European Championships: David Popovici, Kristof Milak & Lana Pudar Set To Take to The Water With Titles & Tickets To Paris On The Line
David Popovici returns to the European Aquatics Championships, two years after lighting up the Foro Italico, with continental titles and Olympic qualification on the line in Belgrade.
Popovici will be joined by the likes of Kristof Milak – who spearheads a strong Hungary contingent including Hubert Kos and Boglarka Kapas – Noe Ponti, Lana Pudar, Helena Rosendahl Bach and Anastasia Gorbenko, fresh from rewriting the Israeli record books on the Mare Nostrum tour.
The pool programme runs from 17-23 June at the Sports and Recreational Center Milan Gale Muškatirović and while many of the top European swimmers are missing the event in the Serbian capital, a host of Olympic and world champions will take to the water.
The European Championships run every two years meaning a meet in Olympic year which usually takes place around April but that was rendered nigh-on impossible by a February staging of the World Championships in Doha.
The French trials are also running this week while many swimmers will compete at the Sette Colli from 21-23 June, which represents a final chance to book a slot on the Italy team for Paris.
The Europeans are also a last opportunity for some to make the cut for Paris 2024 with the qualification period ending on 23 June, the final day of competition in Belgrade.
David Popovici: Photo Courtesy: European Aquatics
Not that Popovici has to worry about that.
Belgrade 2024 comes less than two years after he brought the Foro Italico – and the entire swimming world – to its feet.
The Romanian scorched to a 100m freestyle world record of 46.86, slicing 0.05 from Cesar Cielo’s standard that had stood since the super-suit era of 2009.
With that, the 17-year-old became the youngest European man – and the second-youngest overall – to break the world record over two lengths.
Popovici followed that with a stunning 200 free victory in 1:42.97 to become the third-fastest man in history behind Paul Biedermann (1:42.00) and Michael Phelps (1:42.96) and the swiftest in a textile suit.
While he may not have subsequently soared to those heights, Popovici went 1:44.74 to break the Mare Nostrum record last month and posted 47.86 at the Romanian Championships in April.
He is entered into the 50, 100 and 200 free plus the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay.
Vladislav Bukhov is the fastest entry into the dash with a time of 21.38, a Ukrainian record set in the semifinals of the World Championships before he went on to secure the title in Doha.
Second behind Popovici when he broke the 100m freestyle world on that momentous day in August 2022 was Milak.
The Hungarian went 47.47 for a national record and, like Popovici, he is entered into the 50, 100 and 200 free in the Serbian capital.
Hungarian teammate Nandor Nemeth – who won World bronze in Doha – also awaits in the two-length race.
Danys Rapsys, who won silver in Doha, has the second-fastest entry time behind Popovici in the 200 free of 1:44.96, the pair the only men inside 1:45.
Milak will also contest the 50, 100 and 200m butterfly, in which he is the Olympic champion and world record-holder.
Kristof Milak: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
A hotly-anticipated meeting with Ponti awaits over 100m with Milak and the Swiss Olympic silver and bronze medallists respectively.
Ponti has been on shuddering form so far this year, firing off 50.16 at the national championships in April to go second in the 2024 rankings and sixth all-time.
Milak though has given a hint of what to expect with a time of 50.75 for a Mare Nostrum record last month as well as 1:53.94 over 200m.
Joining Milak and Ponti in the shorter race will be the Hungarian’s teammate Hubert Kos with Polish twins Kryzysztof and Michal Chmielewski awaiting in the 200.
Other highlights of the men’s programme include double Olympic medallist Mykhailo Romanchuk in the 800 and 1500 free, Apostolos Christou, the Greek backstroker who won World 100 bronze in Doha and the 200IM tussle between Hungarians Kos and Gabor Zombori and Olympic bronze medallist Jeremy Desplanches.
Tussles Await In Women’s Programme
Pudar made history when became the first swimmer from Bosnia and Herzegovina to clinch a European long-course title when she won the 200m butterfly at Roma 2022, while also taking 100m bronze.
Since then, the 18-year-old has won world 200 fly bronze in Doha and has set her sights on becoming the first athlete from her country to claim an Olympic medal in any sport with Paris just weeks away.
Before then, she’ll contest the 100 and 200 fly with the leading entry time in both events.
The teenager renews acquaintance with Helena Rosendahl Bach in the longer race, four months after the pair shared the podium in Doha.
Lana Pudar: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia
The Dane won silver on that day in February, one place ahead of Pudar, and a tussle is on the cards in Belgrade.
Also in the field is Hungarian Kapas, winner of the 2019 World title.
Gorbenko has written and rewritten the Israeli record books of late.
The 20-year-old emerged from the Mare Nostrum tour with new standards in the 200m backstroke (2:08.54), 100m breaststroke (1:06.69), 200m individual medley (2:08.55) and 400IM (4:34.79).
Gorbenko is seeking a third straight crown in the short medley following victories in Budapest in 2021 and Rome a year later.
She became the first Israeli swimmer to win a medal at the World Championships with silver in the 400IM in Doha.
The long medley promises a tussle with Gorbenko and 15-year-old Vivien Jackl spearheading the entries.
Jackl won the European Junior title in Belgrade last year and announced herself on the senior stage with a winning time of 4:34.96 at the Hungarian Championships in April, a European Junior record.
Eneli Jefimova is another highly-successful junior who has already made her mark on the senior stage.
Eneli Jefimova: Picture Courtesy: European Aquatics
The 17-year-old had already claimed seven World and European junior breaststroke titles, including two in Belgrade last year, when she became the first Estonian to win a European gold in the pool with an emotional 100m breaststroke victory as she upgraded her silver from Kazan 2021.
Jefimova will contest the 100m and 200m breaststroke in Belgrade with Thea Blomsterberg of Denmark the top seed in the latter and defending champion Lisa Mamie also set to compete.
As well as Kapas, a strong Hungarian contingent includes Ajna Kesely, winner of six European medals stretching back to London 2016, Dalma Sebestyen, Dora Molnar and Nikolett Padar.