London 2016 LEN European Championships – Day 12

Italy: High five

Italy enjoyed a 5-medal haul on Day 5, with a couple of outstanding freestyle swims in the mix, courtesy of Gregorio Paltrinieri (1500m) and Luca Dotto (100m). Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom returned to the throne in the 100m fly, while Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen retained her title in the 200m breast.

One might wonder what’s going to happen to Gregorio Paltrinieri when he will be in a really top shape. The Italian cracked the European record and went really close to the global mark over the 1500m free, then, two days later, he smashed the Championship record in the 800m and was just 1.5sec shy of his ER from Kazan. For sure, in Rio he is going to be the man to watch, even with Olympic title-holder Sun Yang (CHN) in the field.

Italy enjoyed a glorious evening. After Gabriele Detti came second behind Paltrinieri (the 800m featured the same three medallist as the 1500m as Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Romanchuk was third again) Luca Dotto won the blue-riband event of the meet, thanks to a tremendous first lap. Dutchman Sebastiaan Verschuren chased like a fiend in the second 50m but he missed the train by 0.07 sec and had to settle for the silver. The French sprint gloire was saved by Clement Mignon who was also close but came third, a further 0.04sec adrift.

In the women’s individual events, Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen retained her title in the 200m breast with the only sub-2:22 effort in the field. Iceland’s Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir won her second medal here in London – after a silver in the 100m she earned the bronze – while Spain’s Jessica Vall Montero surprised even herself by finishing second.

The other women’s title also travelled north as Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom won her trademark event, the 100m fly, with a huge 0.94sec gap while bettering the Championship record and nearing her WR by 0.25sec, an amazing swim at the current stage of the season. In fact she hit back now for the loss in Berlin where Jeanette Ottesen out-touched her by 0.01sec for the title – this time the Dane didn’t have a chance to stay with her arch-rival.

Ilaria Bianchi got the bronze, and the Italians clinched their 5th medal of the day in the session-closing mixed free relay, a silver – here the Netherlands got the title with a really convincing performance. Ranomi Kromowidjojo’s 52.27sec anchor leg was a brilliant individual effort, adding a second relay gold to the Dutch tally.

For detailed results please visit LEN’s renewed website: www.len.eu

Direct link: http://len.eu/?p=4378

Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia

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