Greece Celebrates Another Win at European Swimming Championships

by · Greek City Times

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

Greece celebrated its second medal at the European Swimming Championships in Paris on Friday (August 15), with Apostolos Siskos producing another outstanding performance.

After winning the expected silver medal in the 200m backstroke, Siskos claimed a surprising bronze in the 200m butterfly. The 21-year-old also smashed the Greek national record he had set just one day earlier in the semi-finals.

Siskos arrived in Paris with a personal and national record of 1:56.13, set in May. He needed a major improvement simply to reach the final, and he delivered in Thursday’s semi-final with a time of 1:55.55.

He went even faster in the final.

Siskos entered the final 50 metres in sixth place but produced another exceptional finish to surge into third with 1:54.13. He lowered his previous national record by almost two seconds.

Hungary’s Richard Marton held on for silver in 1:54.06, while French superstar and Olympic champion Leon Marchand dominated the race to win gold in 1:51.72.

The result further strengthens Siskos’ status as one of the world’s leading young backstroke swimmers. He has now won two consecutive European silver medals in the 200m backstroke and reached two successive World Championship finals, but his unexpected butterfly bronze shows that his potential extends well beyond his specialist event.

Christou Reaches Another Final

Apostolos Christou also advanced to the final of the men’s 100m backstroke, finishing third in his semi-final in 52.94.

The Greek finished narrowly behind neutral athlete Georgiy Yakovlev, who clocked 52.89, and Italian Olympic and world champion Thomas Ceccon, who posted 52.93.

The three swimmers recorded the fastest times overall in the semi-finals.

Christou, the reigning European champion, can produce a significantly faster time in Saturday’s final at 20:06 and will aim to secure his sixth consecutive medal in the event.

World Record for Liebmann

The sixth day of competition also produced a remarkable world record in the men’s 1,500m freestyle.

Nineteen-year-old German Johannes Liebmann stormed to victory in 14:26.79, destroying Bobby Finke’s previous world record of 14:30.67, set on August 4, 2024, when the American won Olympic gold in Paris.

Liebmann claimed his second gold medal of the championships after also winning the 800m freestyle. Hungary’s Zalan Sarkany took silver in 14:39.45, while Germany’s Oliver Klemet won bronze in 14:40.64.

French Double in the Women’s 100m Backstroke

France’s Marie-Emre Molie became European champion in the women’s 100m backstroke while setting a new European record.

The 21-year-old clocked 57.94, improving the 57.99 record she had set four days earlier in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.

Dutch swimmer Marrit Steenbergen finished second in 58.46, earning her sixth medal of the championships, while France’s Pauline Mahieu took bronze in 58.77.

Wasik Edges Sjostrom in 50m Freestyle

Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick denied Sarah Sjostrom the sprint double in butterfly and freestyle, winning the women’s 50m freestyle by just two hundredths of a second.

Wasick touched in 23.84, with Swedish star Sjostrom taking silver in 23.86. Italy’s Sara Curtis won bronze in 23.99, giving her country its first medal in the event.

Sjostrom returned to major competition after giving birth and missed the opportunity to add another European title to her impressive collection.

Martinenghi Completes Breaststroke Double

Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi also completed a championship double, following his 100m breaststroke victory with gold in the 50m.

The Olympic champion won in 26.57, while teammates Simone Cerasuolo and the Netherlands’ Koen de Groot shared silver after both finished in 26.62.

Walsh Wins Second Gold

Ireland’s Ellen Walsh secured her second gold medal of the championships by winning the women’s 200m individual medley in 2:09.81.

Walsh, who had already won the 400m individual medley, became the only finalist to break 2:10. Italy’s Anita Gastaldi took silver in 2:10.07, while Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk claimed bronze in 2:10.10.

Britain Wins Mixed 4x200m Freestyle

Great Britain confirmed its dominance in the mixed 4x200m freestyle relay, winning gold in a championship-record 7:24.13.

Germany finished second in 7:25.43, while the neutral Russian team took bronze in 7:26.35.

Britain has now won the event three times in four appearances, having missed the 2024 championships.

Two More Greek Swimmers Miss Finals

Georgia Damasioti finished 11th overall in the women’s 200m butterfly semi-finals after clocking 2:11.06.

The Greek finished fifth in her semi-final and missed the final, which required 2:09.95. Damasioti holds the Greek national record at 2:08.39, set last year.

Daniel Giourtzidis also ended his European campaign in the semi-finals of the men’s 200m individual medley. His time of 2:00.86 left him eighth in his semi-final and 15th overall.

Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez set a championship record of 1:56.61 and will face a strong challenge in Saturday’s final from Hungary’s Hubert Kos, who clocked 1:56.73, and 18-year-old neutral athlete Mikhail Shcherbakov, who posted 1:57.37.

The men’s 50m freestyle final also promises a close battle, with Ukraine’s 19-year-old Nikita Sheremet leading the semi-final qualifiers in 21.38. Neutral athlete Egor Kornev followed in 21.44, while Ukraine’s Vladyslav Bukhov, the 2024 world champion, recorded 21.51.

Key Results — Day Six

Men’s 200m Butterfly

  1. Leon Marchand (France) — 1:51.72
  2. Richard Marton (Hungary) — 1:54.06
  3. Apostolos Siskos (Greece) — 1:54.13

Men’s 50m Breaststroke

  1. Nicolo Martinenghi (Italy) — 26.57
  2. Koen de Groot (Netherlands) — 26.62
  3. Simone Cerasuolo (Italy) — 26.62

Men’s 1,500m Freestyle

  1. Johannes Liebmann (Germany) — 14:26.79 — World Record
  2. Zalan Sarkany (Hungary) — 14:39.45
  3. Oliver Klemet (Germany) — 14:40.64

Women’s 50m Freestyle

  1. Katarzyna Wasick (Poland) — 23.84
  2. Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden) — 23.86
  3. Sara Curtis (Italy) — 23.99

Women’s 200m Individual Medley

  1. Ellen Walsh (Ireland) — 2:09.81
  2. Anita Gastaldi (Italy) — 2:10.07
  3. Roos Vanotterdijk (Belgium) — 2:10.10

Women’s 100m Backstroke

  1. Marie-Emre Molie (France) — 57.94 — European Record
  2. Marrit Steenbergen (Netherlands) — 58.46
  3. Pauline Mahieu (France) — 58.77

Mixed 4x200m Freestyle

  1. Great Britain — 7:24.13 — Championship Record
  2. Germany — 7:25.43
  3. Neutral Team/Russia — 7:26.35

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.