Saturday, July 8, 2023

European Junior Swimming Championships Belgrade 2023 Lana Pudar breaks European Junior record


 

Lana Pudar achieved another landmark moment in her fledging, but already highly decorated, career by retaining her European Junior Swimming Championship 200m butterfly title and setting a new continental junior record in the process.

The 17-year-old, who won the 100m title in a championship record on day three, secured her second gold of Belgrade 2023 with victory in two minutes 6.26 seconds, which was 0.45 secs under the previous landmark time.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina swimmer was joined on the podium by German Alina Baievych (2:10.78) and Glenda Abonyi-Toth of Hungary (2:11.61).

Pudar is now targeting a clean-sweep of the butterfly titles when she takes on the 50m final on Sunday – a race she won at last year’s edition in Romania.

“It’s a really special feeling to achieve this time,” she told LEN after the race.

“Last year I won two golds, one silver and swam pretty well, but now I’m in better form and I really want to achieve three gold medals in three butterfly events.

The teenager continued; “That’s my goal and I guess I’m doing it, I think!”

Pudar was not the only swimming to break a record on the penultimate night of racing.

Distance specialist Petar Mitsin of Bulgaria set a new European Junior Championship record in the 800m freestyle final, with his time of 7:47.45 well inside the previous mark of 7:51.20 set at the 2021 edition of the competition in Rome, Italy.

He was joined on the podium by Vlad-Stefan Stancu of Romania (7:49.68), who followed up 1500m silver with another second, and the 1500m champion – Turkiye’s Kuzey Tuncelli – who this time took third, after finishing in 7:52.39.

The women’s 800m freestyle was won for the third European Junior Swimming Championships in a row by of Merve Tuncel of Turkiye, who recorded a time of in 8:35.10.

The 18-year-old senior European bronze medallist, is competing in her final European Juniors and after winning the 1500m event earlier in the week she will look to complete the ‘triple-triple’ by adding the 400m title to her collection on Sunday.

German duo Mariana Ploeger (8:36.55) and Julia Ackermann (8:36.85) completed the 800m podium.

The last race action of day five saw the men battle it out for the 4x200m freestyle relay title.

It was a fascinating final to witness, but Italy always had an element of control and their quartet of Alessandro Ragaini, Carols D’Ambrosio, Federioc Mao and Filippo Bertoni would secure a further gold for their nation, who have enjoyed an impressive championship.

They currently lead the overall medal standings with a total of 15 honours, seven of which are gold.

However, the final night of action at Belgrade 2023 will see athletes battle it out for medals in 12 finals in the Serbian capital, giving hope to other nations such as Hungary who are close behind on 10 medals (six gold). Germany and Great Britain have eight medals each.

 

RESULTS AND REACTION TO EJSC 2023 – DAY 5

WOMEN’S 200M JUNIOR BUTTERFLY FINAL:

GOLD – Lana Pudar (2:06.26) – Bosnia and Herzegovina (European Junior record)

SILVER – Alina Baievych (2:10.78) – Germany

BRONZE – Glenda Abonyi-Toth (2:11.61) – Hungary

“Wow, it’s a really special feeling,” Lana Pudar told LEN. “I’m so happy and excited after the 100m which was a championship record and now this which is my second personal best this week. I’m so proud of myself. Last year I won two golds, one silver and swam pretty well, but now I’m in better form and I really want to achieve three gold medals in three butterfly events.”

 

WOMEN’S 100M JUNIOR FREESTYLE FINAL:

GOLD – Smilte Plytnykaite (55.31) – Lithuania

SILVER – Sara Curtis (55.35) – Italy

BRONZE – Dora Molnar (55.56) – Hungary

"I can't believe it,” Smilte Plyntnykaite told LEN. “This is my first medal at European Junior Championships! I can't be more happier! Thank you for the support, what I got from my parents, team and friends. It surprised me very much! I was not thinking before that I could win a medal, because I did not believe I can swim as fast!"

 

MEN’S 800M JUNIOR FREESTYLE FINAL:

GOLD – Petar Mitsin (7:47.45) – Bulgaria (European Junior Championship record)

SILVER – Vlad-Stefan Stancu (7:49.68) – Romania

BRONZE – Kuzey Tuncelli (7:52.39) – Turkiye

"I think it's a very good performance,” Petar Mitsin told LEN. “I was so tired on my last 200m, but I gave out everything. I'm happy with my swim and with my result. I didn't expect this time, I so happy that I cannot explain it."

 

WOMEN’S 800M JUNIOR FREESTYLE FINAL:

GOLD – Merve Tuncel (8:35.10) – Turkiye

SILVER – Marian Ploeger (8:36.55) – Germany

BRONZE – Julia Ackermann (8:36.85) – Germany

“I’m very happy with this result,” Merve Tuncel told LEN. “It’s my last European Junior Championships and tomorrow I have my last race, the 400m freestyle and so I hope I can win that too!”

 

MEN’S 4x200M JUNIOR FREESTYLE FINAL:

GOLD – Italy (7:17.42) – Alessandro Ragaini, Carlos D’Ambrosio, Federico Mao, Filippo Bertoni.

SILVER – France

BRONZE – Turkiye

"Before the race we were talking about that we can't start very aggressively, because we will be completely destroyed on the last 50 meters,” Federico Mao of Italy told LEN. “It was a mental game and we’re so happy with the victory.”

"I swam the 800m free 10 minutes ago, so I'm extremely tired, but for the relay, for the team I tried to push as hard as I can,” Filippo Bertoni of Italy told LEN. “We are not a team, we are a FAMILY! We created a great group so everybody is supporting each other!"

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