2014 European Championships Day 1 Finals Real-Time Recaps

2014 LEN EUROPEAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, August 13-Sunday, August 24, 2014 (pool swimming Monday, 8/18-Sunday 8/24)
• The Velodrom, Berlin, Germany
• Local time: Prelims 9:30am, Finals 6pm (Monday-Thursday), 4pm (Friday-Sunday)
• Meet website
• Event schedule
• Live stream
• Live results

Men’s 400 Free – Finals

• 2012 European Champ: Paul Biedermann, Germany, 3:47.84
• 2010 European Champ: Yannick Agnel, France, 3:46.17
• Meet Record: Yuri Prilukov, Russia, 3:45.10 – 2008
• World Record: Paul Biedermann, Germany, 3:40.07 – 2009
• European Record: Paul Biedermann, Germany, 3:40.07 – 2009

Velimir Stjepanovic of Serbia came into the race with 19th fastest time in the world this year having posted a season and lifetime best of 3:48.25. Stjepanovic posted a 3:49.49 in the prelim, swimming the final out of lane seven. It may be fair to say that no one saw him coming as the Serbian blasted the first 100 meters turning in a time of 52.50 over two and a half seconds ahead of the field.

He continued to hold that lead into the halfway point turning in a time of 1:50.87 just off of European record pace set by Paul Biedermann in 2009. By the 250 meter mark he was well off record pace, but still led by over two seconds.

It was at the 300 meter mark that Italian Andrea D’Arrigo made his move and by the 350 meter had cut Stjepanovic’s lead to 95 one-hundredths of a second. D’Arrigo did not have enough to catch Stjepanovic, who increased his lead in the final 50 meters taking the event in a time of 3:45.66. His time puts him ninth in the world.

D’Arrigo finished second in a time of 3:46.91. That is a significant improvement for the Italian who came into Berlin with a lifetime best of 3:49.02 and puts him 12th in the world rankings.

After the morning it looked like Stephen Milne was the best hope to earn Great Britain’s first medal of the championships, instead it was Jay Lelliott who collected the bronze in the event recording a 3:47.50. Lelliott occupied the second spot in the race up until the final 100 meters. Just as the two competitors who finished ahead of him Lelliott made a strong improvement in the event coming into the championships with a lifetime best of 3:49.64.

Only 47 one-hundredths of a second separated the next four competitors. Italian Gabriele Detti finished fourth posting a time of 3:48.10 followed by Clemens Rapp (3:48.44) of Germany, Stephen Milne (3:48.55) of Great Britain and Jan Micka (3:48.57) of the Czech Republic.

In a surprising result Gergo Kis of Hungary finished eighth in a time of 3:53.14.

Women’s 400 IM – Finals

• 2012 European Champ: Katinka Hosszu, Hungary, 4:33.76
• 2010 European Champ: Hannah Miley, Great Britain, 4:33.09
• Meet Record: Hannah Miley, Great Britain, 4:33.09 – 2010
• World Record: Ye Shiwen, China, 4:28.43 – 2012
• European Record: Katinka Hosszu, Hungary, 4:30.31 – 2009

Defending World and European champion Katinka Hosszu of Hungary won her first of her 10 events of the championships taking the 400 IM in a time of 4:31.03. Hosszu moves herself into the second spot in the world rankings with only Olympic champion Ye Shiwen, who has posted a 4:30.84, ahead of her. It was a new championship record, beating her own record of 4:31.53 which she posted in the prelims.

In Barcelona at the World Championships Mireia Belmonte Garcia of Spain went into the final 100 meters just under two seconds behind Hosszu and in the final 100 meters made a valiant attempt of catching the Hungarian ultimately finishing eight tenths of a second behind. This evening Belmonte went into the freestyle leg almost four seconds behind Hosszu and eventually finished second by just over two seconds, touching in a time of 4:33.13.

Commonwealth silver medalist Aimee Willmott of Great Britain battled with Belmonte in the breaststroke heading into the freestyle in the second place position, but was no competition for the Spaniard. Willmott took the bronze in a time of 4:34.69, over a second and a half slower than her time in Glasgow.

Barbora Zavadova of the Czech Republic finished fourth in a time of 4:37.82 followed by Stefania Pirozzi (4:39.51) of Italy, Evelyn Verraszto (4:40.61) of Hungary, Stina Gardell (4:41.52) of Sweden and Spaniard Maria Vilas Vidal (4:43.31).

 Women’s 50 butterfly – Semi-finals

• 2012 European Champ: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden, 25.64
• 2010 European Champ: Therese Alshammar, Sweden, 25.63
• Meet Record: Therese Alshammar, Sweden, 25.50 – 2010
• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden, 24.43 – 2009
• European Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden, 24.43 – 2009

It was no surprise to see defending European champion Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden come out of the semi-finals with the top time of 24.87. Sjostrom broke her own championship record of 25.12, which she posted in the prelims. It is only the second time that she has dipped under the 25 second mark, but is still a ways off her world record of 24.43.

World champion Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark qualified second in a time of 25.43, not far off her Danish record time of 25.24. It is the third fastest time she has posted in her career. Fran Halsall of Great Britain, who took gold in this event at the Commonwealth games, qualified with the third fastest time recording a 25.67. Her time is almost half a second off her winning time of 25.20.

Inge Dekker of the Netherlands qualified fourth in a time of 25.84 followed by Silvia Di Pietro (25.90) of Italy, Kimberly Buys (26.16) of Germany, Therese Alshammar (26.17) of Sweden and Melanie Henique (26.31) of France.

Men’s 100 back – Semi-finals

• 2012 European Champ: Aristeidis Grigoriadis, Greece, 53.86
• 2010 European Champ: Camille Lacourt, France, 52.11 – 2010
• Meet Record: Camille Lacourt, 52.11 – 2010
• World Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States, 51.94 – 2009
• European Record: Camille Lacourt, France, 52.11 – 2010

Commonwealth gold medalist Chris Walker-Hebborn of Great Britain took the second semi-final of the men’s 100 backstroke, qualifying for the final with the top time of 53.62. Walker-Hebborn came into the competition with the top ranked time in Europe of 53.12. He was followed by Benjamin Stasiulis of France who posted a 54.17, Italian Luca Mencarini who recorded a 24.76 and Miguel Rando Galvez of Spain who finished in a time of 54.80.

World Championships bronze medalist Jeremy Stravius of France took the first semi-final in a time of 53.93 just missing his season’s best of 53.83. Germans Jan-Philip Glania and Christian Deiner finished second and third in the first semi-final with Glania posting a time of 54.09 while Deiner recorded a 54.24. David Gamburg of Israel finished fourth qualifying for the final in a time of 54.76.

Men’s 100 Breast – Semis

• 2012 European Champ: Fabio Scozzoli, Italy, 1:00.55
• 2010 European Champ: Alexander Dale Oen, Norway, 59.20
• Meet Record: Alexander Dale Oen, Norway, 59.20 – 2010
• World Record: Cameron van der Burgh, South Africa, 58.46 – 2012
• European Record: Hugues Duboscq, France, 58.64 – 2009

Commonwealth gold medalist Adam Peaty of Great Britain continued his streak of outstanding performances, winning the second semi-final in a time of 58.68, breaking his own British record of 58.94. Peaty also broke Alexander Dale Oen’s meet record of 59.20. Peaty has made incredible improvement over the last year going from a 59.92 to 58.68.

He also takes over the top spot in the world rankings beating Christian Sprenger’s time of 58.87.

Ross Murdoch broke his own Scottish record of 59.75, which he posted at the Scottish Championships earlier this year, posting a 59.33 to qualify with the second fastest time going into the final. German Hendrik Feldwehr finished third in the second semi-final in a time of 1:01.00 to qualifying for the final.

Giedrius Titenis of Lithuania took the first semi-final in a time of 59.35, not far off his national record of 59.24. Hungarian Daniel Gyurta, who finished second to Titenis, just missed his own national record of 59.53 posting a 59.58. He was followed by Giacomo Perez-Dortona (1:00.51) of France, Damir Dugonjic (1:00.87) of Slovenia and Andrey Nikoaev (1:00.89) of Russia.

Women’s 200 Back – Semis

• 2012 European Champ: Alexianne Castel, France, 2:08.41
• 2010 European Champ: Lizzie Simmonds, Great Britain, 3:07.04
• Meet Record: Krisztina Egerszegi, Hungary, 2:06.62 – 1991
• World Record: Missy Franklin, United States, 2:04.06 – 2012
• European Record: Anastasia Zueva, Russia, 2:04.94 – 2009

2010 European champion Elizabeth Simmonds and Duane Da Rocha Marce of Spain had a tremendous race in the first semi-final. The Spaniard was able to catch and pass Simmonds in the final 50 meters finishing in a time of 2:09.13. Charlotta Zofkova of Italy finished well behind qualifying for the final in a time of 2:12.06.

As good as the race was between the two women in the first semi-final the second semi-final wound up being even more exciting with the first three women finishing seven one-hundredths of a second apart. Simona Baumrtova of the Czech Republic finished first in a time of 2:10.22 followed by Germans Jenny Mensing who touched in a time of 2:10.26 and Lisa Graf who posted a time of 2:10.29. Melanie Costa Schmid of Spain finished fourth in a time of 2:10.83 followed by Daria Ustinova of Russia who recorded a 2:11.40.

Men’s 50 Fly – Semis

• 2012 European Champ: Rafael Munoz, Spain, 23.16
• 2010 European Champ: Rafael Munoz, Spain, 23.17
• Meet Record: Miolrad Cavic, Serbia, 23.11 – 2008
• World Record: Rafael Munoz, Spain, 22.43 – 2009
• European Record: Rafael Munoz, Spain, 22.43 – 2009

There was not a whole lot of excitement in the semi-finals of the men’s 50 butterfly. Florent Manaudou of France took the first semi-final in a time of 23.23. He was followed by Rafael Munoz Perez (23.48) of Spain along with British teammates Ben Proud (23.49) and Adam Barrett (23.51).

Andiry Govorov, who had a spectacular swim in the prelims setting a new championship record posting a 22.87, took the second semi-final in a time of 23.04. German Steffen Deibler finished second in a time of 23.41 followed by Piero Codia (23.47) of Italy and Yauhen Tsurkin (23.60) of Belarus.

Women’s 400 Free Relay – Finals

• 2012 European Champ: Germany, 3:37.98
• 2010 European Champ: Germany, 3:37.72
• Meet Record: Netherlands, 3:33.62 – 2008
• World Record: Australia, 3:30.98 – 2014
• European Record: Netherlands, 3:31.72 – 2009

The Swedish women had a very strong swim taking the women’s 4 x 100 freestyle in a time of 3:35.82, just missing the Swedish national record of 3:35.31 which was set in 2009. They collected the gold only after the Danish team, who finished in a time of 3:35.21, was disqualified.

Sarah Sjostrom had an impressive split anchoring the relay in a time of 52.14.

Winning relay splits:

• Michelle Coleman – 53.85
• Magdalena Kuras – 55.55
• Louise Hansson – 54.28
• Sarah Sjostrom – 52.14

The Netherlands finished second in a time of 3:36.26. Femke Heemskerk was also impressive anchoring the relay 52.78.

Italy collected the bronze in a time of 3:37.63. They were followed by the Russians (3:38.55), France (3:40.21) and Finland (3:47.02).

Men’s 400 Free Relay – Finals

• 2012 European Champ: France, 3:13.55
• 2010 European Champ: Russia, 3:12.46
• Meet Record: Russia, 3:12.46 – 2010
• World Record: United States, 3:08.24 – 2008
• European Record: France, 3:08.32 – 2008

The French took the lead in the second leg of the relay and would never relinquish control taking the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay in a new championship record time of 3:11.64. Heading into the final 100 meters the margin between the top three teams was not a large one. At the 300 meter mark France had a 44 one-hundredths of a second lead over Italy and a six tenths of a second lead over Russia.

Eventually the French would take the event followed by the Russians who finished in a time of 3:12.67 just ahead of the Italians who took the bronze in a time of 3:12.78.

Relay splits:

France:

• Mehdy Metella – 48.69
• Fabien Gilot – 47.85
• Florent Manaudou – 47.54
• Jeremy Stravius – 47.56

Russia:

• Andrey Grechin – 48.56
• Nikita Lobintsev – 48.54
• Alexander Sukhorukov – 47.58
• Vlad Morozov – 47.99

Italy:

• Luca Dotto – 48.47
• Marco Orsi – 48.36
• Luca Leonardi – 47.69
• Filippo Magnini – 48.26

Poland finished fourth in a time of 3:15.10 followed by Belgium (3:16.62), Israel 3:18.43 and Lithuania (3:19.46). Spain was disqualified.