Katinka Hosszu won her third and fourth individual gold medals of the 2017 LEN European Short Course Championships on Friday night in Copenhagen, Denmark. Dutch sprint queen Ranomi Kromowidjojo also snagged two more golds, with an upset victory over Sarah Sjöström in the 100m freestyle and by leading her relay team to a WORLD RECORD. 

Russia stars Kliment Kolesnikov and Vlad Morozov also came within hundredths of a second from breaking world records in their respective events, dominating their competition with 48.99 (100 back) and 20.31 (50 free) wins. Russia leads the medal table with six golds.

2017 LEN European Short Course Championships

December 13-17

Copenhagen, Denmark

Royal Arena

Short Course Meters (25m)

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LIVE RESULTS

Men 50m Freestyle

RECORDS

World Record: 20.26 – Florent Manaudou (FRA), 2014

World Junior Record: 21.24 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017

European Record: 20.26 – Florent Manaudou (FRA), 2014

Championship Record: 20.48 – Amaury Leveaux (FRA), 2008

Semifinals

Russian sprint sensation Vlad Morozov is showing he is still improving with a personal best time and new championship record in the semifinals, to lead three swimmers under 21 seconds for the final later on in the session. 

1. Vlad Morozov (RUS) – 20.45 [Championship Record]
2. Ben Proud (GBR) – 20.70
3. Pawel Juraszek (POL) – 20.95
4. Sergei Fesikov (RUS) – 21.00
5. Luca Dotto (ITA) – 21.04
6. Konrad Czerniak (POL) – 21.09
7. Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE) – 21.14
8. Marco Orsi (ITA) – 21.23

Final

Morozov well and truly established his dominance as the best short course sprinter in the world right now with a commanding 20.31 win and another championship record — a mere 0.05 off the previously thought unattainable world record from the now retired Florent Manaudou. This is a good sign for Morozov’s only other individual race this week, the 100m IM, in which he will certainly attack his own WR. 

In a very fast final, Ben Proud and Luca Dotto swam national-record times to reach the podium.

1. Vlad Morozov (RUS) – 20.31 [Championship Record]
2. Ben Proud (RUS) – 20.66
3. Luca Dotto (ITA) – 20.78

Women's 100m Freestyle

RECORDS

World Record: 50.25 – Cate Campbell (AUS), 2017

World Junior Record: 52.01 – Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 2016

European Record: 50.58 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017

Championship Record: 51.35 – Inge Dekker (NED), 2009

Final

In a tight battle, the Netherlands’ Ranomi Kromowidjojo shot out to a fast start and just held on for the win over 2017 Female Swimmer of the Year Sarah Sjöström. The 24-year-old Sjöström is not having her best meet here in Copenhagen, after dominating the World Cup circuit and the long course scene before that — she is still yet to win a gold medal here after three nights of racing. Denmark’s poster girl, Pernille Blume, swam into bronze. 

1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) – 50.95 [Championship Record]
2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 51.03
3. Pernille Blume (DEN) – 51.63

Men 100m Breaststroke

RECORDS

World Record: 55.61 – Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 2009

World Junior Record: 57.61 – Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2015

European Record: 56.16 – Oleg Kostin (RUS), 2017

Championship Record: 56.29 -- Robin van Aggele (NED), 2009

Semifinals

It was records galore in the men’s 100m breaststroke, first with Adam Peaty taking the win and championship records in semifinal 1, only for 200m champion Kirill Prigoda to break that and claim the European record in semifinal 2, with a 56.02 performance that could see him challenge the 55.61 WR from Cameron van der Burgh in Saturday night’s final. Italian junior star Nicolo Martinenghi also took off 0.01 from the world junior record. 

1. Kirill Prigoda (RUS) – 56.02 [European, Championship Records]
2. Adam Peaty (GBR) – 56.24 [Championship Record, Semifinal 1]
3. Arno Kamminga (NED) – 56.60
4. Fabio Scozzoli (ITA) – 56.67
5. Fabian Schwingenschoegl (GER) – 56.87
6. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) – 56.89
7. Ross Murdoch (GBR) – 57.55
8. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 57.60 [World Junior Record]

Women 200m Backstroke

RECORDS

World Record: 1:59.23 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014

World Junior Record: 2:00.03

European Record: 1:59.23 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014

Championship Record: 1:59.84 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015

Final

Katinka Hosszu collected her third gold medal of the championships with another wire-to-wire win that we have been accustomed to seeing from her at this meet. Her winning time was well outside her own WR but more than good enough to swim to another European crown. 

1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:01.59
2. Daryna Zevina (UKR) – 2:02.27
3. Margherita Panziera (ITA) – 2:02.43

Men 200m IM

RECORDS

World Record: 1:49.63 – Ryan Lochte (USA), 2012

World Junior Record: 1:52.48

European Record: 1:51.36 – Laszlo Cseh (HUN), 2015

Championship Record: 1:51.36 – Laszlo Cseh (HUN), 2015

Final

Germany’s Philip Heintz added another European crown to his collection, swimming a huge 26.4 freestyle leg to come from fourth into gold. Seventeen-year-old Norwegian junior star Tomoe Zenimoto Hvas led at the 100m mark, on the way to a new massive personal best and bronze medal. 

1. Philip Heintz (GER) – 1:52.41
2. Andreas Vazaios (GRE) – 1:53.27
3. Tomoe Zenimoto Hvas (NOR) – 1:54.16

Women 200m Butterfly

RECORDS

World Record: 1:59.61 – Mirea Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2014

World Junior Record: 2:02.96 – Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN), 2017

European Record: 1:59.61 – Mirea Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2014

Championship Record: 2:01.52 – Mirea Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2013

Final

Germany claimed two gold medals in a row, with Franziska Hentke controlling the race for victory in the 200m butterfly. She held off a late challenge from Italian veteran Ilaria Bianchi, who collected silver and a personal best time. 

1. Franziska Hentke (GER) – 2:03.92
2. Ilaria Bianchi (ITA) – 2:04.22
3. Lara Grangeon (FRA) – 2:04.31

Women 100m Breaststroke

RECORDS

World Record: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013 / Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2014

World Junior Record: 1:02.36

European Record: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013 

Championship Record: 1:02.92 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013

Semifinals

A tight battle will ensue in Saturday night’s 100m breast final, with just 0.51 separating the eight women through semifinals. 50m medalists from earlier in the week, Jenna Laukkanen and Ruta Meilutyte, will start favorites ahead of more 200m specialist swimmers, Jessica Vall Montero, and Denmark’s own Rikke Moeller Pedersen. 

1. Jenna Laukkanen (FIN) – 1:04.89
2. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:04.95
3. Jessica Vall Montero (ESP) – 1:05.04
4. Rikke Moeller Pedersen (DEN) – 1:05.22
5. Fanny Lecluyse (BEL) – 1:05.31
6. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA) – 1:05.37
7. Sophie Hannson (SWE) – 1:05.39
8. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 1:05.40

Men's 100m Backstroke

RECORDS

World Record: 48.92 – Matthew Grevers (USA), 2015

World Junior Record: 49.84 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017

European Record: 48.95 – Stanislav Donets (RUS), 2010

Championship Record: 48.97 – Stanislav Donets/Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS), 2009

Final

Junior star Kliment Kolesnikov has definitely announced himself into the senior rankings, with the 17-year-old coming within 0.07 off the WR in Friday's 100m backstroke final. Out in a blazing 23.50 – half a second faster than he was in the semifinal – Kolesnikov became just the third man under 49 in textile and claimed his third gold of the week in Copenhagen. 

Italy’s Simone Sabbioni had a great swim to break the national record for silver, and Romanian/USC swimmer Robert Glinta broke 50 seconds for bronze. 

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 48.99 [World Junior Record]
2. Simone Sabbioni (ITA) – 49.68
3. Robert Glinta (ROU) – 49.99

Women's 100m IM

RECORDS

World Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2017

World Junior Record: 57.75 – Rikako Ikee (JPN), 2017

European Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2017

Championship Record: 56.67 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015

Final

Hosszu pressed her own WR time, falling just 0.46 seconds short, on her way to a fourth gold medal in these championships. Sjöström picked up her second silver medal of the night in 57.92. 

1. Katinka Hosszu – 56.97
2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 57.92
3. Susann Bjoernsen (NOR) – 59.26

Men's 1500m Freestyle

RECORDS

World Record: 14:08.06 – Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 2015

World Junior Record: 14:27.78

European Record: 14:08.06 – Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 2015

Championship Record: 14:08.06 – Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 2015

Final

Ukrainian distance hero Mykhailo Romanchuk got the first major win of his career, and more importantly over rival Gregorio Paltrinieri, in the distance event in Copenhagen. Romanchuk trailed Paltrinieri for the first 400m but split the race beautifully in 4:44/4:44/4:45 500m sections, to pull away for a comfortable victory. He is now the third-fastest performer in history.

1. Mykhalilo Romanchuk (UKR) – 14:14.59
2. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 14:22.93
3. Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 14:25.66

Women 4x50m Free Relay

RECORDS

World Record: 1:34.24 – Netherlands, 2014

World Junior Record: 1:40.59

European Record: 1:33.25 – Netherlands, 2009

Championship Record: 1:33.25 – Netherlands, 2009

Final

The Dutch sprint queens dominated this race start to finish, with Kromowidjojo getting them out to a huge lead with a 23.42 leadoff split. More 23s followed from Femke Heemskerk (23.19), Tamar van Vliet (23.65), and Valerie van Roon (23.65) to power them to a two-second win and the first WORLD RECORD of the championships. (NOTE: the championship and European record from 2009 is faster than FINAs ratified WR as at that stage FINA, but not LEN, had already banned polyurethane bodysuits).

1. Netherlands – 1:33.91 [World Record]
2. Sweden – 1:35.92
3. Denmark – 1:36.02

By Bobby Hurley