2019 European Junior Swimming Championships Finals Day 1 Recap

The 2019 European Junior Swimming Championships kicked off this morning with a bang, hosting young talent that could rival many seasoned veterans of the sport. Hoping to make their presence known on the grand stage, some of the world’s best athletes convened in Kazan for an intracontinental showdown, where their rising dominance was put on display.

With an interesting slate of events ranging from the 400 IM to sprint stroke events, Generation Z got the ball rolling from the outset.

Women’s 400 IM

Spain’s Alba Ruiz Vazquez pulled out a narrow win in the women’s 400 IM, surging home in the final two laps to post a time of 4:40.64. Viktor Mihalyvari Farkas of Hungary pushed her to the win, dropping a 4:41.32 to cinch second. Britain’s Katie Shanahan was not to be ignored, as she crashed the pads with a 4:43.36 of her own to break into the top three, edging out her compatriot Freya Colbert (4:43.54). Spain’s Paula Juste Sanchez turned in a 4:43.72 for fifth.

Germany’s Giulia Goerigk headed the second wave with a time of 4:47.78, securing a spot ahead of Slovak Republic’s Nikoleta Trnikova (4:50.29) and Russia’s Arina Koshkina (4:51.08).

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Men’s 400 Free

Antonio Djakovic (3:47.89) of Switzerland and Aleksandr Egorov (3:48.28) of Russia traded leads throughout the men’s 400 free, with Djakovic ultimately emerging as victor. Sweden’s Robin Hanson (3:50.53) out-touched Nikita Danilov (3:50.67) of Russia for the bronze, as the Netherlands’ Luc Kroon dropped a heartbreaker, going 3:50.91 for fifth in the tightly packed field.

Greece’s Konstantinos Englezakis locked down sixth with a time of 3:51.02, as Germany’s Lukas Maertens (3:51.88) and Spain’s Ferran Sire Figueras (3:56.21) brought up the rear.

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Men’s 50 Fly

In one of the most climactic sprints of the afternoon, Sweden’s Noe Ponti (23.48) and Germany’s Luca Nik Armbruster (23.49) went stroke for stroke at the flags, with Ponti managing to get a fingernail on the wall before his adversary. With one-hundredth of a second between them, the men ran away with the race, as Andrel Minakoc touched in at third with a 23.66.

Vladyslav Bukhov from the Ukraine and Russia’s Aleksandr Shchegolev tied for fourth with identical times of 23.73, while Josif Miladinov of Buagria turned in a 23.78 for sixth. Belarus’ Arseni Barzhajou eclipsed sixth by a tenth with a 23.88, while Nicholas Lia from Norway rounded out the heat with a time of 24.01.

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Women’s 50 Breast

A contender for the 50 breast gold in this month’s World Championships, Italy’s Benedetta Pilato proved why her name is splattered across every meet prediction in the cyber-sphere. Going 30.16 for the win, Pilato bettered Kotryna Teterevkova’s (31.20) mark by over a second. Russia’s Anastasia Makarova finished her lap with a 31.26, taking down Britain’s Kayla Van der Merwe (31.59) for her spot in the top three.

Evgeniia Chikunova of Russia stroked in to a 31.59 to earn fifth, bumping the Czech Republic’s Lydie Stepankova (31.63) to sixth. France’s Justine Delmas (31.85) and Finland’s Laura Lahtinen (31.90) were nearly indistinguishable the last ten meters, with Delmas gaining the slight advantage.

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Women’s 800 Free

Italy put its distance weapon on display with Giulia Salin, as she manhandled the competition with an 8:29.19 finish in the women’s 800 free. Turkey’s Beril Boecekler (8:34.56) tried to ride Salin’s hip, as she turned in an impressive final 100 to earn second. Yana Kurtseva of Russia touched in third, securing the bronze with a time of 8:39.82, gaining a healthy advantage over Hungary’s Viktor Mihalyvari Farkas (8:43.54).

Spain’s Maria Claro Martinez crashed the pads with an 8:46.47 to cinch fifth, holding off Turkey’s Merve Tuncel (8:47.03) in the final 100 meters. Russia’s Margarita Varulnikova created outside smoke in the end lane, surging to an 8:51.14 finish ahead of Gal Kincso (8:59.97) of Hungary.

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Men’s 400 Free Relay

Italy’s quartet of Stefano Nicetto, Thomas Ceccon, Giovanni Caserta, and Mario Nicotra earned top honors in the men’s 400 free relay, posting a time of 3:17.02 for the decisive victory. Russia’s Andrei Minakov, Arsenly Chicilev, Aleksandr Shchegolev, and Egor Pavlov combined forces to secure second for the country, clocking in at 3:18.48. It was Great Britain that rounded out the top three with its lethal combination of Archie Goodburn, Edward Mildred, Matthew Richards, and Jacob Whittle, who posted a respectable 3:19.88 for the bronze.

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Women’s 400 Free Relay

Germany dominated on the women’s side, as Zoe Vogelmann, Lena Riedemann, Isabel Marie Gose, and Maya Tobehn combined efforts to drop a 3:41.24 for the gold. Russia chased them, as Aleksandra Sabitova, Polina Nevmovenko, Elizaveta Ryndych, and Ekaterina Nikonova put forth an impressive performance for second, clocking in at 3:42.81.

France made its way on the medal podium with a 3:43.50, as Oceane Carnez, Lucile Tessariol, Lison Nowaczyk, and Celia Pinsolle crashed the pads ahead of Italy.

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