Six finals in second afternoon of the 47th European Junior Swimming Championships at Stadio del Nuoto in Rome.
Polish Ksawey Masiuk won the first of them, the 100 backstroke, with time of 53''91, followed by Ukrainian Oleksandr Zheltyakov on 53''98 and Russian Aleksei Tkachev, who took in third position on 54''34.
The 100 freestyle if of Daria Klepikova that won in 54''75; the silver medal went to her teammate Daria Tatarinova in 55''12 and the bronze to British Evelyn Davis in 55''25.
Instead on 50 butterfly win the Bulgarian Josif Miladinov with 23''59; on the podium the Germanian Tobias Schulrath, in 23''72, and Czech Daniel Gracik, in 23''79, too.
Benedetta Pilato has no rivals in the 50 breaststroke confirming the title she won in Kazan in 2019. The 16-year-old won in 30''13, beating Elena Bogomolova, from Russia, in 30''68 and Estonian Eneli Jefimova in 30''91. Pilato is European champion, vice world champion and world record holder in 29''30.
Lots of excitement from the 800 freestyle. The gold was won by Turkish Merve Tuncel with a European record of 8'21''91, which cancelled out the 8'22''01 set by the magical Ajna Kesely. Other medals went to her teammate Beril Boecekler in 8'33''52 and Italian Giulia Vetrano, who took bronze with a personal best of 8'35''84.
The daily programme ended with the mixed 4x100 freestyle relay. Russian team, composed by Vladislav Reznichenko (49''61), Danil Kosenkov (50''41), Daria Tatarinova (54''56) and Daria Klepikova (55''13), won in 3'29''71; Matteo Oppioli (50''25), Davide Dalla Costa (49''12), Matilde Biagiotti (56''07) and Viola Petrini (56''26), from Italian team, took silver in 3'31''70; bronze was won by the Hungarian team, with Daniel Meszaros (50''42), Boldizsar Magda (50''48), Nikoletta Padar (55''49) and Panna Ugrai (55''46) in 3'31''85.
Semifinals. David Popovici confirmed himself as the fastest in the 100 freestyle. The Romanian 16-year-old, who had set the junior world record (47''56) in the first lap of the 4x100 relay finished with a championship record of 48''08. Russian Anastasia Markova was the fastest in the 200 individual medley in 2'09''85, the only one of the semi-finalists to go under 2'10. Best time in the 100 breaststroke for Simone Cerasuolo. The 18-year-old, the only one to go under 1'01 in the afternoon, swam in 1'00''89, not far from his personal best done in the morning (1'00''78). The fastest time in the 100 backstroke was Russian's Aleksandra Kurilkina in 1'01''18, five hundredths ahead of Britain's Katie Shanahan, gold medalist in the 400 medley on Tuesday, who finished in 1'01''23. At the end of the programme, Turkish Berke Saka set the best time in the 200 individual medley in 2'01''11.
Podiums of the second day
Men's 100m backstroke
1. Ksawery Masiuk (Pol) 53''91
2. Oleksandr Zheltyakov (Ukr) 53''98
3. Aleksei Tkachev (Rus) 54''34
Women's 100m freestyle
1. Daria Klepikova (Rus) 54''75
2. Daria Tatarinova (Rus) 55''12
3. Evelyn Davis (Gbr) 55''25
Men's 50m butterfly
1. Josif Mladinov (Bul) 23''59
2. Tobias Schulrath (Ger) 23''72
3. Daniel Gracik (Cze) 23''79
Women's 50m breaststroke
1. Benedetta Pilato (Ita) 30''13
2. Elena Bogomolova (Rus) 30''68
3. Eneli Jefimova (Est) 30''91
Women's 800m freestyle
1. Merve Tuncel (Tur) 8'21''91 EJ
2. Beril Boecekler (Tur) 8'33''52
3. Giulia Vetrano (Ita) 8'35''84
Mixed 4x100 freestyle
1. Russia 3'29''71
Vladislav Reznichenko 49''61, Danil Kosenkov 50''41, Daria Tatarinova 54''56, Daria Klepikova 55''13
2. Italy 3'31''70
Matteo Oppioli 50''25, Davide Dalla Costa 49''12, Matilde Biagiotti 56''07, Viola Petrini 56''26
3. Hungary 3'31''85
Daniel Meszaros 50''42, Boldizsar Magda 50''48, Nikoletta Padar 55''49, Panna Ugrai 55''46
Shown below the best results of the second day's semi-finals
Men's 100m freestyle
David Popovici (Rou) 48''08 CR
Women's 200m butterfly
Anastasia Markova (Rus) 2'09''85
Men's 100m breaststroke
Simone Cerasuolo (Ita) 1'00''89
Women's 100m backstroke
Aleksandra Kurilkina (Rus) 1'01''18
Men's 200m individual medley
Berke Saka (Tur) 2'01''11
Credit Photo Andrea Masini / DBM
