European Championships, Night Five Semifinals: Sarah Sjostrom and Leon Marchand Shine En Route to Finals
There is no doubt that the home crowd at the European Championships in Paris will be eager to see what four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand has to offer on Friday night. Marchand will race the semifinals of the 200-meter butterfly, one of five semifinals scheduled for a busy night session. There will also be qualifying action in the women’s 100 backstroke, men’s 50 breaststroke, women’s 50 freestyle and women’s 200 individual medley.
Marchand eased through the morning prelims in the 200 fly, but the Frenchman was superb earlier in the week when he clocked a sub-1:44 performance on the leadoff leg of the 800 freestyle relay. That effort helped France capture the silver medal, and now Marchand will move into individual competition.
The women’s 50 freestyle will be another intriguing event as part of the semifinals program. Swedish superstar Sarah Sjostrom will step onto the blocks, along with Italian Sara Curtis, who captured the gold medal in the 50 backstroke with her second world record of the meet. The University of Virginia standout could be a major obstacle for Sjostrom, who is chasing her third European title in the 50 freestyle.
Here is an event-by-event recap of the Night Five Semifinals:
Women’s 100 Backstroke
The French will seek a gold-silver finish in the final of the 100 backstroke after taking the top-two spots in the semifinals, led by Mary-Ambre Moluh. Moluh set the European record in the 100 back earlier in the meet, going 57.99 on the front of the mixed 400 medley relay. In the semifinals, she turned in a swim of 58.21, which was comfortably ahead of the 58.93 from countrywoman Pauline Mahieu. Checking in third was Russia’s Alina Gaifutdinova, who went 59.15.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
The Italian tandem of Simone Cerasuolo and Nicolo Martinenghi occupied the top-two slots in the 50 breaststroke, but it was Cerasuolo who solidified herself as the man to beat in the final. After going 26.20 in the prelims, Cerasuolo was right on that time at night, going 26.23. That performance handed him a sizable edge over Martinenghi, who went 26.62. Martinenghi won the 100 breaststroke earlier in the meet.
Dutchman Koen de Groot was third in 26.71, followed by Belarus’ Ilya Shymanovich in 26.77.
Women’s 50 Freestyle
Reigning Olympic champion Sarah Sjostrom is positioned to win her third European title in the 50 freestyle after zipping to a 23.83 clocking in the semifinals. Sjostrom was the lone athlete to break the 24-second barrier, although the Netherlands’ Milou van Wijk (24.07) and Poland’s Kasia Wasick (24.08) put together strong showings. Advancing in fourth and fifth, respectively, were Italian Sara Curtis (24.13) and the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen (24.29).
Men’s 200 Butterfly
France’s Leon Marchand delighted the home crowd by nailing down the top seed for the final of the 200 butterfly. The Olympic champion in the event, Marchand was the only swimmer to break 1:54 in the semifinals, behind a time of 1:53.95. The Hungarian duo of Richard Marton (1:54.47) and Hubert Kos (1:55.13) were second and fourth, sandwiching Italian Alberto Razzetti (1:54.67).
Women’s 200 Individual Medley
After struggling at last month’s Commonwealth Games, Abbie Wood looked solid in the semifinals of the 200 individual medley, the British star leading the way into the final in 2:09.99. The No. 2 seed was earned by Spain’s Alba Vazquez Ruiz, who went 2:10.87, and was followed by Great Britain’s Amalie Smith in 2:11.12.
