- Results
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- Day 1 prelims report
- Day 1 finals report
- Day 2 prelims report
- Day 2 finals report
- Day 3 prelims report
Sarah Sjostrom is seeking her sixth 50 fly title a year after becoming a first-time mum at the European Championships in Paris.
The Swede already has five golds in her collection in European waters and can return to the top of the podium at the first attempt, 12 months after the arrival of son Adrian.
David Popovici is seeking his third straight title and Angharad Evans her first European podium.
Popovici won the 100/200 free double at the 2022 and 2024 editions and he goes in the shorter race at the Olympic Aquatic Centre tonight.
The Olympic champion blasted a 46.72 scorcher in the semis on Tuesday.
Evans set a 1:04.97 championship record in the 100 breast semis as she seeks to make her maiden trip to the European long-course podium a fortnight after completing the double at the Commonwealth Games.
Men’s 200m Backstroke
Hubert Kós was just 0.38 off Aaron Peirsol’s world record in semis when he went 1:52.30.
The Hungarian fell shy of the super-suited standard that has stood for 17 years since the 2009 World Championships and such was the intensity of his effort that he was nauseous following the race and forced to sit and recover.
He returned on Wednesday to turn his attention to clinching his first European backstroke medal.
The Olympic champion was the model of stability and had more than a body-length lead at halfway.
He extended his lead down the third 50 and although the field ate into the deficit in the final 25, Kós was never threatened as he added the European crown to his Olympic and world titles in 1:53.08.
Apostolos Siskos of Greece was second in 1:53.81 with Thomas Ceccon third in 1:53.96.
Women’s 50 Fly
Sarah Sjöström began her golden odyssey in the one-length fly at Debrecen 2012 aged 18 and won the next three editions in Berlin, London and Glasgow.
The Swede didn’t compete in Budapest in May 2021 while still recovering from an elbow injury she sustained in February of that year before getting back atop the podium in Rome in 2022.
Sara Junevik kept the title in Swedish hands last year and she also lined up for the final.
There was a huge ovation for Sjöström when she was introduced to the crowd and she rolled to the title in 25.05. Roos Vanotterdijk was second in 25.12 with Juvenik making it a Sweden 1-3 in 25.51.
Women’s 100m Breaststroke
Benedetta Pilato went out hard and reached the turn first ahead of Mona McSharry and Lisa Angiolini with Angharad Evans – who set a 1:04.97 CR in the semis – in fourth.
Evans came through on the second 50, drawing on to her rivals’ shoulders with her momentum taking her clear in the final 25m. The University of Stirling swimmer came through in 1:04.87, a new championship standard and British record with Evans taking 0.09 off her own standard of 1:04.96 from the national championships in April.
McSharry was second in 1:05.41 with Pilato third in 1:05.89 with reigning champion Eneli Jefimova 0.05 off the podium in 1:05.94.
Evans was surprised to learn she was the first British woman to have won the title, beaming: “I didn’t even realise that. I feel like I’m not very caught up with swimming history and records. I didn’t really know in the heats that I got the record until they read it out. But that’s absolutely amazing. I hope to inspire the next generation of breaststrokers and they look at that and know that that’s just on their doorstep.”
She’s only the fourth British woman in all to have won a medal in the event following Suki Brownsdon (silver, Split 1981), Kirsty Balfour (silver, Budapest 2006) and Chloe Tutton (bronze, London 2016).
