Pilato Adds European Junior 50 Breaststroke Gold To Senior Title; Popovici Goes 48.08 In 100 Free Semis

by Liz Byrnes - Europe Correspondent

07 July 2021, 11:13am

Benedetta Pilato added the continental junior 50 breaststroke title to her senior gold and David Popovici continued the form that promises much come Tokyo on day two of the European Junior Championships in Rome.

• Link to results

Merve Tuncel lowered the European junior 800 free record set by Ajna Kesely at the 2018 European Championships to lead home a Turkish one-two in 8:21.91, a time good enough for bronze at the continental showcase in Budapest in May.

The 15-year-old will be the youngest member of Turkey’s swim team in Tokyo where she will compete in the 800 and 1500.

Pilato may be only 16 but already has world silver and European gold in her armoury as well as the two fastest times over one length in history.

The Italian set the world record of 29.30 at the European Championships in May and holds three of the five swiftest efforts in history.

On Tuesday she set a championship record of 29.75 in the heats which she followed with 29.98 in the semis for her eighth journey inside 30.

On Wednesday, Pilato – who travels to Tokyo to compete in the 100 breaststroke – won in 30.13 ahead of Russia’s Elena Bogomolova (30.68) and Eneli Jefimova (30.91).

Jefimova was eighth over 100m in Budapest, the 14-year-old clocking 1:06.47 for an Estonian record.

Pilato said:

“I’m happy for myself and for the team. On Thursday I will only swim the heats of the mixed 4×100 relay as a test for before the Olympics.

“The junior national team has many young competitive and emerging athletes and is a very united group.”

Popovici In The Spotlight Once More

David Popovici: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Popovici’s exploits have caused ripples throughout the swimming world and he continued that as he  headed the 100 free semis in 48.08.

The 16-year-old set a world junior record of 47.56 leading off the Romanian 4×100 free squad to take 0.01 from Andrei Minakov’s 2020 mark, elevating himself to fourth in the rankings.

He returned on Wednesday morning to head the individual heats in 49.50 and come the semis, Popovici split 23.32/24.76 to stop the clock at 48.08.

That matched the time in which he was sixth at the European Championships in Budapest which was then a national record.

Portugal’s Diogo Matos Ribeiro (49.34) and Britain’s Ed Mildred (49.36) were next through to Thursday’s final.

Tuncel Sets Records Tumbling

Merve Tuncel, centre; 800 free podium: Photo Courtesy: Photo Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto Swimming, Nuoto, FIN, LEN,

Tuncel was almost half a second outside Kesely’s junior mark of 8:22.01 at the final turn only for a final 50 of 30.82 to propel her home.

The 16-year-old drew away from team-mate Beril Boecekler at the 300m mark and built her lead throughout, the clock her only opponent.

Her time obliterated her championship record of 8:28.03 and was a Turkish senior record, Tuncel taking more than four seconds from her own mark of 8:26.06 from the 2020 winter championships.

It would have been good enough for bronze in Budapest.

Boecekler was second in 8:33.52 with Giulia Vetrano claiming bronze for Italy in 8:35.84, just 0.01 ahead of Spain’s Paula Otero Fernandez (8:35.85).

Tuncel said:

“It’s a confirmation of my medal from the 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival. I’m very happy for the win and the record. This is the first time I swim here. The trainings for Tokyo are going very well.”

Ksawery Masiuk of Poland led from start to finish to win the 100 back title, out in 26.13 to turn with a lead of 0.32 over Oleksandr Zheltyakov.

The Ukrainian made some inroads into the deficit but not enough to catch Masiuk who won in 53.91, just 0.09 outside the Polish record of 53.82 held jointly by Radoslaw Kawecki and Kacper Stokowski.

Zheltyakov claimed silver in 53.98 to take 0.59 from the Ukrainian record of 54.57 he set on Tuesday.

In third was Aleksei Tkachev of Russia in 54.34.

Daria Klepikova, 100 free podium: Photo Courtesy:  Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto Swimming, Nuoto, FIN, LEN,

Daria Klepikova led home a Russia one-two in the girls’ 100 free, moving away after 25m to turn with a lead of 0.34.

The 16-year-old was never under threat and stopped the clock at 54.57 with team-mate Daria Tatarinova next home in 55.12.

Britain’s Evelyn Davis blasted a second-50 28.49 to propel herself from fifth to the bronze-medal position in 55.25.

Josef Miladinov, who won 100 fly silver in Budapest, took the 50 fly title in 23.59 although there was little celebration by the Bulgarian who swiftly left the pool.

The time was outside his national record of 23.48 from the 2019 junior worlds.

Behind him came Tobias Schulrath (23.72) and Daniel Gracik who won bronze from lane eight in 23.79.

Klepikova picked up her second gold of the evening as she anchored the Russian squad to a dominant victory in the mixed 4×100 free in 3:29.71.

Italy (3:31.70) and Hungary (3:31.85) were second and third respectively.

In semi-final action, Anastasiia Markova heads the 200 fly in 2:09.85, Aleksandra Kurilkina led the 100 back in 1:01.18

Simone Cerasuolo led the way in the boys’ 100 breaststroke in 1:00.89 with Berke Saka going 2:01.11 in the 200IM.

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