Those keeping track of the 2019 Euro Meet certainly saw established stars like Katinka Hosszu, Ben Proud, and Sarah Sjostrom do their thing last weekend in Luxembourg, but also very much in the mix were some stellar, lesser-known 20 & unders growing their international footprint. Below, we’ve highlighted just a few of the many young names climbing the international ranks.
The men’s 100 free A-final – Seven of ten swimmers in the men’s 100 free A-final were born in 1998 or later. Leading the pack was three Energy Standard youngsters: 20-year-old Sergii Shevtsov in 49.39, 18-year-old Kliment Kolesnikov (with whom you are surely already acquainted) in 49.48, and 20-year-old Vladimir Dubinin in 49.62. Shevtsov also took second in the 50 free in 22.40 and fourth in the 50 fly (24.03). Dubinin added a fourth-place finish in the 200 free, going 1:50.17, and went a best time of 22.94 in the 50 free. In the same 100 free final, 17-year-old Rafael Miroslaw was the youngest swimmer under 51 (50.99); he added a lifetime best in the 200 free, finishing third behind only Kolesnikov and Poul Zellmann in 1:49.86. Rounding out the young 100 free final were Italian National Teamers Devid Zorzetto, 18, and Federico Burdisso, 17.
Silas Beth (SG Bad Schwartau) – The 16-year-old Beth dropped close to five seconds in his 1500 free, going 15:54.06 to take fourth place overall. He also went a best time in prelims of the 200 free, 1:55.27, and was the youngest swimmer to final in the 400 free, finishing 8th in 4:02.75. Also of note in Beth’s races was 17-year-old Italian Ivan Giovannoni (representing Tiro a Volo Nuoto) who was 15:51.85 in the 1500 and 4:03.51 in the 400.
Vladyslav Bukhov (UKR National Team) – The 17-year-old Ukranian Bukhov dropped best times in his 50 fly and 100 free. In the 50, he shaved off almost half a second, going 23.98 for third place overall. Bukhov, Britain’s meet record holder Ben Proud, and Dutch 2017 Worlds semi-finalist Mathys Goosen were the only swimmers sub-:24. Bukhov also took half a second off his 100 free PR, going 51.49
Freya Colbert (Nova Centurion Swim Club) – British 14-year-old Freya Colbert held her own against top talent, showing wide event range and picking up a couple best times along the way. Her highest finish came in the 800 free, where she took second place overall in a new best time of 8:57.15. In the 400 free, she took seventh place in 4:23.12, and in the 200, she posted the field’s 11th-fastest swim in 2:04.16. In the 400 IM she was just off her PR, going 4:54.98 to take fourth place in a field that included world record holder Katinka Hosszu. Had she gotten into the A-final, Colbert’s 200 IM time of 2:19.71 (a lifetime best) would have placed her 5th overall – the next-youngest swimmer faster than her was born 15 years earlier. She went an additional best time in the 200 breast, finishing in 2:38.83.
Honey Osrin (Plymouth Leander) – Despite being well off her best time of (2:13.48), the 15-year-old Osrin, also of Great Britain, took fourth in the 200 back in 2:16.40. She took 16th in the 100 back, going 1:05.05, again multiple seconds off her best time. However, the bests came in her “off” events. Despite just missing finals in the 200 free, she went a best time of 2:06.82 in prelims, and in the 50 fly, she went a lifetime best of 29.13.
Kim Herkle (SV Cannstatt 1898 e.V.) – The 16-year-old German breaststroker went a new best time of 2:31.13 to take fourth place in the 200 breast (notably, fellow junior standout Thea Blomsterberg, 17, took first in 2:27.30). Herkle also finished ninth in the 100 breast in 1:12.64, though was still about two seconds off her best time. She also A-finaled in the 200 IM, going 2:22.91 to take eight place.
Sophie Freeman (Plymouth Leander) – The 14-year-old Freeman, already a British national champion at age 13, took fifth in the 200 fly, going a best time of 2:15.91. She also finished ninth in the 100 fly, going 1:01.19, just off her best. Freeman also raced the 100, 200, and 400 free, as well as the 50 fly. In the 100, she was about a second off her best time, going 59.76; in the 200 she was 2:07.66, and in the 400 she was 16th in prelims, posting a solid 4:30.49.