2023 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 5-10, 2023
- Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
- Short Course Meters (25 meters)
- Prelims 2:30am (ET), Finals 11am (ET)
- Entries Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Live Results (Microplus Timing)
- Eurovision Sport Livestream
Some big swims were delivered on Day 2 of the 2023 European Short Course Championships in Otopeni, and we’ve compiled the post-race thoughts from the newly-minted European champions below.
This event marks the last major international competition of 2023 before diving into the Olympic year, and some of the athletes in Romania have already shown their intention for Paris 2024.
MICHELLE COLEMAN (SWE)
Gold medalist in the 50 free women in a time of 23.5
“It’s been it’s been nine years since my last individual medal. So I’ve had a lot of medals since then, but in relays and I’ve had really good performances in competitions as the World Cup and so on. But, you know, I haven’t really been able to perform at the championships the way I want to and to be able to go in and do a personal best in a final. I’ve been working a long time to be able to get into the right space, to be able to do that and, and to be 30 years and get my first gold medal and championship title. It’s it’s really amazing.
“I think I’ve had a lot of swimmers, before me, Femke (Hemskeerk) Ranomi (Kromowidjojo), Sarah (Sjostrom), you know, a lot of sprint female swimmers really like showing the way and showing that it’s possible. And, the older you get, the wiser you get, the more you get to know yourself, your body. You know what works for you. And being able to listen to that is absolutely amazing.
“To dedicate to someone? Well, honestly, well, everyone, it’s been it’s been a long road and people that have believed in me and followed me and really but also in a way to to myself for daring to try new things and take a step back and take a break from sport and then come back and being better than ever, it’s it’s incredible. It really is.”
NOE PONTI (SUI)
Gold medalist in the 100 fly in a new European Record of 48.4
“Head and heart. I pushed like crazy. No, I had to beat Maxime (Grousset), I knew he swam the 50 free 20 minutes before but I didn’t know if he was tired, I made the last underwater and I pushed as hell. I was looking for the gold, but I’m very happy with the time and the new European Record.
“I think I can swim 49 in long course, and this is what you need to reach a medal in Paris, it’s two seasons that I know I can swim this time but now it’s the right moment to show it to them all.”
ANASTASIIA KIRPICHNIKOVA (FRA)
Gold medalist in the 800 free in a time of 8:08.4
“It’s not my best time, but I’m happy. It’s very important for me. For my motivation. It’s a good start because this is the Olympic season and it will be in my country, so I’m really excited when I imagine. And I hope it’s not my last medal here I have the 1500 tomorrow and the 400 free on the last day. After Otopeni I’ll be in Doha for the World Championships, I’ll race only in the pool because I went third in Open water so I didn’t qualified but I’m fine with that. I’m not very confident in open water because I don’t know much about strategy but maybe in the future, who knows, maybe when I will be ready I’ll do both, pool and open water.”
ENELI JEFIMOVA (EST)
Gold medalist in the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:03.2
“I’m just really happy. We were preparing with my coach this competition and just everything happened as we dreamed and it’s a dream come true. Because at the senior level I have only one medal that is from last Europeans, the silver. And just when you bring home gold is just the best.
“Actually, I didn’t think I could swim this time. At the end of the race, I saw that at the starting blocks there was only one light on and I understood that I was the first, but when I saw the time it was like really fast and I was more happy and just. Yeah, I started crying.”
BEN PROUD (GBR)
Top seed after the 50 free semifinals in a time of 20.66
” Tomorrow night is probably going to be harder, Europe has some fast sprinters and it’s good to go against like Florent (Manaudou), who’s been my idol for a long time, teammate, friend.
“And so to be able to go into the competition tomorrow, into the race and have some fun, try, go for the win. But also add these 50 to my career and just enjoy it. So tomorrow I’d love to be able to come in and get the title. The European short course is one of the few titles I don’t have. So I don’t have any medals from the Olympics, but apart from that. But I said to myself, if I can get this title, that’ll be every 50 free title, I can get half an Olympics. So for me, that would be something I can retire quite happily. That would be an achievement. So yeah, I’m putting the pressure on myself to get this because it’d be nice to do.”