2026 European Junior Championships: Day Six Finals Dwell Recap

2026 EUROPEAN JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

We’ve lastly arrived on the final day of motion on the 2026 European Junior Swimming Championships.

Through the primary 5 days, we’ve been handled to some high-octane racing and spectacular outcomes from swimmers on each the women’ and boys’ aspect, with tonight’s agenda anticipated to convey us much more fireworks.

In addition to a plethora of particular person occasions, together with the boys’ and ladies’ 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke, the session might be topped off by their respective medley relays.

GIRLS 200 IM – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 2:06.56, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2024
• European Junior Record: 2:10.32, Amalie Smith (GBR), 2026
• Championship Record: 2:12.41, Leah Schlosshan (GBR), 2023
• 2025 European Junior Champion: 2:12.62, Amalie Smith (GBR)

GOLD – Barbara Lesniewska (POL), 2:12.45
SILVER – Viktoriia Tarannikova (NA), 2:14.10
BRONZE – Anna Rzaeva (NA), 2:14.44

Nothing too loopy transpired within the last of the women’ 200m IM however our winner, Barbara Lesniewska of Poland, did rating the decisive victory.

16-year-old Lesniewska obtained to the wall in a time of two:12.45, beating two Neutral Athletes by properly over a second.

Viktoriia Tarannikova completed with the silver in 2:14.10, whereas teammate Anna Rzaeva rounded out the rostrum in 2:14.44.

Lesniewska’s effort marks a major private finest, taking on the earlier PB of two:13.20 she registered on the Barcelona cease of this yr’s Mare Nostrum Tour.

BOYS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 52.08, Miron Lifintsev (RUS), 2024
• European Junior Record: 52.08, Miron Lifintsev (RUS), 2024
• Championship Record: 52.91, Ksawery Masiuk (POL), 2022
• 2025 European Junior Champion: John Shortt (IRL), 54.09

GOLD – Mikhail Shcherbakov (NA), 53.99
SILVER – Nathan Muratory (FRA), 54.00
BRONZE – Chrissander Cerda (FRA), 54.52

A swimming race doesn’t get any nearer than this, as the highest two boys’ 100m backstroke performers wound up being separated by simply .01.

When the mud settled, it was Neutral Athlete Mikhail Shcherbakov who obtained the job executed, reaching the wall in a stable outing of 53.99.

Frenchman and University of Michigan commit Nathan Muratory settled for silver after profitable the 200m again earlier within the meet. Muratory touched in 54.00.

His teammate Chrissander Cerda additionally landed on the rostrum in 54.52, ok for bronze.

Shcherbakov break up 26.29/27.70 on his strategy to nabbing the 2nd-best time of his profession and simply the 2nd outing beneath the 54-second barrier. The Russian’s private finest stays on the 53.54 logged this previous April.

As for Muratory, the 17-year-old has been as swift as 53.45 in his profession from this previous May, with tonight’s efficiency checking in as his #2 quickest.

The area was proper across the identical stage as final yr, with the 2025 winner, John Shortt of Ireland, nabbing gold in 54.09.

GIRLS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA), 2019
• European Junior Record: 59.08, Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR), 2020
• Championship Record: 59.62, Polina Egorova (RUS), 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Daria Silișteanu (ROU), 1:00.40

GOLD – Irene Ciercoles (ESP), 1:00.06
SILVER – Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu (ROU), 1:00.11
BRONZE – Jeanne Lechevalier (FRA), 1:00.35

The ladies’ 100m backstroke was practically as shut, with winner Irene Ciercoles of Spain and runner-up Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu separated by solely .05 of their battle to the wall.

France’s Jeanne Lechevalier rounded out the rostrum not far behind, clocking 1:00.35 for her nation.

In our day 5 medal desk roundup, we highlighted the truth that Spain, who completed third within the general medal desk eventually yr’s version of this competitors, was nonetheless looking for its first gold. And, 16-year-old Ciercoles made it occur tonight to assist Spain’s place as we transfer by this last day of swimming.

She picked the appropriate time to place up a private finest, together with her gold medal-worthy 1:00.06 slicing .04 off her former PB of 1:00.10 from final month.

And Ciercoles denied Silisteanu the gold, after the Romanian gained this occasion final yr in 1:00.40 along with claiming silver on the 2025 World Junior Championships in 1:00.02, the previous nationwide report earlier than the 17-year-old dropped it right down to a brilliant fast 59.63 this previous April.

BOYS 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 58.67, Shin Ohashi (JPN), 2026
• European Junior Record: 59.01, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• Championship Record: 59.23, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Filip Nowacki (GBR), 59.59

GOLD – Evangelos Efraim Ntoumas (GRE), 59.91
SILVER – Louis Hoffmann (GER), 1:00
BRONZE – Max Morgan (GBR), 1:00.41

Another nation earned its first gold medal of this competitors, with Greece’s rising star Evangelos Efrain Ntoumas delivering the highest spot within the boys’ 100m breaststroke.

Ntoumas upgraded his silver from final yr to gold, stopping the clock at 59.91 as the only swimmer within the area to delve into sub-minute territory.

Germany’s Louis Hoffman led the sector out of the semi-finals, however dropped down one spot to nonetheless safe the silver this night in 1:00.29, a brand new lifetime finest by .35.

Max Morgan of Great Britain additionally landed on the rostrum in 1:00.41 for the bronze, repeating his identical station from the 2025 World Junior Championships. There in Romania, Morgan turned in a time of 59.93.

BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 46.86, David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• European Junior Record: 46.86, David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• Championship Record: 47.30, David Popovici (ROU), 2021
• 2025 European Junior Champion: 48.25, Luca Hoek (ESP)

GOLD – Luca Hoek (ESP), 48.18
SILVER – Egor Proshin (NA), 48.49
BRONZE – Tajus Juska (LTU), 48.67

The high three performers out of final evening’s boys’ 100m freestyle semi-finals remained within the high tier, albeit in a unique order as soon as medals had been on the road.

Spanish nationwide report holder Luca Hoek gave his nation its second gold of the night, courtesy of the 48.18 he notched to high the rostrum on this thrilling occasion.

Neutral Athlete Egor Proshin had led the pack after final evening however dipped right down to the silver medal place in 48.49, .02 quicker than yesterday’s 48.51 semi-final.

17-year-old Tajus Juska bagged the bronze in 48.67, simply .10 outdoors what it took for the Lithuanian to earn the silver behind Hoek final yr.

Going again to Spaniard Hoek, the teenager represents the first-ever man from his nation to clear the 48-second barrier on this 1free occasion. While competing on the Spanish Open Championships final month, he set a lifetime better of 47.72 to nail the brand new nationwide commonplace and make historical past.

GIRLS 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• European Junior Record: 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• Championship Record: 1:05.48, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Smiltė Plytnykaitė (LTU), 1:07.21

GOLD – Sofia Anufrieva (NA), 1:08.10
SILVER – Kay-Lyn Lohr (SUI), 1:08.88
BRONZE –Lucia Gregoria Martinez (ESP), 1:09.11

Ukraine earned the highest two slots for tonight’s last of the women’ 100m breaststroke, however Iryna Miliutina and teammate Yana Klikotska discovered themselves within the sixth and eighth positions within the medal-contending affair.

Elevating herself from third seed to topping the rostrum was Neutral Athlete Sofia Anufrieva, clocking a time of 1:08.10.

That gave her a wholesome benefit over Switzerland’s Kay-Lyn Lohr, who doubled up together with her 200m breaststroke silver with one other runner-up placement on this shorter occasion in 1:08.88.

Spain continued to hold momentum, with Lucia Gregoria Martinez incomes the bronze in 1:09.11.

GIRLS 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 25.11, Rikako Ikee (JPN), 2018
• European Junior Record: 25.56, Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR), 2021
• Championship Record: 26.03, Andreanne Bourseul (FRA), 2026
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Flawia Kamzol (POL), 26.17

GOLD – Andreanne Bourseul (FRA), 26.19
SILVER – Carlota Rodriguez (ESP), 26.40
BRONZE – Jinth Engelse (NED), 26.49

Andreanne Bourseul of France added barely to the 26.03 Championship Record she placed on the books final evening, however nonetheless obtained it executed for gold within the ladies’ 50m butterfly occasion.

18-year-old Bourseul registered a profitable effort of 26.19 because the clear winner, with Carlota Rodriguez of Spain subsequent in line at 26.40, adopted by Dutch ace Jinth Engelse, who scored bronze in a mark of 26.49. Rodriguez’s time was simply off the 26.35 PB and Spanish nationwide report she put up final evening.

Entering this competitors, Bourseul’s lifetime finest checked in on the 26.24 she notched simply final month, so each final evening’s semi efficiency and right now’s gold medal-winning outing overtook that PB.

Engelse’s outing tonight tied the 26.49 from yesterday, together with her PB remaining on the 26.36 from only a week in the past.

BOYS 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 22.96, Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 2022
• European Junior Record: 22.96, Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 2022
• Championship Record: Dean Fern (GBR), 23.29, 2025
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Dean Fern (GBR), 23.29

GOLD – Jan Foltyn (CZE), 23.45
SILVER – David Antal (HUN), 23.59
BRONZE –Dean Fearn (GBR), 23.63

It was one other hard-fought battle to the wall to make the rostrum on this males’s 50m butterfly, an occasion wherein the highest three performers had been separated by solely .18.

18-year-old Jan Foltyn of Czechia delivered a powerful time of 23.45 to earn the gold, though he was faster final evening in 23.37.

Foltyn already gained the 50m freestyle at this competitors, and he’s quickly approaching the Czech nationwide report on this dash as properly. That benchmark stands on the 23.23 Daniel Gracík notched in 2024.

Hungarian David Antal upgraded himself from the third seed yesterday to snagging the silver in tonight’s last. 17-year-old Antal registered 23.59, faster than final evening’s effort of 23.73. His PB coming into this competitors checked in on the 23.67 notched this previous April.

18-year-old Dean Fearn of Great Britain secured the bronze in 23.63. Fearn gained this occasion each on the European Junior Championships (23.29) and on the World Junior Championships. (23.54), so he was a tad slower than his earlier elite worldwide competitors performances.

GIRLS 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:56.08, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• European Junior Record: 4:03.57, Ajna Kesely (HUN), 2018
• Championship Record: 4:05.89, Ajna Kesely (HUN), 2018
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Sofia Diakova, 4:07.06

GOLD – Kseniia Misharina (NA), 4:05.54 *Championship Record*
SILVER – Sofia Diakova (NA), 4:06.86
BRONZE – Linda Roth (GER), 4:08.20

We noticed our first Championship Record of the session go down, with Neutral Athlete Kseniia Misharina clocking a brand new meet commonplace on her strategy to profitable this ladies’s 400m freestyle occasion.

17-year-old Misharina delivered a mighty efficiency of 4:05.54, a brand new private finest by over a second, to seize the gold. In doing so the Russian overtook the longstanding Championship Record of 4:05.89 Hungary’s Ajna Kesely placed on the books on the 2018 European Junior Championships.

Teammate Sofia Diakova collected the silver tonight in 4:06.86, with Germany’s Linda Roth surging up from the fifth seed to earn the bronze tonight in 4:08.20.

Diakova is the reigning European Junior Championships gold medalist on this race, having produced a time of 4:07.06 final yr in Slovakia. Misharina was the runner-up, lower than half a second again in 4:07.52.

BOYS 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:42.82, Zhang Zhanshuo (CHN), 2025
• European Junior Record: 3:44.31, Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• Championship Record: 3:44.31, Petar Mitsin (BUL), 2023
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Gregorii Vekovishchev (NA), 3:48.71

GOLD – Grigorii Vekovishchev (NA), 3:44.58
SILVER – Oliver Papai (HUN), 3:47.88
BRONZE – Christian Giefing (AUT), 3:47.92

Neutral Athlete Grigorii Vekovishchev dominated the ultimate of the boys’ 400m freestyle, throwing down a blistering profitable time of three:44.58. That represents an enormous private finest, eliminating the three:46.16 he notched simply this previous April.

Vekovishchev’s outing fell simply .27 shy of the European Junior Record of three:44.31 Bulgaria’s Petar Mitsin placed on the books three yars in the past.

Hungarian maestro Oliver Papai secured the silver this night in 3:47.88, a mark solely .06 outdoors his fastest-ever efficiency of three:47.82 from simply final month.

Top-seeded Christian Giefing of Austria was moved right down to the bronze medal place, incomes a still-solid swim of three:47.92 as a brand new private finest by over a second.

GIRLS 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:58.38, Canada, 2017
• European Junior Record: 4:00.30, Russia, 2025
• Championship Record: 4:01.83, Russia, 2019
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Italy, 4:04.30

GOLD – Neutral Athletes, 4:01.83 *Championship Record*
SILVER – Italy, 4:02.75
BRONZE – Spain, 4:05.91

The Neutral Athletes delivered a strong efficiency on their strategy to gold within the ladies’ 4x100m medley relay, with their time of 4:01.83 matching the longstanding Championship Record Russia established in 2019.

Tonight, the mix of Varvara Filippova, Sofia Anufrieva, Serafima Fokina and Kira Manokina collectively climbed atop the rostrum, ripping notable splits on all 4 legs.

Filippova opened in 1:01.27, with Anufrieva persevering with the momentum with a second leg of 1:08.47. The fly portion noticed Fokina clock a break up of 58.83 earlier than Manokina unleashed an anchor of 53.26 to seize the gold.

Italy was the next-best squad in 4:02.75, with Spain additionally touchdown on the rostrum in 4:05.91, ok for the bronze.

BOYS 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:33.19, Russia, 2025
• European Junior Record: 3:33.19, Russia, 2025
• Championship Record: 3:35.24, Italy, 2017
• 2025 European Junior Champion: Great Britain, 3:38.09

GOLD – Italy, 3:35.59
SILVER – Neutral Athletes, 3:36.01
BRONZE – Great Britain, 3:36.39

Italy captured the ultimate gold medal of the 2026 European Junior Championships, with the boys’ 4x100m medley relay getting it executed for the nation in 3:35.59.

They beat Neutral Athletes by slightly below half a second, with NA hitting 3:36.01 for silver, adopted intently by Great Britain, final yr’s victors, who notched 3:36.39.

Italy’s lineup included Gabriele di Scola (55.25), Gabriele Garzia (1:00.52), Francesco Ceolin (51.60) and Cristian Tassan-Caser (48.22) to clinch the gold.

Additional notable splits got here from Mikhail Shcherbakov‘s lead-off 54.11, with Egor Proshin‘s anchor of 48.16.

Great Britain’s squad noticed Aran Bissett scorch an anchor of 48.08 to assist the staff earn bronze.