European Championships, Day 2 Semis: National Records For Miressi, Hansson & Dawson

Alessandro Miressi: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

Alessandro Miressi headed the 100 free semis in an Italian record of 47.53 and Sophie Hansson swam to a Swedish 100 breaststroke mark of 1:05.69 in the semis of the European Championships in Budapest.

Kathleen Dawson was 0.09 outside the European 50 back record in a new championship and British mark of 27.19.

There was also the promise of youth in the form of 16-year-old Romanian David Popivici, who reached the 100 free final, and Estonian Eneli Jefimova, who reached the 100 breaststroke final aged 14.

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Men’s 100 Free

Miressi broke the national record for the second time in as many days, slicing 0.21 from the time of 47.74 he had swum on the lead-off of the 4×100 relay in which Italy took bronze.

The defending champion split 22.73/24.80 in the first heat to match the time done by Kliment Kolesnikov in the morning heats.

That is just 0.03 off Alain Bernard‘s championship record of 47.50 set in Eindhoven in March 2008.

The Russian went in the second semi where he touched behind winner and team-mate Andrei Minakov, the pair going 47.82 and 47.85 respectively for second and third overall.

Of note was Popivici who lowered his Romanian record for the second time today in 48.28 to qualify in joint sixth.

Photo Courtesy: len.eu

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

The two-per-nation rule had struck in the morning with world 50br silver medallist Benedetta Pilato missing out.

Italian team-mate and national record-holder Martina Carraro was swiftest in the first semi in 1:06.09 with Molly Renshaw lowering her British record to 1:06.21 in second.

It was Hansson though who rocketed into lane four. Out in 31.06 to turn second behind Finland’s Ida Hulkko, the Rio 2016 Olympian came home in 34.63, her shock evident as she absorbed her time on the scoreboard, hand covering her open mouth.

Also of note was 14-year-old Jefimova who reached the final in 1:06.47, an Estonian record.

Defending champion Yulia Efimova also made it through in joint fourth with Arianna Castiglioni in 1:06.24 although her Russian team-mate Evgeniia Chikunova was locked out by one place and 0.07.

Qualifiers:

Photo Courtesy: len.eu

Men’s 200 Fly

Kristof Milak commanded the spotlight but it was team-mate Tamas Kenderesi who booked lane four with the Hungarian pair booking the centre lanes.

Antani Ivanov had posted a Bulgarian record of 1:54.72 in the morning and he headed the first semi in 1:55.45.

Milak went in the second semi but it was Federico Burdisso – who won bronze at Glasgow 2018 aged 16 – who set the pace, leading until the final 50 when both Kenderesi and Milak overhauled him.

Kenderesi, who won silver behind Milak in 2018, touched in 1:54.37 with the world record-holder stopping the clock at 1:54.72.

Qualifiers:

Photo Courtesy: len.eu

Women’s 50 Back

Dawson has been on scorching form, rising to third European all-time over 100 back in 58.24 at the British trials.

She sounded a warning in the prelims in 27.29 and returned in the evening to go 27.19, 0.09 off Toussaint’s European mark of 27.10 set in Eindhoven last month.

It was a championship and British mark, slicing 0.02 from Georgia Davies’ record set at the 2018 edition in Glasgow.

The University of Stirling swimmer is living a lifelong dream and said:

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better than that.

“To be swimming so well at this point in the season, it bodes well for the Olympics.

“The Olympics are all I’ve wanted since I was a kid, so to be able to go into the Olympics in a position to possibly go for a medal, it’s more than I could’ve asked for.

“I’m looking forward to the final. I know people will be looking out for me, but this is just prep for the 100m for me, so I’ll just go out and enjoy it.

“Everything that I’m applying in training is finally paying off for me.”

Toussaint had won the first semi in 27.22 before Dawson’s blast in the second to set up a final where the Netherlands’ swimmer’s European mark appears under threat.

Qualifiers:

Photo Courtesy: len.eu

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