The fourth finals session of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina featured seven medal events and one World Junior Record.
Men’s 50 Freestyle
Italy’s Thomas Ceccon picked up his first gold medal of the meet after earning one silver and two bronze medals earlier in the week. His time of 22.33 was just enough to edge ahead of Russia’s Daniil Markov who finished in 22.37. Egypt’s Abdelrahman Sameh was a close third in 22.43. The race provided Markov and Sameh’s first individual medals of the competition.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
Japan’s Yu Hanaguruma was just off his season-best to win the men’s 200 Breaststroke. After pushing the middle 100 of the race in 1:06.85, Hanaguruma found himself in the clear lead headed into the final fifty. The 18-year-old narrowly missed the podium in the 100 distance earlier in the week.
Greece’s Savvas Thomoglou earned the silver medal in 2:13.62 and was followed by Poland’s Jan Kalusowki in 2:13.72. The two were separated by half of a second at the halfway point, as Thomoglou was able to hold off on the final lap for the touch.
Women’s 50 Butterfly
18-year-old Sara Junevik posted the fourth-fastest Swedish 50 Butterfly of the year in her victory in this event. She raced to a 26.40 to earn her first medal of the meet. Belarus’ Anastasiya Shkurdai got the wall next in 26.62 while Russia’s Polina Egorova and Germany’s Angelina Koehler tied for third in 26.68.
Men’s 50 Backstroke
Although off his World Junior Record of 24.00, Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov won the 50 Backstroke by a wide margin coming in at 24.40. His time from the European Championships ranks third in the world this year while this swim would be ninth.
While Kolesnikov dominated the race, the race for second could not have been any closer. Italy’s Ceccon was back in the pool with a 25.27, out-touching Norway’s Tomoe Hvas (25.28). Hvas also earned gold in the 200 IM while Ceccon brought his medal tally to five.
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Russia kept their win streak alive as Anastasia Makarova took the 100 Breaststroke in 1:07.88. Placed fifth at the 100, she raced home in 34.9 to blast past the field.
Ireland’s Niamh Coyne (1:08.90) placed second, off her season best of 1:07.87 from Ireland’s National Championships. She was also off to a slower start with a quick second fifty of 35.8. She was followed by Lithuania’s Kotryna Teterevkova in 1:08.95.
Women’s 200 Freestyle
Fresh off a win in last night’s 800 Freestyle, Hungary’s Ajna Kesely took the gold in the 200 distance at 1:57.88.. China’s Yang Junxuan posed tough competition as the two split nearly identical races.Czech Republic’s Barbora Seemanova was also in the mix with a 1:58.25. She was also the champion of the 100 Freestyle at these Games.
Men’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay
Russia’s team of Kolesnikov, Vladislav Gerasimenko, Andrei Minakov and Markov closed out the night by setting a new World Junior Record in the 4 x 100 Medley Relay. In that order, the swimmers split the following (compared to Italy’s mark set in 2017):
53.34 (Ceccon – 54.72)
1:01.50 (Nicolò Martinenghi – 58.93)
51.14 (Federico Burdisso – 52.69)
49.19 ( Davide Nardini – 48.90)
3:35.17 (3:35.24)
The team was followed by China (3:38.65) and Poland (3:41.51).