2026 European Championships Previews: A Actual Battle For The Podium Places In Males’s 4×100 Medley

European Swimming Championships

BY THE NUMBERS – MEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY

• World Record: 3:26.78– USA (2021)
• European Record: 3:26.93 – Neutral Athletes B (2025)
• Championship Record: 3:28.46 – Italy (2022)
• 2025 World Champion: Neutral Athletes B, 3:26.93
• 2024 European Champion: Austria, 3:33.41

The males’s 4×100 medley relay was gained by Great Britain at 4 Championships in a row between 2014 and 2021, however Italy took the crown in Rome in 2022 earlier than Austria gained the title two years in the past at a lightly-attended pre-Olympic meet.

We look prone to have a brand new winner once more, however this time it is not going to be the host nation – Leon Marchand‘s adductor harm has dominated him out of swimming breaststroke, and the French might battle to make the rostrum simply 12 months on from profitable silver on the World Championships.

The Hot Favorites

With Marchand out of the breaststroke occasions on physician’s orders subsequent week, Russia/NAB seem like essentially the most full nation. They have two elite backstrokers to select from, two elite breaststrokers, two 50-point fly swimmers, and one of many high younger dash freestyle abilities on the anchor.

Last yr’s backstroker Miron Lifintsev is lacking the championships to rehab a shoulder harm, however Kliment Kolesnikov has been 52.51 this season and was 52.02 final yr. He has a lifetime better of 51.82, and in contrast to final summer season there isn’t any conflict with the 50 again on the ultimate day. Pavel Samusenko is an in a position backup, with a season better of 52.72 and a lifetime better of 52.40 from final season.

Kirill Prigoda had the quickest cut up within the area final summer season with a 57.92, and was even quicker on the blended medley relay with a 57.56. He has solely been 59.30 to this point this season, however set a brand new Russian document of 58.53 within the semi-finals in Singapore. Ivan Kozhakin, who cut up 58.72 within the heats final yr, has lowered his lifetime finest to 58.91 this season.

Roman Shevliakov (50.70) and Andrei Minakov (50.87) are in rivalry for the fly leg, with Shevliakov having the sting this season 51.15 to 51.37. Minakov was on the finals relay final summer season and threw down a 50.17 cut up after clocking 50.68 in prelims. Egor Kornev, who set a brand new Russian document of 46.96 within the 100 free in June, will anchor after a wickedly-fast 46.40 cut up final summer season, the #7 efficiency in historical past.

They in all probability hand over to Kornev with a lead, and he appears to be the very best anchor of all of the opponents regardless. Great Britain gained 4 titles in a row between 2014 and 2021, and this appears to be the beginning of one other dynasty.

Fighting For Silver

Italy had been undone by their fly leg final yr, and are the best-equipped amongst this group of three to say silver and probably problem Russia. In Thomas Ceccon they’ve the 100 again world document holder, and he led off in 51.80 on the World Championships final yr.

He has solely been 53.16 to this point this season, however scratched the occasion on the Sette Colli and has solely swum it as soon as in lengthy course to this point this season. He will should be again in 52-low-or-better kind for this relay to face an opportunity, as their next-fastest backstroker is Michele Lamberti at 53.74.

The breaststroke leg has a number of choices, with Simone Cerasuolo setting a brand new lifetime better of 58.82 on the Italian Championships, however Nicolo Martinenghi being a lock for the ultimate lately. He cut up 58.42 final summer season, which Ludovico Art Viberti clocking 58.65 within the heats. Any a type of three appears a good selection, and needs to be the very best within the area after Prigoda.

Federico Burdisso cut up 51.17 within the ultimate on the fly leg final yr, half a second off the 50.69 he swam within the heats and the 50.63 he clocked in 2022 as Italy gained the World Championship title. He has solely been 51.91 this season, with Michele Busa (51.57) the second-fastest Italian after Ceccon. Lorenzo Gargani (51.77) and Alberto Razzetti (51.92) are different choices, however a 51-flat could be return from this leg.

There are not any such qualms on the freestyle leg, the place, barring disaster, Carlos D’Ambrosio will reprise his position from final summer season. He cut up 47.33, considered one of 4 47-low splits on the World Championships final summer season, and has a season better of 47.83. He needs to be in place to convey this crew house for silver.

France have two of the very best legs within the area with Yohann Ndoye-Brouard on the leadoff and Maxime Grousset on fly, however Leon Marchand is not going to be swimming breaststroke and they’re in determined want of a freestyler. One of Nans Mazellier (48.87), Cedric Gabali (48.82), and Sauveur Cristofini (48.99) may cut up 48-low, however that will not be sufficient with Carl Aitkaci an unknown amount on breaststroke and nearly sure to be slower than Marchand’s 58.44 cut up final summer season.

Grousset can also be coming off an harm which will mood the extent of his lead over the sector on the fly leg. If he isn’t in 49-low form once more France may very well be in hassle.

Great Britain had been fifth on the Paris Olympics and sixth on the world championships final summer season, making it three main meets in a row and not using a medal having gained one each summer season since 2014. They have Adam Ramsay-Peaty again on breaststroke this summer season, with Filip Nowacki additionally an possibility after a 58.85 cut up on the Commonwealth Games, and Ed Mildred has improved on the fly leg this season.

Ollie Morgan doesn’t look fairly as swift as final season, along with his season better of 52.41 three tenths off the 52.12 British document he clocked final April, however he was solely 52.74 on this relay in Singapore. Similarly, the return of Matt Richards on the anchor leg may very well be value half a second with Duncan Scott clocking a 47.70 final yr.

The English crew did publish a time of  3:30.68 on the Commonwealth Games, which might be a strong time in Paris subsequent week. That was with a 53.20 leadoff from Morgan and a 47.70 anchor from Jacob Mills – Morgan being nearer to his finest and the addition of Matt Richards may very well be value a second and a half, which at 3:29-low seemingly places them past something that France can muster this yr.

With neither France nor Great Britain trying totally convincing, there is a chance for Germany to sneak into the rostrum dialog. They have been seeking a backstroker, however Kaii Winkler dropping right down to a 53.22 provides them a strong leg there, they usually have Lucas Matzerath or European champion Melvin Imoudu on breaststroke, Luca Armbruster on butterfly, and Olympic finalist Joshua Salchow on freestyle.

With the caveat that solely Armbruster has usually been higher on a flying begin than from a flat begin, if all breaks proper they may very well be in place for bronze. Germany positioned seventh on the 2024 Olympic Games however had been disqualified on the World Championships and are available in with some extent to show.

Missing Pieces

The Netherlands have an elite breaststroker in Caspar Corbeau (59.03), a strong backstroker in Kai Van Westering (53.51) and a brand new dash freestyle star in Sean Niewold (47.80) Unfortunately for them, the butterfly swimmer they should tie every little thing collectively, Nyls Korstanje, is lacking by way of harm.

The finest alternative occurs to be their freestyler, and shifting him to fly and having Merlin Belmon anchor appears to be the quickest mixture for them, regardless of Belmon (48.90) being over a second slower than Niewold to this point this season. Niewold has a season and lifelong better of 51.83 within the 100 fly, however set a brand new Dutch document of twenty-two.69 within the 50 fly at Dutch Trials and may very well be quicker within the 100 in Paris.

Spain will not be essentially lacking a single key piece, however their center two legs are a rung under their backstroker and freestyler. Hugo Gonzalez is the quickest leadoff by lifetime finest, with a 52.70 from the 2024 World Championships, however Ivan Martinez Sota is almost a second quicker than him to this point this season with a 53.26. Luka Hoek Le Guenedal (47.72) and Cesar Castro (47.98) will seemingly be duelling for the anchor leg.

On breaststroke they may have nationwide document holder Nil Cadevall Micolau, however his lifetime finest is just one:00.30 and this shall be his first main worldwide lengthy course meet. Isak Fernandez Rodrigo has lowered his lifetime finest within the 100 fly to 52.29 this season, however he’s solely 19 and can lose floor to the highest nations.

Either one of many above may discover a hidden gem and problem, however the extra seemingly final result is that they make the ultimate however are combating close to the underside of the standings once they get there.

Final Contenders

Austria gained gold on the European Championships in 2024, profitable an exciting race with Poland and Ukraine. They return all 4 swimmers from that relay, however are prone to swim European U23 100 breast champion Luka Mladenovic on the second leg after he cut up 59.08 final summer season. Heiko Gigler and Simon Bucher are strong choices on the entrance half, however Bernhard Reitshammer has solely been 54.58 this season within the 100 again and could also be supplanted by Max Halbeisen (54.55). Whichever one swims, Austria might want to dig themselves out of a gap.

Poland had been tenth on the World Championships final summer season, however have a longtime quartet with three finalist-level swimmers and a World University Games medalist in Dawid Wiekiera on breaststroke. Jakub Majerski, the 2024 World Championships bronze medalist, will swim fly, with 200 free Polish document holder and 2025 World Championship finalist Kamil Sieradzki on free.

Ksawery Masiuk has the backstroke leg locked down, however has been noticeably slower on this relay than in his particular person occasions. If he’s close to his Polish document of 52.55 and Majerski is beneath 51 seconds on fly, they might shatter their nationwide document of three:32.62.

SwimSwam’s Picks

Dark Horse – Greece

Greece has been trying to find a breaststroker for what looks like eons, however they lastly have one within the type of 18-year-old Evangelos Efraim Ntoumas. He set a brand new Greek document of 59.77 on the World Junior Championships final summer season and has been 59.91 this season to win gold on the European Junior Championships, and offers Greece an actual probability at making the ultimate. Apostolos Christou is without doubt one of the finest 100 backstrokers on this planet, and Andreas Vazaios set a brand new Greek document within the 100 free this May – if Konstantinos Emmanouli Stamou can slice a while off his lifetime better of 52.55 within the 100 fly, which is barely 0.14 seconds off the Greek document, the decade-old Greek 4×100 medley relay document of three:34.41 may go down.