The Defending Champs Headed for European Short Course Championships
The 2025 European Short Course Swimming Championships (December 2-7) will take place next week in Lublin, Poland and numerous champions from the 2023 competition in Otopeni, Romania have decided to defend their titles and enrich their medal collections.
Among the champions racing in Lublin is Olympic champion of 800 freestyle, Daniel Wiffen of Ireland. Two years ago, Wiffen was the titlist in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle. He’ll be joined as a defending champ by several Italians: Lorenzo Mora (200 backstroke), Nicolo Martinenghi (50 breaststroke), Alberto Razzeti (400 medley) and Simona Quadarella (400 freestyle). While 100 backstroke Olympic champ Thomas Ceccon has never an individual gold medal at the European Short Course Champs, that scenario could change in the coming days. In order to make that happen, he will have to defeat Mewen Tomac, the Frenchman won both 50 and 100 backstroke in 2023.
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Switzerland’s Noe Ponti was dominant at the 2023 edition of the meet, as he swept the butterfly events. Ponti will look to maintain that continental dominance while racing with several other defending champions. Here is a look at additional title defenders:
Maxime Grousset (100 Freestyle)
Caspar Corbeau (200 Breaststroke)
Arno Kamminga (100 Breaststroke)
Matt Richards (200 Freestyle)
Duncan Scott (200 IM)
Beryl Gastaldello (100 Freestyle)
Freya Anderson (200 Freestyle)
Angelina Kohler (200 Butterfly)
Tessa Giele (50 Butterfly – Tie)
Anna Ntountounaki (50 Butterfly – Tie)
Eneli Jefimova (100 Breaststroke)
Louise Hansson (100 Butterfly)