HELSINKI, Finland, July 14. YANNICK Agnel was the star of the opening night of swimming competition at the European junior swimming championships with a world-class time in the 400 freestyle. The meet is taking place over long course meters.
Agnel, quickly becoming one of France's medal hopes for the 2012 Olympics and beyond, defended his title in the 400 free with a 3:46.26. The time is a new meet record and the third-fastest time of the year. Only China's Zhang Lin (3:44.91) and Korea's Tae Hwan Park (3:45.03) have been faster in 2010. Agnel's time makes him the fastest European in the event, two seconds ahead of countryman Sebastien Rouault.
Well behind Agnel in the 400 free final was Sergiy Frolov of the Ukraine, who finished second with a 3:55.70. Rounding out the podium was Alfie Howes of Great Britain with a 3:56.11.
Great Britain's Sophie Smith and Spain's Beatriz Gomez Cortes battled through the final 200 meters of the 400 IM, with Smith taking the gold medal in 4:44.46. Cortes was second in 4:44.87. In third was Alessia Polieri of Italy with a 4:46.71.
Andriy Govorov broke his own meet record of 23.63 in the semifinals of the men's 50 fly with a 23.57, then won the gold medal in the final with a 23.58. He finished well ahead of Ukraine's Dmitry Pokotylo, who won silver in 24.50. Mehdy Metella, the brother of 2004 Olympic 50 freestyle bronze medalist Malia Metella, took the bronze medal in 24.62.
After a posting a 32.28 to lead qualifiers after the semifinals of the women's 50 breaststroke, Lisa Fissneider won the final with a 32.20. The silver and bronze medals went to Germany's Lisa Rathsack with a 32.37 and Great Britain's Sarah Lougher with a 32.48.
Claudia Romeu of Spain won the women's 1500 freestyle with a 16:27.97. Tjasa Oder of Slovenia led the race through 700 meters but could not hold on for the win, finishing second in 16:37.98.
In semifinal action, Christian von Lehm of Germany led qualifiers in the men's 200 breast with a 2:13.85. Anton Blednykh of Russia was close behind with a 2:13.98, followed by Italy's Flavio Bizzarri with a 2:14.55.
The women's 200 fly saw Spain's Judit Sorribes and Rachael Kelly distance themselves from the pack with times of 2:13.75 and 2:13.96, respectively. The third-fastest qualifier for the final was Tina Rueger of Germany with a 2:16.01.
The top time in the women's 100 freestyle semifinals was posted by Germany's Silke Lippok with a 56.21. Alizee Merdy was the second qualifier with a 56.86 and Mathilde Cini of France was third with a 56.76.
Yakov-Yan Toumarkin of Israel chased Laszlo Cseh's meet record of 55.06 in the men's 100 back semifinals, posting the fastest time with a 55.59. His teammate, David Gamburg, will be the second qualifier in the final with a 56.61. Germany's Christian Diener qualified third with a 56.69.
Karley Mann of Great Britain will be the top seed in the finals of the women's 200 backstroke with a time of 2:12.69. Sweden's Henrietta Stenkvist was second in 2:13.40. Daryna Zevina, the defending champion, qualified third with a 2:14.48.
The French men won the 400 freestyle relay to conclude the opening night of competition with a 3:19.65, buoyed by Agnel's 49.08 leadoff leg. The British team won the silver medal with a 3:23.97 and Croatia was third, swimming a 3:24.54, shutting the Italian team out of the medals by one tenth of a second.
Results: European Junior Championships
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July 14, 2010 Agnel is amazing. So talented.
At the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in 2007 he placed 2. in the 50free with a 23.76.
Now he is on 3.46 in the 400 and 1.46 in the 200.
This guy has no limits!! Submitted by: google7
July 14, 2010 It's one thing to do it at the Olympic Youth Festival or the EJCs when you're th biggest fish in the pond..
It's quite another to do it @ the real thing(European Championships) when it counts.
Let's see what the "Big A" does against the "Big Boys" @ Budadapest.
I'm not knocking the kid.
I'm just ust suggesting we reserve judgment until we see how fares against swimmers equal to or better than him talentwise.
As an example, a certain American male swimmer whose name escapes me at present but who is the ONLY 14-rime Olympic gold-medalist in history if you cach my drift...anyway when this guy finaled in the Olympic 200 fly as a 15-year-old in Sydney that was ptetty cool.
Then the following March when he BROKE the wr in the 200 fly at the U.S. World Championshp Trials -- and did ii again en route to the gold @ the Worlds a few moons later in Fukuoka -- I bercame a believer and said this guy would do things no other swimmer in history has done.
He did too.
And as soon as M. Agnel does likewise I'll concede he can walk on water!
Submitted by: slickwillie32
July 14, 2010 I know you are a big phan, and I'm not comparing him to phelps. Not at all.
But not so long ago in Paris, Agnel did battle the greatest and won!
In Paris he also faced some other great swimmers (Adrian, Cielo etc.), and he did great.
I agree with you, lets see whats he's going to do next year at worlds.. Submitted by: google7
July 14, 2010 You know, slickwillie32,
please try to find something else in life to do..
Agnel has swam with the greatest, lastly on the Paris Open..and he did very well, no thanks to you or your Submitted by: nadador
July 14, 2010 There is a saying in swimming "is he for real". I think the answer is a definite yes. He is just starting a very promising career, it doesn't take anything away from anyone by saying that! So stop being so jealous slick willard, he doesn't need your approval. The confidence he has and his ability is all he needs!! Submitted by: swimfan3
July 14, 2010 Agnel is great, no matter what.Only 18, and posting Top times.Thorpe was World champion with only 15 years and 3 months in 400 free.In another comparison, Cielo was ONLY a 50.31 seconds swimmer against Agnel 48.8 at 18 years old.So, let´s the boy have his time and he´ll show us what the future will bring. Submitted by: MrIron
July 14, 2010 Look, we ALL know what happened to this guy Phelps.
He won that gold and set the world-record in Fukuoka nearly a decade ago, got a big head, thought he was king of the swimming world, thought he walked on water, told his coach to take a hike, NEVER won another big race again and was out of swimming less than a year later!
Same thing with this hot new French kid -- even if that 3:46.26 is a national-record -- breaing the old standard of 3:46.28 by Nicholas Rostoucher from their World Championship Trials a year-plus ago.
The guy's history with a capital "H."
Submitted by: slickwillie32
July 14, 2010 I think the only people who have been faster at age 18 in the 400 free are Hackett and Thorpe, no? I would bet that Agnel has yet to fully taper and is waiting for Europeans in Budapest.
Also, for whomever wrote the report, Mehdy Metella is the BROTHER of Olympic medalist Malia Metella, not her sister. Laure Manaudou's little brother Florent is no slouch either. Submitted by: jjswim
July 15, 2010 Thanks, jjswim. We've made that correction! Submitted by: Jeff Commings
July 16, 2010 The clock does not lie. 3:46 is 3:46, no matter what meet it is and this is a good meet. Submitted by: WEK5000
July 16, 2010 Agnel just went 48.80 at 18 years old! Phelps was yet to crack 49 after his SECOND Olympics at age 19! Obviously this means Agnel will win 23 golds in 2012 with 30.000 lbs ankle weights on! And walk on water! All while munching on French, I mean Freedom Fries! haha...... hahaha..... Submitted by: JakedBadForYou
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