Russians start to rock
Team Russia began dominating as happened a couple of times in the previous editions of the European Junior Swimming Championships. After a modest opening day they amassed three titles and got three more medals. In the mixed free relay the Hungarians set a new European Junior Record.
A fourth gold was just 0.09sec away for Russia as Poland’s Kacper Stokowski just out-touched Kliment Kolesnikov in the first final of the session, over the 100m back. But wins started flooding soon for Russia, Evgenii Somov clinched the 200m breast title, Iaroslav Potapopov came first in the 1500m free, and Polina Egorova stormed through the pool in the 200m back while cracking the Championship Record and finishing 1-2 with team-mate Anastasia Avdeeva.
In the other women’s finals of the day Marritt Steenbergen clinched a clear win in the 100m free, collecting the first title for the Netherlands and the same happened with Denmark as Katrine Bukh Villesen won the 200m fly.
Hungary’s Ajna Kesely added the 400m title to her 800m triumph from Day 1 and she was back for more at the end as the Hungarians stunned the mixed free relay field with a European Record swimming on lane 1.
Champions, Day 2
Men
1500m free: Iaroslav Potapopov (RUS) 15:07.86
100m back: Kacper Stokowski (POL) 54.60
200m breast: Evgenii Somov (RUS) 2:10.79
Women
100m free: Marritt Steenbergen (NED) 54.13
400m free: Ajna Kesely (HUN) 4:08.25
200m back: Polina Egorova (RUS) 2:08.97 CR
200m fly: Katrine Bukh Villesen (DEN) 2:09.41
Mixed
4x100m medley: Hungary 3:28.50 EJR-CR
(Kristof Milak, Nandor Nemeth, Fanni Gyurinovics, Ajna Kesely)
Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Andrea Masini
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