Petar Mitsin Lowers Bulgarian 200 Free Record To 1:47.41 As European Juniors Get Under Way In Belgrade

Petar Mitsin: Photo Courtesy: Bulgarian Swimming Federation

Petar Mitsin Lowers Bulgarian 200 Free Record To 1:47.41 As European Juniors Get Under Way In Belgrade

Petar Mitsin lowered his Bulgarian 200 free record to 1:47.41 as the European Junior Championships got under way in Belgrade, Serbia.

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The event in the Serbian capital runs from 4-9 July and follows last year’s European Juniors in Otopeni where David Popovici exhilarated a home crowd, coming away with four golds and a silver weeks after becoming double world champion in Budapest.

Mitsin has been on fine form in recent weeks, setting national records across 200, 400 and 800 free.

The 17-year-old went 1:48.19 over four lengths at the Edirne Cup in March before becoming the first Bulgarian inside 1:48 at the Grand Prix Burgas in May in 1:47.77.

He sliced a further 0.36 from that mark in the Serbian capital to head the field into the semis in 1:47.41 – a time that would have been good enough to take silver at last year’s European Juniors behind Popovici.

Behind him came Alessandro Ragaini in 1:48.42 with Rokas Jazdauskas and Filippo Bertoni both on 1:49s.

Nikolett Padar: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Nikolett Padar won the 100 and 200 free double at last year’s European Juniors in Otopeni as she left Romania with four golds among six medals.

The 17-year-old – who went on to win bronze with the Hungarian women’s 4×2 at the Europeans in Rome – was the only swimmer inside 2mins, going 1:59.77 to head the field into the evening semis.

Eneli Jefimova – who swept the breaststroke events last year – dominated the 50 heats in 30.39 with Jonas Gaur the only man inside 28 in the boys’ event in 27.73.

Merve Tuncel – who swept the 400/800/1500 last year – led the way into Wednesday evening’s final in the longest race in the pool, clocking 16:27.45.

Amelie Blocksidge – who marked her 14th birthday by going 16:19.67 for a 12-second PB at the British Championships in April – booked lane five in 16:28.77.

Hungary has produced a long line of fine 400IM women with Krisztina Egerszegi and Katinka Hosszu both standing atop the Olympic podium.

Vivien Jackl led the way into the girls’ final in 4:46.31, the Hungarian having won bronze at last year’s European Juniors aged 13.

Andrea Camozzi was the only swimmer inside 2mins to head the boys’ 200 fly in 1:59.38.

Lora Fanni Komoróczy – silver medallist in 2022 – led the 50 back in 28.36 with Miroslav Knedla heading the boys’ event in 25.21.

A third leg of 48.75 by Gianluca Massini propelled Italy into lane four for the final of the boys’ 4×100 free in 3:17.80, 3.12secs ahead of second-fastest Lithuania (3:20.92).

The quartet’s time was 1.22secs outside the championship record of 3:16.58, also held by an Italian squad since 2009 and 2.01 outside the world junior record of 3:15.79 set by the USA last year.

Germany heads the field in the women’s 4×100 free in 3:44.01.

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