European Junior Championships: Germany Sets Meet Record in 400 Freestyle Relay

BELGRADE, Serbia, July 30. GERMANY started off the European Junior Championships in strong fashion with a meet record time in the boys 400 freestyle relay.

Lucien Hassdenteufel, Jan David Schepers, Joel Ax and Dimitri Colupaev clocked a time of 3:19.26 in the event to break France's 2003 record of 3:21.10. Italy (3:20.00) and Russia (3:20.84) also surpassed the former standard.

"It was a fantastic race, and I feel good right now," Colupaev told Swimming World. "I hope we can do that again in the 400 medley relay."

Several other finals took place during the first day of swimming. Great Britain's Anne Bochmann won the girls 15-16 400 IM race in 4:46.58, while Russia's Alexandra Musienko (4:48.30) and Slovenia's Nika Karlina Petric (4:49.04) took second and third, respectively.

Pal Joensen of Faroes became the first swimmer from his country to win a European Junior national title with a time of 3:51.44 in the 17-18 400 free. He knocked off Alex Di Giorgio of Italy, who finished second in 3:51.55. Xavier Mohammed of Great Britain rounded out the top three in 3:54.21.

In boys 17-18 50 fly action, Serbia's Ivan Lendjer just missed his preliminary meet record of 24.12 set earlier in the day when he won in 24.17. Great Britain's James Doolan touched second in 24.58, while Goksu Bicer of Turkey placed third in 24.63.

Ekaterina Baklokova of Russia, meanwhile, claimed the girls 15-16 50 breast title in 32.34. Paulina Zachoszcz of Poland finished second in 32.83, while Vitalina Simonova of Russia placed just behind in 32.85.

Special thanks to Stefan Lackner for contributing to this report.

Finals Results

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