European Championships, Day Six Prelims: Duncan Scott & Benedetta Pilato Among Heat Winners
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- Day 1 prelims report
- Day 1 finals report
- Day 2 prelims report
- Day 2 finals report
- Day 3 prelims report
- Day 3 finals report
- Day 4 prelims report
- Day 4 finals report
- Day 5 prelims report
- Day 5 finals report
Duncan Scott, Benedetta Pilato and Apostolos Christou all led the way in their respective prelims on the penultimate morning in Paris.
Scott headed the 200IM in which he’s won silver at the last two Olmpic Games, most recently a few kilometres away at La Defense Arena in 2024, although the two-per-nation rule made its presence felt among the British contingent.
Pilato was the only woman to break 30secs in the 50m breaststroke with Christou in pole position as he launched the defence of his 100 back crown.
Men’s 50 Free
Nikita Sheremet of Ukraine led the way in 21.56 ahead of Croatian Jere Hribar (21.62).
Egor Kornev – second in the 2026 rankings in 21.06 – was safely through in 21.67 with Kristof Milak and Vladyslav Bukhov making semis in 21.87.
Home favourite Maxime Grousset also progressed in 21.91, the morning after his false start led to France’s DQ in the mixed free relay.
Women’s 200 Fly
Twenty-six women took to the water across three prelims with Helena Rosendahl Bach leading the way in the defence of her title in 2:08.42 ahead of Italy’s Paola Borrelli (2:08.89).
Lana Pudar, the silver medallist last time out at Belgrade 2024, navigated her way through to post 2:10.92 for sixth.
Men’s 100 Back
Apostolos Christou led three men through the 53-second barrier as the Greek launched the defence of the title he won at Belgrade 2024.
Christou posted 52.73 in the final prelim with Frenchman Mewen Tomac going 52.94 and Pavel Samusenko (52.96).
World bronze medallist Yohann Ndoye Brouard – who missed out in the 200 back because of the two-per-nation rule – made sure of his semi spot in the shorter race in 53.05.
Georgii Iakovlev became the second Neutral Athlete to progress with Samusenko in 53.15, 0.01 ahead of Kliment Kolesnikov who was eliminated under the two-per-nation rule.
Thomas Ceccon and Roman Mityukov progressed but Ollie Morgan – triple silver medallist at the Commonwealth Games – misses out as third Briton behind Matthew Ward and Jack Skerry.
Women’s 50m Breaststroke
Benedetta Pilato was the only woman inside 30secs with the Italian posting 29.86 despite a long glide into the wall.
Pilato won this title at Budapest 2021 and in Rome a year later and is back in international competition after missing last year’s short-course Europeans because of her ban for a shoplifting incident with Chiara Tarantino at the Singapore worlds.
NAB swimmer Veera Kivirinta was next through in 30.17 followed by Ruta Meilutyte (30.21) and Mona McSharry – already the owner of a silver and bronze this week – who went 30.37.
Men’s 200IM
The two-per-nation rule made its presence felt with British swimmers occupying three of the top five places after prelims.
Duncan Scott, who’s won silver in the event at the last two Olympic Games, led the field in 1:57.51 with Max Litchfield going 1:58.43.
He had to watch as Evan Jones led the final heat in 1:58.71 with the three-time Olympian making it through in third place, Mikhail Shcherbakov splitting the two fastest Britons in 1:58.16.
Ilia Borodin, winner of the 400IM, progressed in 1:58.58 with Hugo Gonzalez and Hubert Kos also booking a spot for tonight’s semi.
Mixed 4x200m Freestyle Relay
Given Great Britain won both the men’s and women’s 4×200 free relays, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think they’d be title contenders in the mixed event.
The quartet of Tyler Melbourne-Smith (1:46.97), Jack McMillan (1:47.18), Leah Schlosshan (1:59.19) and Freya Anderson (1:58.05) posted 7:31.30 to book lane four for tonight’s final.
They have the likes of James Guy, Matt Richards and Freya Colbert to call on although it’d be a tough proposition for Abbie Wood and Duncan Scott who have the 200IM finals and semis in the same session.
Lithuania will be alongside the British after going 7:31.97 with Germany, Italy, France, NAB, Sweden and Spain all booking a place in the final event of the penultimate day in Paris.
Greece, Switzerland and Armenia were the teams to miss out.
