Lana Pudar Sets 2:06.26 EJR In 200 Fly At European Juniors: Petar Mitsin Goes 7:47.45 For 800 CR

Lana Pudar: Photo Courtesy: Istvan Derencsenyi/LEN

Lana Pudar Sets 2:06.26 EJR In 200 Fly At European Juniors: Petar Mitsin Goes 7:47.45 For 800 CR

Lana Pudar set a European junior 200 fly record of 2:06.26 as she retained her title at the European Juniors in Belgrade.

It was also a national mark for the Bosnian who took 0.55 from the previous standard of 2:06.81 en-route to gold at last year’s European Championships in Rome, weeks after claiming the European junior title in Otopeni.

It was also the third straight medal in the event for Pudar who followed silver in 2021 with gold in Romania.

While Pudar started the penultimate finals session off with a bang, Petar Mitsin set a championship record of 7:47.45 in the boys’ 800 free, taking a 3.75second slice off Yigit Aslan’s 7:51.20 standard from Rome 2021.

It was also a Bulgarian record for Mitsin who’d already lowered the 200 free mark to 1:46.50 en-route to gold.

Vlad Stancu repeated his Otopeni silver with a Romanian record of 7:49.68 with Kuzey Tuncelli adding 800 bronze to his 1500 gold in 7:52.39.

Pudar sliced a 2.15secs chunk from the previous championship record of 2:08.41 set by Anastasia Markova at the 2021 European Juniors in Rome.

Lana Pudar: Photo Courtesy: Istvan Derencsenyi/LEN

Her time propels the 17-year-old into the world top four this year with the rankings headed by Summer McIntosh‘s WJR of 2:04.70.

It was a second title of the week so far for Pudar who won the 100 fly in a championship record of 56.95, also a national standard as she made her first voyage inside 57.

Splits: 28.87/1:00.03/1:32.58/2:06.26

Aline Baievych of Germany was second in 2:10.78 with Glenda Abonyi-Toth securing yet another European Juniors medal for Hungary in 2:11.61, 0.01 ahead of Paola Barelli of Italy who clocked 2:11.62.

2023 Rankings

2:04.70: Summer McIntosh, Canadian Trials, March 2023

2:05.26: Elizabeth Dekkers, Australian Trials, June 2023

2:05.79: Regan Smith, US Trials, June 2023

2:06.26: Lana Pudar, European Juniors, July 2023

2:06.62: Laura Stephens, British Trials, April 2023

Pudar then returned to book a place in the 50 fly final in 26.62 as she seeks her third straight medal in the one-length event.

Martine Damborg was swiftest through in 26.53 with Paulina Cierpialowska third through in 26.94.

Now Pudar has her sights set on the fly treble, saying:

“I’m so happy and excited after the 100m which was a championship record and now this which is my second personal best this week. I’m so proud of myself.

“Last year I won two golds, one silver and swam pretty well, but now I’m in better form and I really want to achieve three gold medals in three butterfly events.”

Mitsin Launches Himself Into Top 10

Mitsin’s best coming into the competition was his national mark of 7:55.59 from May this year.

Petar Mitsin: Photo Courtesy: Istvan Derencsenyi/LEN

He dismantled that in the Serbian capital to launch himself into the world top 10 headed by Olympic champion Bobby Finke and his 7:40.34 from the US trials.

Mitsin took the lead at the halfway stage and was never threatened thereafter.

Splits: 56.69/1:55.98 (59.29)/2:54.76 (58.78)/3:53.28 (58.52)/4:51.98 (58.70)/5:50.91 (58.93)/6:50.31 (59.40)
7:47.45 (57.14)

Stancu led for half of the race until Mitsin’s move and then had to contend with an attack by Tuncelli who reduced the gap between the two to 0.26 with 200 left.

However, the Romanian started to edge further away and was 0.69 ahead at 700 before unleashing the fastest final 100 of the entire field in 56.82 and put clear water between himself and the Turk.

Tuncel Makes It Three In A Row

Merve Tuncel: Photo Courtesy: Istvan Derencsenyi/LEN

Merve Tuncel won the girls’ 800 free for the third straight edition following victories at Rome 2021 and Otopeni 2022.

The Turkish swimmer led throughout to take the title in 8:35.10 ahead of Marian Ploeger – who won bronze behind Tuncel in the 1500 – with the German clocking 8:36.55.

Julia Ackermann made it a German two-three in 8:36.85.

Tuncel claimed a clean sweep of the 400-800-1500 events at the European Juniors in 2021 and 2022 and needs to win the 400 tomorrow if she is to repeat that feat once more.

Plytnykaite Takes 100 Free, Padar Outside Medals; Relay Joy For Italy

Smilte Plytnykaite won the 100 free title as defending champion Nikolett Padar finished outside the medals.

Plytnykaite split 26.35/28.96 as she led throughout to stop the clock in 55.31 despite the fast finish of Sara Curtis who added 100 silver to her 50 gold in 55.35.

Dora Molnar claimed her fifth medal of the meet so far to take bronze in 55.56 to add to her three golds and a silver with Hungarian teammate and 2022 winner Padar fifth in 55.76.

Italy – with 200 free silver medallist Alessandro Ragaini leading off in 1:48.41 – won the boys’ 4×200 free in 7:17.42 ahead of France (7:18.23) and Turkey, anchored by 1500 silver medallist Emir Batur Albayrak in 1:50,61 to 7:21.38.

European Juniors: Day 5 Semi-Finals

Molnar’s exertions at having made another trip to the podium apparently left her short of reserves for the 100 back semis.

The Hungarian won the title last year in Otopeni but she finished ninth,locked out of the final by 0.05 in 1:02.15 and will be first reserve.

Her teammate and 50 champion Lora Komoroczy (1:01.55) and Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu (1:01.59) booked the centre lanes.

Casper Puggaard: Photo Courtesy: Istvan Derencsenyi/LEN

Denmark’s Casper Puggaard – who won double gold on Friday – was the only man inside 24secs as the defending champion went 23.92 in the 50 fly.

Behind him just 0.28secs separated second and eighth with Ethan Dumesnil – last year’s bronze medallist – next home in 24.21.

Christian Bacico led the boys’ 100 back semis in 54.52 ahead of 50 gold medallist Miroslav Knedla of the Czech Republic (54.61) and Oleksandr Zheltyakov (54.92), the Ukrainian returning after winning the 200 in a CR 1:55.79 and rattling the rankings in the process.

Leah Schlossan booked lane four as she seeks to defend her 200IM title, the Briton clocking 2:13.74 ahead of Emma Carrasco Cadens of Spain (2:14.21) with the former’s teammate Phoebe Cooper clocking 2:14.32 for third.

Boldizsar Magda heads the boys’ 100 free semi in 49.53, the Hungarian 0.32 clear of Romania’s Patrick-Sebastian Dinu who himself was 0.01 ahead of 50 winner Lorenzo Ballarati in 49.84 to 49.85.

Olivia Klint Ipsa booked lane four for the girls’ 100 breaststroke in 1:08.18, 0.09 ahead of defending champion Eneli Jefimova who has taken gold and silver in the 50 and 200 respectively so far at this European Juniors.

Justine Delmas, the 200br champion and 2022 100 silver medallist, was safely through in fifth in 1:08.95.

Denmark’s Jonas Gaur – the 50 winner – heads the boys’ 100br, the only man inside 1:02 in 1:01.78, ahead of 200br gold medallist Steijn Louter, the Netherlands 2022 bronze medallist clocking 2:02.22.

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Patty

10 months ago

You’ve missed Regan Smith’s 2:03 which tops the world rankings.