Swimmers impress at the European SC Swimming Championships 2012 - Part 1
After the completion of 2012 London Olympic Games and the seven-staged FINA World Cup Series, the season saw a prolonged break while the aquatic fans were anxiously waiting for the forthcoming swimming action at the 2012 European Short Course Swimming Championships.
The European Championship was of pivotal importance due to its Short Course format as the this year’s World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey will also be in the same format.
The event featured massive participation from the European stars, who were trying hard to excel in their main events at the world titles.
With the commencement of the European tournament, Yannick Agnel of France astonished the crowd with his gruelling efforts in the opening event of the tournament, Men’s 400m freestyle.
Agnel, who looked much better at the Olympic Games, devastated hopes of his challengers and snared the crown by reporting a time of 3 minutes and 37.54 seconds.
His title claiming effort remained considerably slower from the championship record of Paul Biedermann of Germany, who posted 3 minutes and 34.55 seconds in Istanbul during 2009. Subsequently, his effort was almost five seconds away from the world record
and his personal best for the season, 3 minutes and 32.25 seconds.
Agnel remained in a wonderful lead over his opponent, Gabriele Detti of Italy, who tapped the wall for second position with an effort of 3 minutes and 41.66 seconds.
Detti was chased by his closest rival and teammate, Andrea Mitchell D’Arrigo, who reached the podium for bronze medal by reporting a time of 3 minutes and 42.32 seconds.
Following that, the focus of the audience shifted towards the playoff of Men’s 200m backstroke, where Radoslaw Kawecki was inevitable for the crown claiming effort. After dominating the playoff of the discipline, Kawecki remained comfortably ahead of his
closest challenger and surfaced on the wall for the title with a timing of 1 minute and 48.51 seconds.
Kawecki’s ruthless effort remained nearly two seconds slower from the European and world record of 1 minute and 46.11 seconds, made by Arkady Vyatchanin of Russia in 2009.
Similarly, he missed out Stanislav Donets’ championship record of 1 minute and 48.62 seconds by a margin of only 0.11 seconds.
The gold medallist remained full body length ahead of Hungarian swimmer, Peter Bernek, who followed him on the finishing end for silver medal with a timing of 1 minute and 49.41 seconds.
Bernek was chased by Benjamin Stasiulis of France, who snared bronze medal of the race by producing a time of 1 minute and 51.81 seconds.
Next event of the event was Women’s 200m Individual Medley (IM), where the shining star of World Cup series, Katinka Hosszu dismantled her challengers and ascended on the victory stand for the title.
Hosszu remained comfortably ahead of her strongest swimmer and seized the crown with a timing of 2 minutes and 05.78 seconds for gold medal.
Hosszu was traced by Great Britain’s Hannah Miley, who was only half a body length behind and tapped the wall for silver medal by clocking a time of 2 minutes and 06.21 seconds.
Similarly, Hosszu’s team-member, Zsuzsanna Jakabos completed the podium by securing her spot on the podium. She was only a stroke away from her former finisher and proved her eligibility for third position by reporting a time of 2 minutes and 06.66 seconds.
To be continued in Part 2.
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