Great Britain Tops Medal Table As Paris 2026 Wraps Up

European Championships, Day Seven Finals: Great Britain Tops Medal Table As Paris 2026 Wraps Up

Great Britain loved a closing flourish as two golds ensured they completed high of the medal desk following the final evening of competitors on the European Championships in Paris.

Keanna MacInnes grew to become the primary British lady to win the 200 fly title earlier than she returned round 75 minutes later for the ladies’s medley relay the place Freya Colbert snatched victory on the loss of life. It additionally included a monster 1:03.75 breaststroke break up by Angharad Evans, the quickest in historical past.

It meant Great Britain completed with eight golds, two silvers and 4 bronzes to steer the honours forward of Italy (6, 8, 6) and the Neutral Athletes (5,5,9).

MacInnes, who trains with Evans on the University of Stirling, stated: “It’s really special to be on the podium with the rest of the girls because I think the girls overall this week have shone really well in the GB team. And often it’s the boys that are carrying the girls so it’s really nice to flip that for once.”

Yuliya Efimova was the primary lady to undergo 1:04 for a breaststroke break up when she posted 1:03.95 at Glasgow 2018. Evans was 0.20 faster on the Olympic Aquatic Centre and stated: “I’ve just made leaps this season. 1:04, I reached that for the first time this season. So now to see a 1:03.7 on the scoreboard is just so surreal. And I think we’re all feeling tired tonight, but none of us suffered fatigue. It was just nice for everyone to put in a shift and no single person won that relay, everyone put in their work. And that was, I think, a lot of people’s fastest relay split or on par with it. But no, to see a 1:03.7 is pretty surreal and it just makes me excited for next season. What’s to come long course.”

Nine titles had been determined throughout the closing session of the seven-day meet in entrance of a jubilant, raucous crowd on the Olympic Aquatic Centre.

Leon Marchand gained the 400 free; Apostolos Christou defended his 100 again title for his sixth straight medal within the occasion; Nikita Sheremet sped to the 50 free gold and the NAB gained the boys’s medley relay.

Simona Quadarella clinched the golden treble with 400 victory and Ruta Meilutyte took the 50 breaststroke title as simply 0.03 separated the primary three girls dwelling.

Men’s 50 Free

A crown awaited a brand new sprint champion with 2024 and 2022 gold medallists Kristian Gkolomeev and Ben Proud having departed for the Enhanced Games.

And it was Nikita Sheremet who acquired his hand to the wall first, the Ukrainian touching in 21.13 forward of Neutral Athlete Egor Kornev who shared silver with Serbian Andrej Barna in 21.37.

While 19-year-old  Sheremet hoisted himself on the lane ropes and slapped the water in celebration, there was no response from Kornev.

While not a championship report, Sheremet’s time was the quickest in a European closing with Proud’s 21.11 CR performed in semis at Glasgow 2018.

Women’s 50m Breaststroke

Benedetta Pilato led by prelims and semis and broke 30secs on each events.

She and Ruta Meilutyte had been stroke for stroke in adjoining lanes with the Lithuanian taking the title within the narrowest of margins in 29.93 to 29.94.

It was but extra heartache within the French capital for Pilato who missed out on 100m breaststroke bronze by 0.01 on the 2024 Olympics when she completed fourth behind Mona McSharry.

“It’s a persecution!” stated Pilato, who’s been coaching with Mirko Nozzolillo in Rome since September final yr. “I’m happy because swimming three times under 30 is important. It’s certainly the beginning of a journey after a year full of changes. I would have liked to win, but that’s okay and… I’m never going back to Paris.”

Mona McSharry swam an Irish report of 29.95 for bronze as the primary three dwelling had been separated by simply 0.02. She leaves Paris with a medal in every of the three breaststroke occasions, together with 100 silver.

“It’s crazy,” she stated. “I didn’t even realise that (it was so close), I kind of just looked for my own spot and I saw, again, the three little red dots on the block. I was like, oh, wow, I actually did it. I felt really good in that one, I think the heat and semi felt a little off the first 25m, and I was like, I just need to trust myself that I go for it, and I did. I happily got my hand on the wall first, and I think it just shows that you’re never out of the race.”

Men’s 200IM

Hubert Kos gained the titles in 2022 and 2024 however it was Hugo Gonzalez – the 2021 champion – who’d booked lane 4 with a CR within the semis.

Kos went out quick and was 0.88 inside WR tempo at midway though he’d fallen virtually a second outdoors after the breaststroke leg.

Gonzalez had made inroads into the deficit and got here at Kos down the ultimate 50 with the Hungarian digging into each final reserve to get his hand to the wall in a CR 1:54.24 to 1:54.44. Mikhail Shcherbakov of the Neutral Athletes set a WJR/EJR of 1:56.16 for bronze.

Whereas Gonzalez set the CR in semis, Kos’ profitable effort was the swiftest in a closing, surpassing by 2.42secs the earlier quickest of 1:56.66 by fellow Hungarian László Cseh whose report stood from Debrecen 2012. Kos additionally surpassed Cseh within the nationwide report books, downing his 1:55.18 from 2009.

It was additionally a Spanish report for Gonzalez.

Women’s 200 Fly

No British lady had ever gained a gold or silver medallist on this occasion however Keanna MacInnes set in regards to the race with clear conviction.

First at 50m and 1.04secs inside European report tempo at midway, the University of Stirling swimmer dug deep into all her reserves to take the title in 2:05.90, including gold to her double silver on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“I was focusing on being more relaxed to 100 because at the Commonwealth Games I was fast to 100 but it wasn’t necessarily relaxed,” stated MacInnes. “Whereas I was even faster there and it felt good to 100, so that’s definitely positive. And I knew I was in the lead at 150 and I honestly didn’t really see Helena Bach sneaking up on me down in that last 50, but for me it was a race to the 2:05 anyway, so that was the target I had for this season, so I just had my head down into the wall anyway.”

Reigning champion Helena Rosendahl Bach made inroads down the ultimate 50 however she by no means actually threatened the Briton and added silver to her Belgrade 2024 gold in 2:06.14. Laura Cabanes Garzas (2:07.41) took third whereas Ellen Walshe was fourth, the ultimate flip and final 50 cost that served her so properly en-route to the IM double falling shy in 2:07.40.

Men 100 Back

Olympic champion and world report holder Thomas Ceccon led at midway with Pavel Samusenko in second.

But it was Apostolos Christou of Greece that acquired his hand to the wall by a hair’s breadth taking the title in 52.27 to Ceccon’s 52.28 with Samusenko third in 52.57. It was a second straight title for Christou and his sixth consecutive medal within the occasion.

Christou gained 200 again silver two years in the past throughout town at La Defense Arena on the 2024 Olympics and has additionally gained world bronze within the shorter race however extending his run from his maiden journey to the European podium since his first go to at London 2016 was paramount to the 29-year-old.

“The main thing I wanted I achieved, to be on the podium in a row since 2016,” he informed the Hellenic Swimming Federation. “When I got here right here I didn’t care in regards to the color. But with the Olympic gold medallist subsequent to me and doing this efficiency, I really feel much more lovely and happy with myself. I reached 50m in fourth, that’s how I had deliberate it, to have power on the finish, I modified the tempo, I counterattacked and my choice was proper.

“All the effort and hard work I have done is reflected. The patience I have had in recent years despite the 2024 medal, to continue to star, win medals and above all to inspire the team and show that we can achieve things, as Apostolos (Siskos) and many guys who surpassed themselves did.”

Women’s 400 Free

Maya Werner, Isabel Gose and Simona Quadarella pulled away on the midway mark. Gose, the 2022 champion, went to the top of the sector and led Quadarella by 0.33 on the closing flip.

The Italian, nonetheless, pulled on to the German’s shoulder with the ladies going stroke for stroke earlier than Quadarella moved forward and touched in 4:01.34 to clinch a golden hat-trick, including the 400 to her 800 and 1500 titles.

Her time was a championship report, surpassing the 4:01.53 customary held by fellow Italian and swimming legend Federica Pellegrini since Eindhoven 2008.

Gose was second in 4:02.41 with Werner third in 4:03.73.

It was an eleventh particular person European title for Quadarella, who strikes one away from Alex Popov who gained 10 titles throughout the 50 and 100 freestyle. She’s very a lot rubbing shoulders with luminaries of the game with solely Sarah Sjöström (16), Laszlo Cseh (14) and Katinka Hosszu (13) having a bigger golden assortment.

“I didn’t really think I would win this race, but then in the end I thought ‘I’ll try,” stated Quadarella. “I didn’t expect it either. The thing that impresses me is the consistency, being able to stay there even with some difficulties like in the 1500. In the 400 I couldn’t express myself well, now I’ve found the right key to do it. It is a special gold, one of the most special. I’m very happy with how I conducted the race. The last 50 don’t get ready: give everything you have. I was a child in 2018. Now I have a different awareness. I hoped for it, but I didn’t expect it. I don’t know if I would have sprinted in the last 50 before. I feel like thanking my family and my coach. Gianluca (Belfiore) even after the 1500 beyond the gold was aware that I could give more and he was disappointed. We talked about it in a very mature and balanced way and I was very pleased.”

 

Men’s 400 Free

Olympic and world champion and world record-holder Lukas Märtens had solely simply squeaked into the ultimate by a hair’s breadth and was down in lane eight.

Leon Marchand was in lane six and went out like a rocket, main after 100 and on the midway stage by when Oliver Klemet had began consuming into the deficit with Zalan Sarkany conserving the Frenchman firm within the adjoining lane.

Marchand saved going on the head of the sector and at any time when his benefit was being whittled down, he restored it along with his turns and underwaters.

He got here dwelling for his second gold of the meet in 3:43.14 as an exultant crowd celebrated. Behind him Oliver Papai – the 16-year-old born in December 2009 – was charging down the ultimate 50 and acquired silver in 3:44.46 with Märtens coming from fifth on the closing flip to take bronze in 3:44.57.

“It was a new race for me in the 400m freestyle, I really enjoyed it,” stated Marchand. “I tried to start a little fast and see what happens. I’m happy because I had some left in my legs for the last 100m. Fortunately because it was coming back. Strategically, there are a lot of things I can improve but I’m European champion in the 400m freestyle and I can’t ask for much more.”

 Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay

Italy led by the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and till the ultimate metres when Freya Colbert edged forward of Emma Manicucci to clinch gold for Great Britain in a CR and nationwide mark of three:53.50.

Splits:

59.67: Lauren Cox

1:03.75: Angharad Evans

56.81: Keanna MacInnes

53.27: Freya Colbert

Italy had been second in 3:53.60 and the NAB third in 3:53.79.

Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay

An absolute thriller of a race which embodied the ebb and circulate of relays ended with the NAB clinching the ultimate title of the seven-day meet, as Egor Kornev break up 46.85 to steer them to a 3:28.67 victory.

Italy had been second in 3:28.86 with France third in 3:29.03 as Marchand gained his second medal of the session with a 49.64 fly leg and a 46.91 anchor by Maxime Grousset. Great Britain had been fourth in 3:29.11.