European Championships, Day Five Prelims: Leon Marchand Eases Through as Adam Ramsay-Peaty Crashes Out
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- Day 1 prelims report
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- Day 2 prelims report
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- Day 3 prelims report
- Day 3 finals report
- Day 4 prelims report
- Day 4 finals report
Leon Marchand got his individual programme underway in the 200 fly on day five at the European Championships in Paris.
The Olympic champion eased through as the noise at the Olympic Aquatic Centre cranked up several notches.
There was a seismic shock in the men’s 50 breaststroke where world record-holder Adam Ramsay-Peaty trailed in 20th to miss the semis.
Milou van Wijk headed the women’s 50 free as Sarah Sjöström and Sara Curtis also safely navigated prelims.
Oliver Klemet and Johannes Liebmann booked the centre lanes for the 1500 free final.
Women’s 50 Free
Milou van Wijk – who won 100 free silver behind Dutch teammate Marrit Steenbergen – led the way in 24.13.
Sjöström launched her quest of a hat-trick of dash titles in 24.21 after winning her sixth straight 50 fly crown a year into motherhood following the arrival of son Adrian in August last year.
Curtis posted 24.33 the morning after breaking her 50 back WR with Steenbergen making it two Dutchwomen in the top four in 24.34. However, the two-per-nation rule made its presence felt with Valerie van Roon – ninth in 24.73 – and Tessa Giele – 11th in 24.85 – eliminated.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
There was a jarring shock as Adam Ramsay-Peaty failed to make it through the prelims.
The Briton – who won four straight one-length titles starting at Berlin 2014 – trailed in 20th in 27.34, after a poor start left him with far too much ground to make up.
Ramsay-Peaty was at a loss to explain what had happened, saying: “These performances are not good enough at all. Even now, I’m like it’s so bad that I’m confused.”
Simone Cerasuolo led the way in 26.20 as he cut 0.07 from the Italian record of 26.27 set by Ludovico Blu Art Viberti at the 2025 Sette Colli meet. It’s the joint second fastest in history matching Qin Haiyang’s 2023 effort at the 2023 worlds. Nicolo Martinenghi was second fastest with the 100m gold medallist going 26.65 meaning Viberti was eliminated under the two-per-nation rule despite posting the sixth-swiftest time of 26.90.
Women’s 100m Backstroke
Marrit Steenbergen and Mary-Ambre Moluh were the only women to break the minute mark with both hitting 59.66.
Pauline Mahieu made it two Frenchwomen in the top three in 1:00.25.
Men’s 200m Butterfly
The noise at the pool cranked up several notches ahead of heat four as a certain Leon Marchand walked out behind the blocks. The cheers intensified throughout the four laps of the pool, reaching a crescendo after the Olympic champion’s final turn. He came home first in 1:55.90 where cheers of “Leon! Leon!” greeted him on poolside.
Alberto Razzetti led the way in 1:54.64, 0.36 off Federico Burdisso’s Italian record of 1:54.28 dating back to the 2021 Europeans in Budapest. Arbidel Gonzalez Alvarez was 0.08 off his Spanish record in 1:55.07 ahead of Krzysztof Chmielewski (1:55.77) and Marchand. Andrea Cammozzi was the second Italian 1:55.95, two places and 0.13 ahead of Burdisso (1:56.08) who was eliminated under the two-per-nation rule.
Women 200IM
Anastasia Gorbenko led the way in the defence of her title in 2:11.87 as she launched her bid for a four-peat. The Israeli won the short medley at Budapest 2021, Roma 2022 and Belgrade 2024 and was the only woman to break 2:12 this morning. Ellen Walshe, winner of the 400IM in Paris, was second through in 2:12.12 followed by British duo Abbie Wood (2:12.23) and Amalie Smith, the 16-year-old 4IM silver medallist posting 2:12.43.
Mixed 4×100 Free Relay
Czechia – anchored by 200 free champion Barbora Seemanova in 52.69 – booked lane four in 3:23.41 ahead of the Netherlands, who posted 3:23.94 without the likes of Steenbergen and Milou van Wijk, the gold and silver medallists in the individual 100 free. Italy were third through in 3:23.96.
Men’s 1500 Free
It was a Magdeburg procession with Oliver Klemet and Johannes Liebmann booking the centre lanes in 14:48.51 and 14:50.83 respectively, the latter already having tasted success here in Paris with a 800 win in European record time.
Germany teammate Sven Schwarz posted the fifth-fastest time of 14:52.16 but fell foul of the two-per-nation rule.
Sacha Velly thrilled the French crowd in 14:51.49 ahead of Zalan Sarkany of Hungary (14:51.94) with Olympic bronze medallist Daniel Wiffen (14:52.29), David Betlehem (14:57.96), Andrei-Theodor Proca (14:57.97) and Luca De Tullio (14:59.49) all through into what will be a thrilling final.
