Adam Peaty won his fourth straight 100m breaststroke title as he went inside 58secs for the 17th time in 57.66 at the European Championships in Budapest.
Kliment Kolesnikov set his second world record in as many days as he lowered his own 50 back mark to 23.8o en-route to his second title of the meet – of which more here.
Gold was shared in the women’s 100 fly where Frenchwoman Marie Wattel of France and Anna Ntountounaki both touched in 57.37 as the latter became the first Greek woman to win a European title.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo won the women’s 50 free in 23.97 to upgrade from bronze at Glasgow 2018 and Simona Quadarella defended her 800 free title in 8:20.83.
Great Britain won the mixed 4×200 free as Abbie Wood and Freya Anderson claimed their second relay titles of the meet.
Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Perottino / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Peaty had won the last three European titles, picking up his first in Berlin in 2014, weeks after he had announced himself on the international stage with victory at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Briton won the title at the 2018 edition in a then world record 57.10 – although that had been revised from 57.00 because of faulty timing – with Kamminga in seventh that day in 59.69.
Peaty turned in 26.64, 0.21 ahead of Ilya Shymanovich, with Kamminga third and Wilby back in fifth.
The world record-holder started to come away on the second 50 – splitting 31.02 – and another glide into the wall saw him take the title once more.
Behind him came Kamminga who claimed his first international long-course medal in 58.10 with Wilby producing an astonishing second 50 of 30.91 – the fastest in the field – to take bronze in 58.58.
The extent of Peaty’s dominance and roll-call in history cannot be over-stated.
As well as being his 17th voyage through the 58 barrier, it was his 10th-fastest time – 0.01 quicker than his semi-final – but not even his season’s best which stands at 57.39 from the British trials last month.
Neither is it a championship record as that still stands from Glasgow 2018.
He said:
“That was good, it was a very tactical race. That’s right at the edge of what I can do mid-season, with my moustache!
“Coming out here, I just wanted to enjoy it. Once I hit taper and am properly shaved, I’ll have a nice bit of preparation into the Olympics and it’ll be a good time.
“It’s always nice to have something to improve on. Coming into this week, I was already doing hard sessions and then had a bit of rest coming into this.
“It’s just testament to how powerful my stroke is feeling, so come the Olympics, it’s hopefully going to be a good show.
“It’s going to be a tough battle in Tokyo. There’s going to be a lot of guys going low 58s or 57 high, and it’s going to be an interesting time for 100m breaststroke.”
Arno Kamminga: Photo Courtesy: Kees-Jan van Overbeeke
It was the first time on an international long-course podium for Kamminga who has made giant strides since the 2019 worlds where he looked on as Peaty went 56.88 and – as he told Swimming World – wondered “how the hell can you go 56?”
The Netherlands swimmer is the only man apart from Peaty to have gone through the 58 barrier when he swam to 57.90 last month.
He said:
“It was a good race. I tried to race with Adam, it’s great to have a face-to-face duel at last and I’m really happy with my time.
“To get a silver behind him makes me satisfied.”
Wilby – who won silver behind Peaty at the 2019 worlds – added:
“I’m very happy considering how the rest of the year was with the restrictions.
“Our eyes are on the summer so we are all very pleased to have some races under our belt and get experience before the Olympics.”
Quadarella Wins Back-To-Back Titles
Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Quadarella – who won the 400-800-1500m treble in Glasgow – came in with a best of 8:14.99 from the 2019 World Championships where she took silver in an epic battle with Katie Ledecky.
At the 200m mark she led Anna Egorova, out in lane one, by 0.46 and by the halfway mark she extended it to o.89 over Anastasia Kirpichnikova who had moved into second.
The 22-year-old was 1.68 with 200 to go ahead of Kirpichnikova who was clear of Egorova with the Italian 1.78 in the lead at the 700m mark.
Down the final metres and victory was clearly going to be Quadarella’s but Kirpichnikova came back in the last 15 as the Italian glided into the wall.
Kirpichnikova touched in 8:21.86 with Egorova third in 8:26.56.
Quadarella said:
“I’m really satisfied. I did not prepare for this in particular but it unfolded more than fine.
“The time is good, I did hope to have a little bit better but it is a good sign for the summer.”
Kirpichnikova added:
“I’m very happy because this is my first European Championships in long-course.
“This is my best time and I want to thank my coach Philipp Lucas for believing in me.”
Fellow Russian Egorova said:
“The time is good, I’m very happy with it as it is an Olympic A cut and I took a medal too so I’m really happy.
“My main goal here is the 400m so let’s what happens there.”
Wattel and Ntountounaki Share 100 Fly Gold
Anna Ntountounaki: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Sarah Sjostrom – absent as she comes back following elbow surgery – had won the last two titles and Louise Hansson boosted Swedish hopes when she qualified quickest.
Arina Surkova turned first in 26.54 with Hansson 0.05 back and Wattel and Ntountounaki 0.34 and 0.35 behind respectively.
Hansson seemed on the brink of victory but it was Wattel who forged ahead only for Ntountounaki to catch her on the touch.
Hansson was third in 57.56.
Ntountounaki was in raptures, saying:
“I’m so-so happy! This is unbelievable, I could never imagine that I could be first, that was my first European medal in long-course.
“Last year was very hard for me with Covid, the postponement of the Olympic Games.
“It was really tough psychologically, we couldn’t train for two months but I’m so proud of myself to have made a comeback after all of that.”
Her joy contrasted with Wattel who had mixed emotions.
“I thought I should have swum faster in order to win.
And I also thought I would swim faster than this. But it’s a final and what matters is to touch in first and I’m really happy.
“It’s good a step for Tokyo but there are more improvements to be done.”
Hansson added:
“Of course I’m happy since this is my first individual medal.
“At the same time, I’m a little bit disappointed because of the time.”
Kliment Kolesnikov In A World Of His Own
Photo Courtesy: MIKE LEWIS / ISL
Kolesnikov returned from qualifying in third for Wednesday’s 100 free to once more deliver a world record.
The Russian again demonstrated a show of strength on the second half of the race to touch in 23.80, 0.13 inside the record he had set on Monday.
Behind him came Robert Glinta of Romania in 24.42 and Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez in 24.47.
The 20-year-old – who now has five European titles- said:
“I don’t know what to say. I swam 100m free fifteen minutes ago so I was a bit tired.
“At the same time, I was full of energy, mental energy and just tried fire myself up.
“That’s all, I have nothing more to say.”
Glinta was pleased with his medal which will serve to motivate him in the run-up to Tokyo, saying:
“I felt really great, I was ready to go and to go as fast as possible.
“I wanted to be at full speed with two months to go before the Olympics. I’m pretty satisfied with this time but I need to improve as this is not my personal best.
“The medal is a huge motivation before the Games.”
For Gonzalez, it was a national record.
“I’m really happy, this is my first medal at a senior European Championships. It’s really nice to be on the podium.
“Silver was so-so close and I’m going to use this energy for the next events at this meet.”
Kromowidjojo Claims Fifth European Title
Ranomi Kromowidjojo: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Sjostrom won in Glasgow meaning there would be a new champion and Kromowidjojo gave a masterclass in sprinting, all power and efficiency to touch in 23.97.
It was her fifth continental gold, 13 years after she won her first title as part of the Netherlands 4×100 free quartet at Eindhoven in 2008.
That was two years after she won her maiden European medal when the relay took silver – also in Budapest.
Olympic champion Pernille Blume – quickest in the semis – and Katarzyna Wasick tied for silver in 24.17, the latter setting a new Polish record.
Kromowidjojo said:
“I felt strong in the water today.
“It was a good race, after the prelims and the semi-finals I felt strong too and I knew I could go faster.
“Just below 24sec is not that far from my personal best.
“I’m happy for the medal at the Europeans but it is good to get back mentally to competition mood.”
Mixed 4×200 Free
This event is only swum at the European Championships and it was Britain who claimed a clear victory with Anderson going to her legs on the final 50 to anchor the quartet home in a championship record of 7:26.67.
Photo Courtesy:
Splits:
- Dean: 1:46.54
- Guy: 1:45.43
- Wood: 1:56.67
- Anderson: 1:58.03
Italy – featuring a leg of 1:55.66 of Federica Pellegrini which was the fastest by any woman in the field – were second in 7:29.35.
Russia were third in 7:31.54 with Egorova and Kirpichnikova earning their second medals of the session.
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