European Championships, Day 7 Finals: Russian Ilya Borodin Breaks WJR in 400 IM; Simona Quadarella Triples
Consider a youth movement afoot in the men’s 400-meter individual medley, as Russian Ilya Borodin claimed victory in the event during the final day of the European Championships in Budapest on Sunday. Just 18 years old, Borodin set a world junior record of 4:10.02 at the Duna Arena, bettering his previous mark of 4:11.17, set last month.
Sitting third after the opening butterfly leg, Borodin moved to the front of the field on the backstroke leg and maintained that position through the finish. Borodin was followed to the wall by Italy’s Alberto Razzetti (4:11.17) and Great Britain’s Max Litchfield (4:11.56). Fourth went to Hungary’s David Verraszto in 4:12.15.
In missing out on a medal, Verraszto not only had his streak of three consecutive European titles snapped, but also saw his run of five straight podium finishes come to an end. The 32-year-old Verraszto first appeared on the podium in the 400 medley in 2010.
Given his rapid rise, Borodin could be a medal factor at this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, with American teenager Carson Foster also a threat, provided he successfully negotiates the United States Olympic Trials next month. Together, Borodin and Foster could challenge the old guard in the event, which is helmed by Japan’s Daiya Seto.
Borodin was out in 57.44 for the butterfly and split 2:01.31 at the midway work. The Russian produced a breaststroke split of 1:10.41 to hit the 300-meter mark in 3:11.72, and came home with a freestyle leg of 58.30.
Simona Quadarella Secures Freestyle Trifecta – Again
Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala/ Deepbluemedia /Insidefoto
Already the champion in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle, Italy’s Simona Quadarella added the 400 free to her collection, winning the event in 4:04.66. The win handed Quadarella a sweep of the distance-freestyle events for the second straight edition of the World Championships, as the Italian pulled off the feat in 2018 in Glasgow, too.
Quadarella sat in fourth place through the first 100, but was in the lead by the 200-meter mark and never relinquished her lead en route to turning back Russian silver medalist Anna Egorova (4:06.05) and Hungarian bronze medalist Boglarka Kapas (4:06.90).
Repeat Recorded by Italian Margherita Panziera
Going wire-to-wire, Italy’s Margherita Panziera had no trouble defending her European championship in the 200 backstroke, as she touched the wall in 2:06.08 for a championship record. In front of the field through the first three laps, Panziera let her competitors lurk, until she pulled away down the last length. The silver medal went to Great Britain’s Cassie Wild (2:07.74), with the bronze claimed by Hungary’s Katalin Burian (2:07.87).
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Panziera has now won the last three continental titles in the 200 backstroke, her back-to-back long-course crowns sandwiching a short-course championship in 2019. Earlier this week, she was the silver medalist in the controversial 100 backstroke, which was re-run due to a technical issue with the starting system.
For Panziera to be a factor at the Olympic Games, the Italian has work ahead. While she was 2:06-low in Budapest, Australian Kaylee McKeown was 2:04 at last weekend’s Sydney Open while Regan Smith, the world-record holder, was 2:06 in a tuneup meet for the U.S. Trials, along with countrywoman Phoebe Bacon.
