Laurent Carnol, Julie Meynen, and Raphael Stacchiotti were the trio of Luxembourg swimmers to set new meet records at the 16th Games of the Small States of Europe, which began in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Native Icelander Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir also took down a record at the meet, which brought together a collection of top talent from eight sparsely populated European nations.
Carnol won the men’s 200-meter butterfly in a Small States Games record-breaking time of 2:02.93. Carnol narrowly beat Christoph Martin Meier of Liechtenstein, who swam a 2:03.15. Malta’s Michael Umnov took third with a 2:05.77.
Meynen also bested a record in the women’s 100-meter free. She took down Ragnheiὸur Ragnarsdὸttir’s 55.97 with a blistering 55.66. Meynen’s effort was just enough to beat Bryndin Run Hansen’s 56.12. Ingibjoerg Kristin Jonsdottir of Iceland rouned out the top three with a 58.13.
Luthersdottir smashed her own Small States Games record by blazing a 2:13.83 in the women’s 200-meter IM. Her original record stood at 2:17.27. Johanna Gerda Gustafsdottir finished second in 2:18.14. Monique Olivier wound up third with a 2:21.70.
Stacchiotti followed suit and smashed his own record, which stood at a 2:04.36, with a 2:00.28 in the men’s 200-meter IM. Anton Svelnn McKee was a distant second wit a 2:04.53. Christoph Martin Meier ended up third with a 2:05.13.
A tandem of Icelandic women topped the women’s 200-meter backstroke with Eyglo Osk Gustafsdottir (2:12.52) winning ahead of Johanna Gerda Gustafsdottir (2:19.11). Eline van den Bossche of Luxembourg took third with a 2:23.63.
On the men’s side, Jean Francois Schneiders (LUX) edged out Sebastian Konnaris in the men’s 200-meter back. Schneiders trailed Konnaris after the first 100 meters, but stormed back to win in 2:05.41. Konnaris, who hails from Cyprus, touched to a 2:05.88. Kristinn Thorarinsson clocked a 2:08.92 to get third.
Small States Games record-holder Julia Hassler of Liechtenstein was nearly a half second off her 200-meter fly time, but held on for the win in 2:16.38. Monique Olivier (LUX) came in second with a 2:18.18, just ahead of Iceland’s Inga Ellin Cryer (2:19.39).
Julien Henx took the men’s 100-meter free in a convincing 50.39 win ahead of Malta’s Andrew Chetcuti (51.69). Jean-Francois Schneiders trailed in third to a 51.71 finish.
2015 Small States Europe, Day One – Results