By Sam Blacker on SwimSwam
2026 European Swimming Championships
August 10-16, 2026 Paris, France – Olympic Aquatics Centre LCM (50 Meters) Meet Information Meet Central Entries Results Live Results SwimSwam Preview Index Live Stream Recaps: Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 Finals: Day 1 | Day 2DAY 4 PRELIMS START LIST
Day 4 Prelims Schedule
Men’s 200 Freestyle Women’s 100 Butterfly Men’s 50 Backstroke Women’s 200 Breaststroke Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay Women’s 1500 FreestyleWe are at the halfway point now of the 2026 European Championships, kicking off day four. We have the men’s 200 free this morning, one of the more stacked events on the program, as well as the men’s 4×100 free relay to round us off.
Men’s 200 Freestyle
David Popovici (1:43.53) won the 100 free in the third-fastest time in history last night, and is the top seed by seven tenths of a second. Lukas Martens is the #2 seed in 1:44.25, but was only 1:45.84 and 1:45.71 leading off the men’s 4×200 free relay on day 1.
Matt Richards is the #3 seed in 1:44.77, but looked off the pace with a 1:45.44 leadoff in the 4×200 free relay and finished last in the 100 free semi-finals in 48.88, 1.39 seconds off his best. That will be a worry, as he needs to beat at least two of Jack McMillan (1:45.28), Tom Dean (1:48.06), and James Guy (1:45.28), the latter of whom split 1:44.07 on that relay three days ago.
European junior medalists Ahmet Mete Boylu (1:45.68), Tajus Juska (1:45.83), and Christian Giefing (1:45.88) will all be aiming for the semi-finals, although Juska will have to contend with Lithuanian record holder Danas Rapsys (1:47.58), 100 free finalist Tomas Navikonis (1:46.90), and Kristupas Trepocka (1:47.06) to make it through.
Germany has three men in the circle-seeded heats in Martens, Timo Sorgius (1:46.17), and Jarno Baschnitt (1:46.50), who will all need to be on top form, while Dimitrios Markos (1:46.28) and Carlos D’Ambrosio both broke 1:45 on the 4×200 free leadoffs, clocking 1:44.93 and 1:44.72, respectively. World Championships finalist Kamil Sieradzki (1:45.00) is a threat in a loaded field.
Women’s 100 Butterfly
Roos Vanotterdijk (55.84) set a new Belgian record in the 50 fly to win silver last night, and is the top seed here ahead of Germany’s 2024 world champion Angelina Kohler (56.35). Daria Klepikova, who only split 57.38 on the mixed medley relay, is the #3 seed in 56.42.
Tessa Giele (57.17) is another who was around a second off her best in the mixed medley at 58.25, while both Anna Ntountounaki (57.27) and Keanna MacInnes (57.57) split 56.47 in the final of that event on day 2.
Georgia Damasioti (57.50) and Sara Junevik (58.46) joined Vanotterdijk on the podium in 2024, while Italy’s Anita Gastaldi (58.10) split 57.46 on their disqualified mixed medley relay two days ago. Martine Damborg (58.30), the European junior record holder in the SCM 50 fly, is another one to keep an eye on in the final heat.
Men’s 50 Backstroke
After a phenomenal 200 backstroke final last night, we drop down two distances to the 50. Kliment Kolesnikov is the world record holder and top seed in 23.68, seeded four tenths ahead of his teammate Pavel Samusenko (24.12). Ollie Morgan, who scratched the 200 at the start of the meet, is the #3 seed in 24.36.
We then have a glut of swimmers around 24.40 in Italian record holder Michele Lamberti (24.38), Georgey Iakovlev (24.38), Apostolos Christou (24.40), Ksawery Masiuk (24.41), and Miroslav Knedla (24.43). Iakovlev will have to be in top form if he is to outqualify either Kolesnikov or Samusenko to move through to the semi-finals.
Thomas Ceccon is seeded 25th in 24.95, but after a big Italian record in the 200 back last night, the 100 back world record holder will be targeting the podium. He has Lamberti, Francesco Lazzari (24.69), and Daniele Del Signore (24.91) to beat to make it through as one of the two fastest Italians.
Hubert Kos (24.50) is in the first of the circle-seeded heats, although this could be an event he scratches with the 100 fly final tonight and entries in the 100 back, 200 fly, and 200 IM remaining this week.
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
We have just three heats of this event, led by last night’s 100 breast champion Angharad Evans (2:19.70). She is the only woman under 2:20 this season, but we will also see world record holder Evgeniia Chikunova (2:19.96) and 2024 world champion Tes Schouten (2:21.71).
Italian record holder Lisa Angiolini (2:22.28), who set that record at the Italian Championships in April, is the #5 seed with 100 breast silver medalist Mona McSharry (2:22.22) just ahead of her. Eneli Jefimova, who won bronze in that race last night, is the #11 seed in 2:25.59 with 2025 100 breast world champion Anna Elendt seeded 8th in 2:23.54.
Clara Rybak-Andersen (2:23.89) is the reigning silver medalist and will swim out of lane 6 in the final heat, with World Championships medalist Kotryna Teterevkova coming in 6th-fastest in 2:22.98.
Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay
We may only have two heats, but this relay could get dangerous for the big guns if they don’t take it seriously. Italy won silver at the 2025 World Championships, with Great Britain (4th), Hungary (6th), and Lithuania (7th) also in that final.
Neutral Athletes B will fancy themselves a potential gold medal contender and will push to progress, and both Spain and Germany have solid depth that they will lean on to get through to the final. Serbia are the defending champions, while Croatia had four swimmers under 48.85 in the individual 100 free. Jere Hribar hacked half a second off his national record for them in the 100 free final yesterday too.
Hungary’s outlook depends on whether Kristof Milak swims. They don’t have too much depth beyond him and Nandor Nemeth, but their 1-2 punch may be the best in the field. Poland were medalists two years ago, and at least one of these nations will miss out.
Great Britain look like they may be the most vulnerable. Matt Richards placed 16th in the semi-finals of the individual event, and Jacob Mills also bowed out before the final. Jacob Whittle was just 49.0, and Duncan Scott didn’t look in peak form in the men’s 4×200 free on day 1.
Women’s 1500 Freestyle
The field in this event is very similar to the women’s 800 free on day 1, with the addition of European junior champion Kseniia Misharina (16:03.42) the main difference. Simona Quadarella (15:31.79) and Isabel Gose (15:52.34) are the top two seeds again, with 800 free bronze medalist Maya Werner (16:16.30) and 4th-place finisher Vivien Jackl (16:11.59) also highly seeded.
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