{"id":588645,"date":"2024-06-19T02:14:31","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T09:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=588645"},"modified":"2024-06-19T03:13:41","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T10:13:41","slug":"european-championships-day-3-prelims-noe-ponti-leads-100-fly-in-51-09-ahead-of-milak-kos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/european-championships-day-3-prelims-noe-ponti-leads-100-fly-in-51-09-ahead-of-milak-kos\/","title":{"rendered":"European Championships, Day 3 Prelims: No\u00e8 Ponti\u00a0Leads 100 Fly In 51.09 Ahead of Milak & Kos"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Championships, Day 3 Prelims: No\u00e8 Ponti\u00a0Leads 100 Fly In 51.09 Ahead of Milak & Kos<\/h4>\n

No\u00e8 Ponti\u00a0<\/b>went 51.09 to head the 100 fly prelims with the promise of a real world-class tussle to come over two lengths at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade.<\/p>\n

The race featured all three medallists from Roma 2022 in the form of Ponti, Kristof Milak<\/strong> and Jakub Majerski<\/strong> of Poland.<\/p>\n

Ponti has found himself rubbing shoulders with the greats this year after rattling the all-time rankings in the first few months of 2024.<\/p>\n

The Olympic bronze medallist went 50.16 over 100 fly<\/a> at the Swiss National Championships<\/strong> in April to go sixth all-time and fourth among Europeans behind Milak’s continental record of 49.68, Milorad Cavic<\/strong> (49.95) and Maxime Grousset<\/strong> (50.14).<\/p>\n

\"Noe

No\u00e8 Ponti: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli \/ Deepbluemedia \/ Insidefoto<\/p><\/div>\n

It followed his 22.65 effort in the 50 fly which also propelled him to sixth in the rankings.<\/p>\n

Come Wednesday morning in the Serbian capital and Ponti looked on in the searing heat as the temperature gauge rose to 31 with 37 forecast for later in the day.<\/p>\n

Hubert Kos<\/strong> headed the first seeded heat in 51.50 followed by Hungarian teammate and Olympic silver medallist Milak (51.23) before he took to the water in the sixth and final prelim.<\/p>\n

Splitting 24.30\/26.79, Ponti led six men on 51 into the Wednesday evening semis with Majerski (51.70), Simon Bucher<\/strong> (51.72) and Gal Cohen Groumi<\/strong> (51.94) joining the top trio.<\/p>\n

Ponti told Swimming World:<\/p>\n

“It wasn’t easy, I’d say. I think I swam pretty well but it wasn’t like very easy, I had to push.<\/p>\n

“Also the weather is really, really hot.<\/p>\n

“But it’s fine: I went 51.0 so I don’t know how much faster I can swim. Tonight it will be important to make the final and then tomorrow we’ll see.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Women’s 400IM<\/h3>\n

Fifteen-year-old Vivien Jackl<\/strong> set a European junior record of 4:34.96 at the Hungarian nationals in April and on Wednesday booked lane four for this evening’s final in 4:39.30, the only woman inside 4:40.<\/p>\n

Hungarian women filled the top three places in prelims with Zsuzsanna Jakabos<\/strong> (4:41.31) and defending champion Viktoria Farkas (4:43.34) following Jackl in the standings.<\/p>\n

Here the two-per-nation rule – which means that only the two fastest swimmers from each country can progress from prelims – came into play with Jackl and 2022 silver medallist Jakabos booking the centre lanes, the latter also seeking a trip to her sixth Olympics.<\/p>\n

Anastasia Gorbenko<\/strong> was next through in\u00a0 4:43.84.<\/p>\n

Women’s 200m Freestyle<\/h3>\n

Janja Segel<\/strong> led the way into the women’s 200 free semis, the Slovenian athlete the only woman to break 1:58 in 1:57.81 followed by Panna Ugrai\u00a0<\/strong>of Hungary (1:58.07) and Barbora Seemanova<\/strong>, who returned after victory over 100m to post 1:58.58.<\/p>\n

There were three Hungarians among the top six women but the two-per-nation rule saw Minna Abraham<\/strong> take the second spot in 1:58.83 and Nikolett Padar<\/strong>, world and European\u00a0 junior champion, miss out in 1:58.96.<\/p>\n

Men’s 200m Breaststroke<\/h3>\n

An entirely new podium will be crowned in the absence of 2022 medallists James Wilby, Matti Mattsson<\/strong> and Luca Pizzini.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anton McKee<\/strong> of Iceland – silver medallist at the 2023 European Short-Course Championships<\/strong> in Otopeni – led the prelims in 2:11.96 ahead of Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches<\/strong> (2:12.32) who led six men on 2:12s.<\/p>\n

Women’s 50m Backstroke<\/h3>\n
\"Danielle

Danielle Hill: Photo Courtesy: Swim Ireland<\/p><\/div>\n

Danielle Hill<\/strong>, who is off to her second Olympics in Paris next month, was the only woman inside 28 as she clocked 27.98.<\/p>\n

Hill’s Swim Ireland teammate Lottie Cullen<\/strong> claimed the 16th and last place into the semis in 29.30.<\/p>\n

Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay<\/h3>\n

Hungary<\/strong> led the way into the final in 3:42.04 ahead of Denmark<\/strong> (3:43.08) and Austria<\/strong> (3:43.33) with hosts Serbia claiming the eighth and final slot in 3:46.24.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n