Gregorio Paltrinieri Set To Lead European Champs Medal Contenders In Men’s Distance Free

Photo by Joao Marc Bosch

Each day through August 17, Swimming World’s Jeff Commings and David Rieder will offer medal predictions in the 19 swimming events on tap at the European Championships, which begins August 18 in Berlin, Germany. We invite you to offer your picks in our Reaction Time comments section below!

Commentary by David Rieder

CHARLESTON, South Carolina, August 14. THE men’s distance events at European Championships in Berlin will feature Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, who returns as the top continental finisher in both the 800 and 1500 from last year’s World Championships. Paltrinieri held off American Connor Jaeger for bronze in the 1500, finishing behind just Sun Yang and Ryan Cochrane, while he finished sixth in the 800. The Faroe Islands’ Pal Joensen also qualified for both finals, but he hasn’t posted any noteworthy times this year, while Daniel Fogg swam in the 1500 final.

Daniel Jervis, the 18-year-old Brit with a bright future, has the second-fastest European time this year in the mile with a 14:55.33, while Italy’s Gabriele Detti, Hungary’s Gergely Gyurta, and Fogg have also swum under 15:00. However, neither British man has been listed as a European Champs participant, though Fogg might reconsider winning the 5K open water swim Wednesday at the European championships. Hungary’s Gergo Kis has refocused his swimming on distance free since making the Olympic final in the 400 IM back in 2008, while Italian veteran Samuel Pizzetti and Ukrainian youngster Mykhalio Romanchuk both have outside chances.

In the 800, Detti (7:42.74) and Paltrinieri (7:43.01) have the top two times in the world by a long way, so Italy should be looking at a sweep in both events.

Men’s 800 free medal predictions
Gold:
Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy
Silver: Gabriele Detti, Italy
Bronze: Gergely Gyurta, Hungary

Men’s 1500 free medal predictions
Gold:
Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy
Silver: Gabriele Detti, Italy
Bronze: Gergely Gyurta, Hungary

Previous European championships medal predictions:

100 freestyle

400 individual medley

50 freestyle

100 backstroke

200 butterfly

50 breaststroke

400 medley relay
200 freestyle

200 breaststroke

50 backstroke

100 butterfly

800 freestyle relay

200 individual medley

Women’s 800 and 1500 freestyles

400 freestyle

100 breaststroke

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