2026 European Swimming Championships
Welcome to Day 5 of 7 of the 2026 European Swimming Championships. We will have 6 heats of women’s 50 free, 7 heats of men’s 50 breast, 5 heats of women’s 100 back, 4 heats of men’s 200 fly, 2 heats of women’s 200 IM, 2 heats of mixed 4×100 free, and 3 heats of men’s 1500 free.
Sarah Sjostrom is back, and we’re here for it. Seeking her 19th European Championship gold medal, she leads the field in the women’s 50 free with a seed time of 23.86. She proved her form earlier in the week when she won the 50 fly, but she’ll have to fend off strong competition in the sprint free from Marrit Steenbergen and Sara Curtis, who are having a tremendous meet, as well.
The men’s 50 breast is tight at the top, with any number of swimmers capable of taking the title. Ludovico Art Viberti (26.27) and his teammate, reigning world champion Simone Cerasuolo (26.42) are the top two seeds. We should also expect strong performances from Ivan Kozhakin, Kirill Prigoda, Melvin Imoudu, and Adam Ramsay-Peaty.
Mary-Ambre Moluh, who may or may not have broken the European record on the mixed medley when she led off with 57.99 leadoff, comes in with a seed time of 58.25. Marrit Steenbergen is the only other swimmer entered with a sub-59, while Pauline Mahieu is 3rd with 59.13.
You’ll know it’s time for the 200 fly when the crowd erupts in raucous cheering, because it’s the first time this week they will see Leon Marchand swim an individual event. Marchand is the heavy favorite in this event with a seed time of 1:52.57. The race for 2nd place will feature Krzysztof Chmielewski (1:52.64) and his twin brother Michal Chmielewski (1:54.68), Alberto Razzetti, and Federico Burdisso.
On paper, Abbie Wood is the one to beat in the 200 IM; her seed time of 2:08.17 is 1.5 seconds faster than that of defending champion, Anastasia Gorbenko. Keep an eye on Roos Venotterdijk, Ellen Walshe, and Justina Kozan, the latter two of whom placed 1st and 3rd in the 400 IM.
Sven Schwarz brings the top time (14:35.69) in the men’s 1500, but Oliver Klemet (14:39.03) and Johannes Liebmann (14:39.67) are not far behind. Liebmann won gold in the 800 free, while Schwarz took home the silver. Zalan Sarkany, the bronze medalist, can’t be counted out here, nor can Daniel Wiffen, who won a bronze medal in this event at the 2024 Olympics.
Women’s 50m Freestyle Heats
- World Record: 23.55 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2026)
- European Record: 23.61– Sarah Sjostrom Sweden (2023)
- Championship Record: 23.74– Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2018)
- 2025 World Champion: Meg Harris (AUS), 24.02
- 2024 European Champion: Petra Senanszky (HUN), 24.56
Top 16 Qualifiers:
Men’s 50m Breaststroke Heats
- World Record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2017)
- European Record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2017)
- Championship Record: 26.21 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2021)
- 2025 World Champion: Simone Cerasuolo (ITA), 26.51
- 2024 European Champion: Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE), 21.72
Top 16 Qualifiers:
Women’s 100m Backstroke Heats
- World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith (USA), 2024
- European Record: 58.08 – Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 2021
- Championship Record: 58.08 – Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 2021
- 2025 World Champion: 57.16 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS)
- 2022 European Champion: 59.40 – Margherita Panziera (ITA)
Top 16 Qualifiers:
Men’s 200m Butterfly Heats
- World Record: 1:50.34 – Kristof Milak, Hungary (2022)
- European Record: 1:50.34 – Kristof Milak, Hungary (2022)
- Championship Record: 1:51.10 – Kristof Milak, Hungary (2021)
- 2025 World Champion: Luca Urlando, United States – 1:51.87
- 2024 European Champion: Kristof Milak, Hungary – 1:54.43
Top 16 Qualifiers:
Women’s 200m Individual Medley Heats
- World Record: 2:05.70 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)
- European Record: 2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (215)
- Championship Record: 2:07.30 – Katinka Hosszu, Russia (2016)
- 2025 World Champion: Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2:06.69
- 2024 European Champion: Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 2:09.75
Top 16 Qualifiers:
Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Heats
- World Record: 3:18.48 – USA (2025)
- European Record: 3:19.68 – NAB (2025)
- Championship Record: 3:22.07 – Great Britain (2021)
- 2025 World Champion: USA, 3:18.48
- 2024 European Champion: Hungary, 3:25.69
Top 8 Teams:
Men’s 1500m Freestyle Heats
- World Record: 14:30.67 – Bobby Finke, United States (2024)
- European Record: 14:32.80 – Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2022)
- Championship Record: 14:34.04 – Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2016)
- 2025 World Champion: Ahmed Jaouadi, Tunisia – 14:34.41
- 2024 European Champion: Kuzey Tuncelli, Turkey – 14:55.64
Top 8 Qualifiers:
