Kliment Kolesnikov returned to the Duna Arena the morning after a record-breaking night before to post a time of 47.53 in the 100 free at the European Championships.
The Russian lowered his own 50 back world record before anchoring the men’s 4×100 free relay to victory on Monday evening and the prospect of more records to come seems a distinct possibility.
Kristof Milak safely negotiated the 200 fly heats and Gregorio Paltrinieri made it into the 1500fr final although he had to come back strongly in the second half of his race to qualify in seventh with Mykhaylo Romanchuk in pole.
There was a surprise as Benedetta Pilato missed out in the 100m breaststroke with Italian women occupying three of the top-four slots but with the two-per-nation rule, the 16-year-old misses out as Arianna Castiglioni and Martina Carraro progress.
Men’s 100 Free
David Popovici lowered the Romanian record to 48.30 in the seventh heat with the first sub-48s coming in the following race as Andrei Minakov set the tone in 47.88.
Although there were no 47s in the following heat – which was won by fellow Russian Vladislav Grinev in 48.36 – the final race of the 10 hinted at the prospect of more record-breaking swims this week from Kolesnikov.
The six-time European medallist was out in 22.83 and back in 24.70 to stop the clock 0.22secs outside his own Russian record of 47.31 that he set last month.
It seems that is well within his reach in Tuesday’s semis and begs the question of whether Alain Bernard‘s European record of 47.12 which has stood since the super-suited era of 2009 will finally be breached.
Defending champion Alessandro Miressi was second through in 47.81, 0.07 outside his national record of 47.74 set on the lead-off of the 4×100 free on Monday night in which Italy claimed bronze.
Glasgow 2018 silver medallist Duncan Scott, who overhauled the Italians on the final leg of the relay as Britain won silver behind Russia, didn’t take up his slot in the 100, withdrawing due to his heavy schedule.
Qualifiers:
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
The depth of Italian strength in the two-length event is evidenced by the presence of three women in the top four finishers.
Castiglioni – bronze medallist in 2018 – was the only swimmer to go sub-1:06 to spearhead the field in 1:05.98 and in the process became the second Italian to break the 1:06 barrier.
World bronze medallist Carraro – who set a national record of 1:05.86 at the Italian Championships in Riccione last month – was next through in 1:06.26 with Sophie Hansson of Sweden and Pilato both stopping the clock at 1:06.34.
The two-per-nation rule means that Pilato didn’t qualify although she will contest the event in Tokyo.
Defending champion Yulia Efimova went through in joint 10th with Irish record holder Mona McSharry in 1:06.96, the Russian’s presence always contentious given her doping history.
Qualifiers:
Photo Courtesy: len.eu
Men’s 200 Fly
All eyes were on lane four of the final heat where Milak took his place.
The 21-year-old – strokes strong and deep – executed a controlled four lengths of the pool to stop the clock at 1:54.38.
Milak is one of those swimmers who has the observer wondering what he’ll produce whenever he stands on the blocks.
His season’s best is 1:51.40 from morning finals at the Hungarian Nationals in March, the second-fastest time in history and eclipsed only by his shuddering 1:50.73 world record at the 2019 World Championships.
Antani Ivanov destroyed his Bulgarian record posting 1:54.72 to qualify in second, taking 0.83 off his previous mark of 1:55.55 set at the 2017 worlds at the very same pool.
Krzysztof Chmielewski was third through in 1:55.46
Tamas Kenderesi and Federico Burdisso – silver and bronze medallists in Glasgow – also qualified safely, the Italian just 16 when he made the podium in 2018.
Qualifiers:
Photo Courtesy: len.eu
Women’s 50 Backstroke
Kathleen Dawson has been on superb form this season, rising to third European all-time over 100 in 58.24 at the British trials in April.
She was just 0.08 outside Georgia Davies’ British record from Glasgow 2018 in 27.29 and 0.19 outside Kira Toussaint‘s European mark of 27.10 set last month in Eindhoven.
Toussaint (27.60) and Maaike de Waard (27.84) made it a Netherlands two-three.
Qualifiers:
Photo Courtesy: len.eu
Mixed 4x200m Free
Abbie Wood and Lucy Hope returned from their 4×100 free title-winning exploits to make up 50% of the British quartet that headed the heats into Tuesday’s final in 7:34.64.
Also through were Italy (7:35.36) and Denmark (7:37.95) although there will be new champions given Germany didn’t enter a quartet.
It’s an event that is only contested at the European Championships.
Qualifiers:
- Great Britain
- Italy
- Denmark
- Israel
- Hungary
- Russia
- Turkey
- Ireland
Men’s 1500 Free
The absence of world champion Florian Wellbrock means there will be a new champion in this event with Glasgow silver medallist Romanchuk of Ukraine leading home three men inside 15mins in 14:52.07.
Damien Joly of France (14:56.09) and Domenico Acerenza (14:59.47) were next home.
Paltrinieri, the Olympic champion and European record holder, had a strong second half to his race but he may have been feeling the effects of his open water programme in which he won three gold medals.
The Italian finished seventh in 15:08.84 after having to make up some ground in the final heat.
Qualifiers:
Photo Courtesy: len.eu
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