European Juniors, Day 2 Finals: Neutral Athletes Set Another WJR In Mixed Freestyle Relay
The second night of the European Junior Championships in Munich ended with another world junior record by a neutral athletes relay squad in the mixed 4×100 freestyle.
The AIN men’s 4×100 free relay had twice lowered the WJR on the opening day and on Wednesday another new entry was written in the history books.
Egor Proshin led off in 47.94 with Mikhail Shcherbakov going 48.37 as they reached halfway 1.76secs ahead of Spain – for whom Luca Hoek split 47.97 – in second.
Kseniia Sorokina took over the baton in 53.75 with Kira Manokhina’s 53.90 anchor guiding the team home in 3:23.96. It was a new WJR, European junior mark and championship standard. Their time erased the previous record of 3:24.29 set by Australia at the 2023 junior worlds.
Great Britain were second in 3:26.50 with Italy third in 3:26.97.
Boylu Scorches To Turkish 200 Free Record
Ahmet Mete Boylu came from lane seven to win the men’s 200 free. The Turkiye swimmer took the lead at halfway and never relinquished his advantage to take the title in 1:45.68 and cut 0.85 from his own national record of 1:46.53 from the Turkish national team selection meet in April.
It also meant that David Popovici’s championship standard lived to fight another day.
Tajus Juska of Lithuania replicated his silver medal from the 2025 edition in 1:45.83 with Bogdan Toropkin (AIN) edging out defending champion Christian Giefing by 0.01 in 1:46.15 to 1:46.16.
Shcherbakov also stamped a new championship mark in the men’s 200IM semis in 1:57.07. The neutral athlete lowered his own standard of 1:59.04 he posted last year en-route to victory in Samorin.
Linda Roth won the first title of the evening session when the German went 1:57.79 in the 200 free. Sofia Diakova (1:58.32) and defending champion Bianca Nannucci (1:58.82) joined her on the podium.
David Antal of Hungary led throughout to retain his 200 fly title in 1:57.40 while drama unfolded behind him. Georgios Kalandros was sixth at the final turn before a 30.31 last 50 saw the Greek pick off his rivals for silver in 1:58.77. Mateo Gregoire-Charmasson of France moved from fourth at 150 to bronze medal position in 1:58.79 as 0.07 separated second to fourth.
Morgan Claims Breaststroke Title
The men’s 50 breast championship record had gone back and forth yesterday with Jan Foltyn setting a Czech and CR of 27.18 which Max Morgan subsequently matched in the semis.
The Briton then claimed the title in 27.26 ahead of Foltyn (27.29) and German Louis Hoffmann (27.34).
Sofia Anufrieva (AIN) enjoyed a clear 30.88 victory in the women’s 50 breast ahead of Belarusian Valeryia Shylko (31.38) and Great Britain’s Gabrielle Beavers (31.54).
Diana-Mariuca Silisteanu of Romania won the women’s 50 back ahead of Spain’s Irene Ciercoles Galve (27.97) and Jeanne Lechevalier (28.07).
Grigorii Chernogaev (AIN) took the men’s title in 24.84 with Belarus’ Artsiom Yarnak (24.92) and Matvei Asheko (25.08) joining him on the podium.
Semi-Finals
Ciercoles Galve headed the 50 free semis in 24.82 ahead of Great Britain’s Theodora Taylor. Neutral athletes Serafima Fokina (58.85) and Varvara Khvesiuk (58.92) booked the centre lanes for the women’s 100 fly final.