gold Medal KAMENEVA Maria Russia RUS Silver Medal DAVIES Georgia Great Britain GBR Bronze Medal 100 backstroke women Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KUSCH Marius Germany GER Gold Medal VEKOVISHCHEV Mikhail Russia RUS Silver Medal CIESLAK Marcin Poland POL Bronze Medal 100 butterfly men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    QUADARELLA Simona Italy ITA Gold Medal KESELY Ajna Hungary HUN Silver Medal CARAMIGNOLI Martina Rita Italy ITA Bronze Medal 800 freestyle women Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Russia Gold Medal 4×50 medley relay mixed Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Russia Gold Medal Team Netherlands Silver Medal Team Denmark Bronze Medal 4×50 medley relay mixed Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KAMMINGA Arno Netherlands NED Gold Medal PERSSON Erik Sweden SWE Silver Medal KOCH Marco Germany GER Bronze Medal 200 breaststroke men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KAMMINGA Arno Netherlands NED Gold Medal PERSSON Erik Sweden SWE Silver Medal KOCH Marco Germany GER Bronze Medal 200 breaststroke men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KAMMINGA Arno Netherlands NED Gold Medal 200 breaststroke men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    RAPSYS Danas Lithuania LTU Gold Medal SCOTT Duncan W Great Britain GBR Silver Medal VEKOVISHCHEV Mikhail Russia RUS Bronze Medal 200 freestyle men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    LITCHFIELD Max Great Britain GBR 400 Individual Medley men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    CUSINATO Ilaria Italy ITA 100 Individual Medley women Semi Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    LITCHFIELD Max Great Britain GBR Gold Medal BORODIN Ilia Russia RUS Silver Medal PASYNKOV Daniil Russia RUS Bronze Medal 400 Individual Medley men Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    CARAMIGNOLI Martina Rita Italy ITA Bronze Medal QUADARELLA Simona Italy ITA Gold Medal Women’s 800m Freestyle Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    GASTALDELLO Beryl France FRA Silver Medal HENIQUE Melanie France FRA Gold Medal BECKMANN Emilie Denmark DEN, OTTESEN Jeanette Denmark DEN Bronze Medal Women’s 50m Butterfly Final Glasgow 05/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

    Danas Rapsys continued where he stopped a day earlier when he had climbed out from the pool as the undisputed victor in the 400m free. This time he stormed to another win in the 200m free in the session opener, leaving no chance for his rivals. Though Duncan Scott pushed hard but trailed 0.3sec by the end – though worth adding that the Brit also swam the 400m IM in the morning, quite a tiring load, qualified first but withdrew then – the Olympic preps required this and not more at this stage.

    Arno Kamminga crowned his brilliant autumn by clinching gold in the 200m breast. The Dutchman had a great run in the World Cup series, won seven races and posted great times and here in Glasgow he claimed his first individual European title after his first medal in the 50m a day earlier. Another Dutch triumph came in the women’s 100m back and this was also a career-first for Kira Toussaint who had two relay golds from Copenhagen but only a silver in this event – now she also has an individual title.

    Though Duncan Scott skipped the 400m IM final, the Brits had another ace in the pack and Max Litchfield proved to be no match for the others. He also ended the Hungarian reign in this event as this was the first time since 2008 that the champion came from another nation. It was the first gold for the hosts in this meet, Litchfield stood on the top of the podium in the company of two Russians Ilia Borodin and Daniil Pasnykov – the 16 year-old Borodin clocked a new junior European record.

    Marius Kusch brought the first gold to the championships’ most successful nation Germany, he flew to victory in the 100m fly, ahead of Russia’s Mikhail Vekhovishchev whose feet deserves appreciation as he also got a bronze in the 200m free some 40 minutes earlier.

    Simona Quadarella had a breakthrough performance in this pool in the summer of 2018 when she managed to complete the 400-800-1500m treble in the long-course Europeans. Since then she added the world title in the 1500m at the Worlds in Gwangju and here she clinched her first short-course European gold with a convincing swim, ahead of her main European chaser Ajna Kesely of Hungary, and fellow Italian Martina Caramignoli.

    The women’s 50m fly ended up in a special two-country affair with two medals apiece though the French were superior as they finished 1-2, courtesy of Melanie Henique and Beryl Castaldello. Sharing medals is not a rarity in dash events but to have the same nations’ swimmers tied doesn’t happen too often – but this evening Jeanette Ottesen and Emilie Beckman stood next to each other and saw two Danish flags displayed. In a span of ten minutes, Ottesen earned another bronze as member of the Danish medley relay behind the Russians who set a new WR (1:36.22). Here the Netherlands came second so Toussaint and Kamminga could celebrate their golden day with a silver bonus.

    The European Championships return on Friday with no less than nine finals in the evening session – the morning heats start at 9.30 (GMT) while the finals kick-off at 17.00 GMT.

    For detailed results please visit: http://glasgow2019.microplustiming.com/index.php

    Follow our free live streaming with English commentary on our website here: http://www2.len.eu/?p=15525

    Press release from LEN, images courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Giorgio Scala

  • Morozov sets ER in breast, Hosszu wins 90th career medal

    A couple of heroic efforts kicked off the 20th edition of the European Short-Course Swimming Championships in Glasgow. Russia’s Vladimir Morozov showed his magnificent versatility and clinched his first-ever title in breaststroke in style, with a new European Record in the 50m – and soon he added a second gold in the 4x50m free relay. Winning the 400m IM, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu claimed her 90th medal at major international meets and the 60th gold. Italy also had a great evening with five medals including a gold from Benedetta Pilato who bettered the junior WR three times this day in the 50m breaststroke.

    KAWECKI Radoslaw Poland POL Gold Medal 200 backstroke men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    RAPSYS Danas Lithuania LTU Gold Medal 400 freestyle men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    KAWECKI Radoslaw Poland POL Gold Medal DIENER Christian Germany GER Silver Medal GREENBANK Luke Great Britain GBR Bronze Medal 200 backstroke men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    HOSSZU Katinka Hungary HUN Gold Medal JAKABOS Zsuzsanna Hungary HUN Silver Medal CUSINATO Ilaria Italy ITA Bronze Medal 400 Individual Medley women Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    RAPSYS Danas Lithuania LTU Gold Medal DEAN Thomas Great Britain GBR Silver Medal DETTI Gabriele Italy ITA Bronze Medal 400 freestyle men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    PILATO Benedetta Italy ITA Gold Medal CARRARO Martina Italy ITA Silver Medal MC SHARRY Mona Ireland IRL Bronze Medal 50 breaststroke women Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    PILATO Benedetta Italy ITA Gold Medal CARRARO Martina Italy ITA Silver Medal 50 breaststroke women Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    MOROZOV Vladimir Russia RUS Gold Medal 50 breaststroke men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    MOROZOV Vladimir Russia RUS Gold Medal SAKCI Emre Turkey TUR Silver Medal SCOZZOLI Fabio Italy ITA Bronze Medal KAMMINGA Arno Netherlands NED Bronze Medal 50 breaststroke men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Italy Bronze Medal 4×50 freestyle relay men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Poland Silver Medal 4×50 freestyle relay men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Russia Gold Medal 4×50 freestyle relay men Final Glasgow 04/12/2019 XX LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 Tollcross International Swimming Centre Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

    Vladimir Morozov has always been recognised for his brilliance in the 25m pool, he has amassed 20 medals at the short-course Worlds and arrived here with 16 under his belt from s/c Europeans. Here he added two already, both gold, in a span of 15 minutes. What made his feat even more remarkable that he clinched the first one in the 50m breaststroke.

    His speed amazed the swimming world in freestyle and backstroke sprinting events, in relays and in the 100m IM – but not in breaststroke (as an exception, he had one silver in 100m at the 2016 Worlds). This evening he upset the stroke’s specialists, however, what’s more, he smashed the European Record while clocking 25.51sec (Turkey’s Emre Sakci got silver, a first for his nation over this distance while the bronze was shared by Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli and Netherlands’ Arno Kamminga). Morozov was back soon and anchored Russia to a great win in the 4x50m free, ahead of Poland and Italy.

    That was the fifth medal of the evening for the Italians. Earlier they achieved a 1-2 in the women’s 50m breast, Benedetta Pilato managed to reach a better speed than compatriot Martina Carraro and she improved the junior WR once more (29.32) after she had already bettered it in the heats and the semis.

    Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu routinely won the 400m IM for the third time after 2015 and 2017. What made this victory special was a double jubilee: it was her 90th medal at Olympics, World and European Championships (s/c included) and the 60th gold medal from these major meets. She could celebrate this in good company as team-mate Zsuzsanna Jakabos overtook Italy’s Ilaria Cusinato in the last 50m.

    The opening day’s first final saw a fine comeback from Poland’s Radoslaw Kawecki. The 28-year old ruled the 200m back between 2011 and 2016 by winning this event at all l/c Europeans, s/c Europeans and s/c Worlds. The past two years didn’t unfold as he expected though, but here in Glasgow his tremendous underwater-kicking and speed put him back to the top of the podium – it was his 7th s/c European gold in his career. Here Germany’s Christian Diener came second and Luke Greenbank delivered the hosts’ first medal, a bronze.

    Danas Rapsys was no match for the others in the 400m free, at one stage the Lithuanian could even set his eyes to a new WR but at the end he settled for a new Championship Record – Thomas Dean had another podium swim for Britain by out-touching Italy’s Gabriele Detti for the silver.

    The European Championships return on Thursday with eight finals in the evening session – the morning heats start at 9.30 (GMT) while the finals kick-off at 17.00 GMT.

    For detailed results please visit: http://glasgow2019.microplustiming.com/index.php

    Follow LEN’s free live streaming with English commentary here: http://www2.len.eu/?p=15525

    Press release from LEN, images courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Giorgio Scala

  • Westshore Beach needs more swimmers.

  • The Coastal City of Nabeul is one of the most beautiful regions in Tunisia. During the winter festive season, people gather at the beach to swim in extremely cold weather. This is an ancestral practice believed to improve health conditions and give strength to swimmers. CGTN’s Adnen Chaouachi has more.

  • Georgia Tech will host the 2019 U.S. Open Swimming Championships at the McAuley Aquatic Center on campus.

  • Marlene Bloom and Mindy York at Baby Otter Swim School discuss the possibility of mandatory swim classes in Florida.