Paris 2026: Alexandri sisters make golden begin to creative swimming programme whereas Tomblin continues dominance

Anna-Maria Alexandri and Eirini Marina Alexandri and Ranjuo Tomblin claimed the primary creative swimming golds of the European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026 on the opening day of competitors on the Olympic Aquatics Centre, respectively within the duet technical and males’s solo technical occasions.

It was a really busy and demanding day for the duets, with many of the area competing vivid and early within the morning within the duet free preliminary spherical earlier than returning to the pool within the night for the duet technical last and the primary creative swimming medals of the championships.

The reigning European and World Champions, Anna-Maria Alexandri and Eirini Marina Alexandri, made the proper return to the European Championships stage, claiming gold with a rating of 311.4308.

It was the primary competitors of the season for the Greek triplet sisters, who are actually competing below the flag of their residence nation after representing Austria internationally for greater than a decade. At 28 years outdated, the three-time Olympians are among the many most skilled duets in Paris, and had completed fourth on the 2024 Olympic Games on this exact same pool.

Swimming their Swan Lake routine, which introduced them nice success final season, the Alexandri sisters as soon as once more demonstrated the excellent technical execution for which they’re identified, delivering a efficiency stuffed with precision and management.

“It feels amazing. We are very emotional and very happy, it’s an amazing feeling I cannot describe it.” Said Eirini when talking to European Aquatics.

“It’s an amazing feeling [to get a medal for Greece], really unique. We are really enjoying the moment and are very proud of oursevles. We haven’t competed for one year [since switching nationalities] and this isn’t our first competition. It’s a very special moment to hear the national anthem.” Anna Maria stated.

Neutral Athletes B made their return to the European Championships stage for the primary time since 2021, with Maiia Doroshko and Elizaveta Minaeva competing collectively for the primary time at a senior European Championships.

The pair claimed silver with a rating of 302.9950. Their routine, set to “Rising Force” by Yngwie Malmsteen, stood out for its extraordinarily quick tempo and highly effective character, with power, power and explosive actions all through.

Although that is their first season as a duet, each athletes carry appreciable worldwide expertise. Doroshko, on the senior staff since 2019, received bronze on this occasion on the 2025 World Championships in Singapore with a special companion and has been a part of the nationwide duet since 2023.

Minaeva, in the meantime, is a four-time World Junior Champion and 10-time European Junior Champion. She was a member of the nationwide duet all through her complete junior profession and in addition received two silver medals within the staff occasions in Singapore final yr.

“We are very happy, firstly, to be here.” They stated following the occasion. “We did a very nice job about preparation to the season, and that is in fact the principle begin of this season. We actually imagine we carried out very nicely, and we actually respect all the opposite athletes.

“So we see how the level of artistic women is increasing. We enjoy their performance. Of course, we have some things to do better and we will do it. So we are happy to come back and really wish to become stronger.”

The present Olympic silver medallists, Great Britain’s Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe, returned to the pool the place they made historical past two years in the past, claiming bronze with a rating of 297.9108.

The British pair had already made a robust impression even earlier than hitting the water, posting an enormous Degree of Difficulty (DD) of 41.45, nearly three factors increased than the following highest.

They had been amongst the uncommon pairs to not have completed the duet free preliminary, and arrived at tonight’s last extraordinarily energised. Their routine was set to “Dernière danse” by Indila, music that carries explicit significance for them. Having carried out their “last dance” collectively in Paris on the Olympic Games, the routine was an homage to the town and to the pool the place they received their Olympic silver.

The pair didn’t compete collectively in the course of the 2025 season, with Shortman taking a break from competitors whereas finishing her research overseas – in Paris – whereas Thorpe targeted on the blended duet occasions and noticed enormous success there on the World and European stage.

Shortman and Thorpe reunited on the World Cup in Paris in March, the place they claimed bronze, earlier than returning to the identical pool for his or her first European Championships collectively since 2024.

“Yeah, really happy. I think we need to go away and watch our swim and see how we can improve for next season, to be honest. We’re very focused on how we can improve, but it was a great rounding off to the season and we’re really happy with coming here and getting a medal in our first event.” They stated to European Aquatics.

France, which received bronze on this occasion in Funchal final yr, was represented by Romane Lunel and Laelys Alavez. Lunel was a part of France’s bronze-medal-winning duet final yr, however now competes alongside Alavez, with each athletes having represented France on the Paris Olympic Games.

In entrance of an effervescent residence crowd, the pair claimed fourth place with a rating of 294.6549. Their routine is themed round “The Heart” and had already loved appreciable success on the World Cup circuit this season, together with a gold medal on the Pontevedra leg.

They had simply the most important help of the night, as you’d anticipate for a house staff, and simply got here off the flawed facet of the medals.

Italy’s Enrica Piccoli and Lucrezia Ruggiero completed fifth with a rating of 290.4416. Their technical routine, set to “Gratia Plena”, is a comparatively latest addition to their programme, having been offered for the primary time on the World Cup Super Final in June.

The pair had been seventh on this occasion on the 2025 European Championships however stay one of many strongest duets within the area, being the reigning European Champions and World silver medallists within the duet free. Both Paris Olympians, Piccoli and Ruggiero, have been competing collectively as a duet since final season.

The Spanish duet of Lilou Lluis Valette and Iris Tio Casas, who took the highest spot on this morning’s duet free preliminary, had been tipped as one of many favourites to take gold within the occasion, however they suffered a poor opening to their routine within the first aspect that every one however ruined their possibilities of a medal, as their complete hybrid aspect went to basemark, seeing them ultimately end in eighth place.

Great Britain’s Ranjuo Tomblin efficiently defended his European title within the males’s solo technical occasion, claiming gold with a rating of 249.3951 along with his routine set to George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”, a programme on which he has labored extensively to enhance his creative impression.

The 20-year-old arrived to this last with the very best DD of the sector by far with a 38.00, a 2.4 level improve since his final outing in June, and 4.21 increased than the following highest competitor. It was a dangerous guess, nevertheless it paid off as Tomblin delivered a clear routine when it counted.

Tomblin had are available because the favorite right here, having loved an excellent 2026 season on the World Cup circuit, gathering 17 medals, together with three golds and one silver within the males’s solo technical occasion.

“I’m very happy with the performance today. I’m glad that I’ve been able to defend my European title from last year.” He stated.

“Every competition is different. I try to stay in my own zone, and the routines are constantly changing. The best motivation for me is my competitors, we all bring each other up and it’s the best thing to be a part of.”

Italy’s Filippo Pelati claimed silver with a rating of 241.7008, including one other European medal to his assortment after profitable silver on this occasion in Funchal final yr.

The Italian, who most not too long ago received bronze on the 2026 European Junior Championships in Munich, remodeled himself into Freddie Mercury for his routine set to “Radio Ga Ga”.

Pelati watched movies of Mercury’s reside live shows to check the legendary singer’s actions on stage, together with the best way he used the microphone stand whereas singing and dancing. In the tip, the 19-year-old showcased a efficiency pushed by the highly effective power of the music and its means to instantly interact the viewers.

Zakhar Trofimov, competing as Neutral Athlete B, made his senior European Championships debut, ending with bronze and a rating of 235.7858.

The reigning European Junior Champion in each 2025 and 2026 offered a routine set to “Break On Through (to the Other Side)” by The Doors.

The selection of music got here from his coach, an awesome admirer of Jim Morrison and The Doors, who felt that the tune suited Trofimov significantly nicely. Trofimov was initially unfamiliar with the band, however after being inspired by his coach to observe the movie The Doors, he grew to become impressed by Morrison and the music of the group.

Spain’s Dennis Gonzalez Boneu completed fourth with a rating of 235.3817, competing on this occasion for the primary time this season, presenting a brand new routine set to the tune “Lovely” by Billie Eilish.

His preparation had been affected by a shoulder surgical procedure earlier within the season which restricted his coaching, making this fourth-place end and return to the occasion in Paris an essential step in his European marketing campaign. The Spaniard received bronze on this occasion on the 2025 European Championships, and later claimed silver on the 2025 World Championships.

Before competing for a podium end, many of the duets had already had the possibility to get their bearings within the competitors pool, participating within the duet free preliminary spherical within the morning.

18 pairs took to the pool and in the long run, it’s Lilou Lluis and Iris Tio of Spain, reigning World Champions, who took the highest spot with a rating of 316.3850 for his or her “Essence of Femininity” routine. They can be joined in tomorrow’s last beginning at 16h50 by the pairs of Greece, Neutral Athletes B, Italy, France, Germany, Neutral Athletes A, Georgia, Switzerland, Great Britain, Israel, and Ukraine.

The creative swimming competitors continues tomorrow, with the ladies’s solo free preliminary rounds at 9h00. Two medal occasions are then scheduled for the night session, with the blended duet free last beginning at 16h00, adopted by the duet free last.

Click right here for the occasion web page, which incorporates all begin lists and outcomes.

Click here to watch all of the action on Eurovision Sport.

Christina Marmet and Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics