Heats day 3. Masiuk aims for double in back, Italy first in relay

Third day of the 47th European Junior Championships at the Stadio del Nuoto in Rome.
The heats started with 100 butterfly, which Englishman Edward Mildred swam with the first time of 52"75.
In women's 200m breaststroke Justine Delmas (Fra) is first in 2'28"50 and the russian Elena Bogomolova - silver medalist in 50m - is second (2'29"60). 
The ukrainian Kryzhanivs'kyy wins the heats of the 50 breaststroke, ahead of his teammate Volodymyr Lisovets' (third in 27"92) and the russian Georgii Glazunov (second in 27"82).
In the 200 freestyle the hungarian Laura Veres qualifies to afternoon semifinals with the first time (2'00"12).
Ksawery Masiuk confirm himself also in the 50 backstroke after gold medal in the 100, swimming in 25"28.
At the end, in the 4x100 medley mixed the italian team composed by Chiara Fontana, Benedetta Pilato, Ettore Nanetti, Samuele Congia done the first time in 3'54"64. 

Shown below the best results of the heats.

Men's 100m butterfly
1. Edward Mildred (Gbr) 52"75

Women's 200m breaststroke 
1. Justine Delmas (Fra) 2'28"50

Men's 50m breaststroke
1. Rostyslav Kryzhanivs'kyy (Ukr) 27"57

Women's 200m freesyle
1. Laura Veres (Hun) 2'00"12

Men's 50m backstoke
1. Ksawery Masiuk (Pol) 25"28

4x100m medley Mixed 
1. Italy (Chiara Fontana 1'02"80, Benedetta Pilato 1'06"58, Ettore Nanetti 54"70, Samuele Congia 50"56) 3'54"64

Photo Credits Andrea Masini / DBM 

Tuncel gold and junior european record on 800 freestyle

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

Finals day 2. Flash quotes

Below the statements of the winners and the best athletes of the second day of the 47th European Junior Championships, in Rome.
 
Men's 100m Backstroke - Final
Gold Medalist. Ksawery Masiuk (Pol) 53"91 pp: Obviusly I'm very happy for the result because it's the first time that I swam in this pool. It's nice to see and hear the audience in the Stadium. I'm not very hopeful, but i hope to be selected for Tokyo.

Women's 100m Freestyle - Final
Gold Medalist. Daria Klapikova (Rus) 54"75 pp: I'm happy of my race. I really like Rome.

Men's 50m Butterfly - Final
Gold Medalist. Josif Miladinov (Bul) 23"59: The race went well, considering that the physical form is not best. I hope to finish the Europeans with better results. Then swimming here, in Rome, is a beautiful experiience. It's one of the most comfortable pools.

Women's 800 Freestyle - Final
Gold Medalist. Merve Tuncel (Tur) 8'21"91 EJ: I confirmed the medal won at the last European Championships. I'm very happy for the medal and the record. This is the first time that i swim here. The trainings for Tokyo are going very well.
Bronze Medalist. Giulia Vetrano (Ita) 8'35"84 pp: I improved my personal best of five seconds. I could have swum faster, but I still made the time for bronze. I found my opponent Tuncel who I had already met at the Comen Cup in Bulgaria in 2019. In ten days I'm going to Tokyo Olympics and I hope to qualify the relay for the final together with my teammates.

Heats day 2. Russian team first in mixed freestyle relay

Immediately a confirm in the second morning of heats of the 47th European Junior Championships at the swimming stadium in Rome. In the 100 freestyle the new junior record holder  (47"56 in the first fraction of the 4x100 relay yesterday), the Romanian David Popovici, qualifies with the first time (49"50) to the semifinals this afternoon. In the women's 100 backstroke, Spain's Carmen Weiler Sastre set the best time in 1'01"37, while Italian Simone Cerasuolo is the best of the morning in the 100 breaststroke, setting his new personal best in 1'00"78. The Russian Anastasiia Markova dominates the 200 butterfly, and accesses with the first time to the semifinals (2'10"63) ahead of the French Delmas and the Hungarian Csulak. Saka Berke (Tur), who will also race in the 100 backstroke final tonight, advances to the afternoon round of the 200 individual medley with the first access time, in 2'01"57. Russian team is first in the mixed freestyle reley with 3'33"34 and is the favourite in tonight's final. In the last race Aleksandr Stapanov (Rus) closed the morning's batteries swimming 15'15"59 in the 1500m freestyle.

Shown below the best results of the heats.

Men's 100m freestyle
1. David Popovici (Rou) 49"50

Women's 100m backstroke
1. Carmen Weiler Sastre (Esp) 1'01"37

Men's 100m breaststroke
1. Simone Cerasuolo (Ita) 1'00"78 pp (prec. 1'01"17)

Women's 200m butterfly
1. Anastasiia Markova (Rus) 2'10"63

Men's 200m individual medley
1. Berke Saka (Tur) 2'01"57

Mixed 4x100m freestyle
1. Russia (Levchenko 51"48, Nazipov 50"91, Trofimova 55"13, Kurilkina 55"82)

Men's 1500m freestyle
1. Aleksandr Stapanov (Rus) 15'15"59

Credit Photo Andrea Masini / DBM

Popovic marks the junior world record on 100 freestyle

Finals and semifinals day 1. Flash quotes

Shown below the winning and best athletes on the first day of the 47th European Junior Championships at the Swimming Stadium. 

Men's 400m freestyle - Final
1. Batuhan Filiz (Tur) 3'50"68: Overjoyed about my result, this is my first gold and i'really happy to have won it here, in Rome. It's the first time I've raced in this pool. This time, that is my best,an  confirms my conditione for the Olympic game. 

Women's 400m individual medley - Final
1. Shanahan Katie (Gbr) 4'42"59: I'm really happy about today's victory, I've dona my best. I really didn't expect to win. I'm excited to swim in this pool, it is the first time for me. Now I have to think about the 200 medley, on friday. 

Men's 4x100m freestyle - Final
David Popovici (Romania 2nd place, 3'19"93) 47"56 WRJ (previous record 47"47) : I've been in Rome before, so I'm happy to be back and to have signed the new relay record with my teammates. 

Women's 4x200m - Final
1. Hungary in 8'00"95 (Veres 2'00"32, Fabian 2'00"52, Nyiradi 2'00"31, Padar 1'59"80).
Fabian: We didn't expect this result and we especially didn't expect to win. We worked hard to get there. It was the first time we were competing together, at these European Championship in Rome.

Credits Photo: Andrea Masini / DBM

Heats day 1. Pilato and Tuncel set Championships Record

Started this morning the 47th European Junior Championships at the Swimming Stadium in Rome, with about 600 athletes in the pool representing 48 countries. In the first race the danish Rasmus Nickelsen lowers the personal best by 2 cents in the 50m butterfly (23"85), followed by Benedetta Pilato who swims fast for the eighth personal best time in the 50m breaststroke, distance of which she is European champion, vice world champion and world record holder in 29''30. Two personal bests in the Turkish team: Batuhan Filiz, in the 400m freestyle (3'51"60, prec. 3'51"97) and Merve Tuncel, 8'28"03 in the 800m freestyle wich is also the Championship Record (prec. Giulia Salin 8'29"19). Polish Ksawery Masiuk, in the 100m backstroke, also sets his new best time, the first of the morning's heats in 54"65.

Shown below the best results of the heats.

Men's 50m butterfly
Rasmus Nickelsen (Den) 23"85 pp (prec. 23"87)

Women's 50m breaststroke
Benedetta Pilato (Ita) 29"75

Men's 400m freestyle
Batuhan Filiz (Tur) 3'51"60 pp (prec. 3'51"97)

Women's 100m freestyle
Daria Klepikova (Rus) 55"01

Men's 100m backstroke
Ksawery Masiuk (Pol) 54"65 (prec. 54"94)

Women's 400m individual medley
Katie Shanahan (Gbr) 4'45"56

Men's 4x100m freestyle
Romania (Popovici 48"32, Gergely 50"80, Cozma 51"43, Dinu 50"63) 3'21"18

Women's 800m freestyle
Merve Tuncel (Tur) 8'28"03 CR (prec. Giulia Salin 8'29"19)

Credit Photo Andrea Masini / DBM

The welcome of the President of Lazio Region, Nicola Zingaretti

Lazio Region welcomes you to the 47th edition of the European Junior swimming championships, to be held from July 6th to July 11th at the Stadio del Nuoto in Rome, one of the most prestigious junior events on the continental sportive scene.
This is an extraordinary event that put together the most important champions of the future, attracting a huge number of enthusiasts through media coverage of the event, in which are participating circa 600 athletes representing 47 Nations, besides our Italians led by world-leading Benedetta Pilato.
We are very glad that the Stadio del Nuoto, after the success of the Sette Colli, repropose a sportive event that involves again citizen and all the swimming enthusiasts, one of the top five discipline engaged in Lazio, furthermore one of the most save and beneficiary physical activities for the development psycho-physical of the youth.
Lazio Region in the last period of time of deep struggle has continued to support sport, with an active presence of backing of initiatives and project like European Championship of Rome 2022 the is going to restore the attention of the entire region, both during the phase of approach and phase of progress, the big Italians and European champions of the aquatic disciplines that are going to be the protagonists on the Tokyo Olympics.
For us sport is health, wellness, social integration and inclusion, as well as the economic and truistic development directly liked to important events such us the ones organized by the Italian Swimming Federation, always attentive to the regional needs. The reality of swimming is an important presence in our region, expressed through circa 250 sportive society that allow athletic activity and especially teach the fundaments of swimming, essentials to peacefully live in the sea and all water surfaces.
In thanking all organizers, we would like to thank the athletes, the technicians, the directors, the judges e all the participates of the European Junior Swimming championship, wishing them to express the maximum of their own ability.
Have fun.

the Presidente of the Lazio Region, Nicola Zingaretti

The welcome of the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi

The city of Rome would like to welcome the athletes, the coaches, the executives, the judges, the enthusiasts and the visitors who will be on the stage at the Stadio del Nuoto, at the Foro Italico, from July 6th to July 11th for the 47th edition of the European Junior Swimming Championship.
We are honored that our lovely city can host, within 12 months, two very important continental aquatic events: the first one dedicated to the next generation and the next summer to the established champions with the 36th edition of the European swimming championship, distance swimming, dive, high diving and synchronized swimming from August 11th to August 20th.
Meanwhile we welcome with joy the 600 young swimmers from 47 nations ready to give life to six days of great show after the success of the Sette Colli, which has already seen exceptional records and performances not later than ten days ago thanks to the protagonists of Tokyo Olympics in front of an audience, even if limited, responsible and finally back at the bleachers with all its enthusiasm.
Rome will not deprive warmth and passion- in the limits of social distancing- and also this time will demonstrate its secular characteristic as a welcoming, passionate and hospital city, which promotes participation and sharing in the line of the principals of sport, that nourishes solidarity, fairness, respect between athletes, passionate and sportive from all over the world.
I’m sure that we are going to see great moments of sport, exciting competition and wonderful prelude at the next year’s European championship which expect the presence of circa 1500 athletes from 52 nations, 800 communication operators and circa 100.000 seats ate the bleachers. We hope that the pandemic can leave space to the celebration.
Rome is ready.

the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi

European Junior Swimming Championships. Participation record is in sight

A record of 48 nations entered for the upcoming edition of the European Junior Swimming Championships in Rome. After the lost season in 2020, everyone is keen to send its best young competitors to test themselves at LEN’s top age-group event.
The magnificent Foro Italico, site of the 2009 World Championships and the annual Sette Colli meet, will host another brilliant event next week: the European Junior Swimming Championships return to the Eternal City and its eternal aquatic complex after 1987.
A participation record is in sight as 48 nations – out of the 52 LEN Member Federations – entered the event and 566 teenaged athletes are to line up for the races on 6-11 July.
LEN and its officials now have plenty of experience on how to run major aquatic events in a safe environment so even the different pandemic situations across Europe should not influence the meet in Rome – though the bubble concept shall be in place for all participants with restricted move and regular testing.
"The success of the European Aquatics Championships this May in Budapest was a clear demonstration that it is possible to organise a Covid-free competition during the pandemic even with several thousand people inside the so called bubble", LEN President Paolo Barelli said before the start.
"It was inevitable that LEN would give back the chance for our age-group athletes to show themselves at our continental showcases. In 2020, we had to cancel all events, which was sad news for all young competitors – and it would have been terrible to do the same for 2021. It might have meant that a generation of talented swimmers should begin their respective senior careers without competing at junior European Championships".
Mr Barelli emphasised that Europe was the No. 1 continent in aquatics and the roots of its success lied in the unique competition environment LEN and its National Federations had run for decades. "We are the only continent where junior championships are held annually in each discipline - that gives our young athletes an outstanding advantage during their formative years, and we want to keep that edge on the long-term" the LEN President added.
In last 8 editions, Russia was the ruling nation in this event, finished atop in the medal charts every year since 2012.
Though their dominance wasn't as overwhelming in recent years as it had been between 2013 and 2015 (back then they amassed 19-23 titles per meet), still, their talented swimmers achieved outstanding results in Kazan 2019, Helsinki 2018 and Netanya 2017 as well.
This time Italy may challenge them at home soil as their juniors were usually ranked among the top three and Germany showed some strength as well.
Since the junior Worlds were postponed to 2022 from this August, the best youngsters from Europe should offer their top form next week which well could make way to a series of outstanding swims in the gorgeous sunshine in Rome.