Kazan 2019 European Junior Swimming Championships Day 3: 5 golds for Russia

Russia starts rolling with five titles in two hours

The host nation, dominant force in recent years at the European Junior Swimming Championships, jumped to the top of the medal table with three individual titles and two relay golds in Kazan. Great Britain, Greece and Ukraine also opened their respective golden accounts while Italy’s Giulia Salin completed the 800-1500m double.

RICHARDS Matthew GBR 100 freestyle men LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day2 04/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

SALIN Giulia ITA 400 freestyle women LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day2 04/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

PAPASTAMOS Apostolos GRE 200 Individual Medley men LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day2 04/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

50 breaststroke men medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

200 Individual Medley men medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

200 butterfly men medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

200 breaststroke women medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

100 freestyle men medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

50 backstroke women medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

1500 freestyle women medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

4×200 freestyle relay men medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

russia 4×200 freestyle relay men medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

4×100 medley relay women medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

4×100 medley relay women medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

Russia 4×100 medley relay women medal ceremony LEN European Swimming Junior Championships 2019 Aquatic Palace Kazan Day 3 05/07/2019 Photo G.Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

Champions, Day 3

Men. 100m free: Matthew Richards (GBR) 48.88. 200m fly: Igor Troyanovskyy (UKR) 1:57.86. 50m breast: Vladislav Gerasimenko (RUS) 27.77. 200m IM: Apostolos Papastamos (GRE) 1:59.93. 4x200m free: Russia 7:16.49

Women. 1500m free: Giulia Salin (ITA) 16:13.59. 50m back: Daria Vaskina (RUS) 27.82 CR. 200m breast: Evgeniia Chiunova (RUS) 2:23.06. 4x100m medley: 4:01.83 CR

Russia ruled the juniors so far this year in artistic swimming and diving and their swimmers also started rolling – just as they did in the previous years. Evgeniia Chiunova became their first female individual winner as she won the 200m breast by a mile (exactly 3sec) though she was not really happy as she was almost 2sec slower than in the semis… Soon came a second title among the women, Daria Vaskina reached for the wall first in the 50m back while setting a new Championship Record. And the other dash event of the day also went for the hosts thanks to Vladislav Gerasimenko’s golden touch at the wall in the breaststroke (0.12sec ahead of GB’s Archie Goodburn).

Three nations could celebrate their respective first titles in Kazan. Mathew Richards claimed gold for Great Britain, where else than in the blue-ribband event, his time (48.88) was promising and secured him a fine a win in the 100m free.

Ukraine’s Igor Troyanovskyy halted Hungary’s three-year golden run in the 200m fly, he staged a great finish to leave the Magyars’ heritage-keeper Dominik Torok behind.

Greece also enjoyed a great day as Aposotolos Papastamos earned a brilliant win in the 200m IM, just 0.05sec ahead of Israel’s Ron Polonski. The Greeks clinched a bronze in the 100m free, while Israel had a 2-3 in the medley and a silver in the women’s 50m back.

Italy’s Giulia Salin completed the 800m-1500m free double, she came up with a convincing performance over the longest distance and note that she also got a silver in the 400m free on the previous day.

The session concluded with two more titles for the host nation as they hunted down both relay titles – the women’s medley quartet even set a new Championship Record.

Quotes from the winners

Igor Troyanovskyy (UKR), 200m fly

“The final differed from the semis for only pushing even harder. I think it was a great race, my tactics worked, I really geared up for the last 50m, my arms were aching but managed to keep my speed.”

Evgeniia Chiunova (RUS), 200m breast

“I don’t have too many words to say. I think I did much better in the semi-finals. Now I was much slower. Still won.”

Matthew Richards (GBR), 100m free

“I’m quite happy, it all went well. I just wanted to keep up with the others till the turn as I knew my turn and my second 50m are good enough to be in a good position. It ended up gold, this a second best time for me so I’m really happy.”

Apostolos Papastamos (GRE), 200m IM

“To be honest, my big event is the 400m IM on the last day, that’s what I’m preparing for so it’s a kind of surprise for me. Until 150m I didn’t see the others then turning on the last leg I saw I’m ahead and I told myself, this is you have to win now. I’m happy that I could do just that.”

Daria Vaskina (RUS), 50m back

“It was a good race though it’s not a personal best for me. But I’m still satisfied to win here in Kazan.”

Vladislav Gerasimenko (RUS), 50m breast

“I think it was a good race and a good swim. For me it’s not a problem to swim this event twice within one session and usually my second swim is always better, just as today. I’m really happy, though my speed and technique was so-so but the win matters.”

Giulia Salin (ITA), 1500m free

“It was a good race, I knew the others are strong but I tried to focus on my swim. I’m happy with my time, and quite satisfied with the two gold and one silver medals. In fact, that’s much better then I expected before.”

Medal table after Day 3

For detailed results, please visit http://ejc2019.microplustiming.com/indexEJC2019_web.php

Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia / Giorgio Scala