The 2026 European Junior Championships are in full swing, and the action is heating up! Day Five of the event saw some incredible performances and exciting races. Let's dive into the highlights and commentary on the semi-finals and finals of the boys' 100m freestyle, girls' 100m freestyle, boys' 800m freestyle, girls' 200m butterfly, boys' 100m backstroke, girls' 100m breaststroke, boys' 100m breaststroke, girls' 50m butterfly, boys' 50m butterfly, girls' 200m individual medley, and girls' 100m backstroke. As always, I'll be offering my expert analysis and commentary on each event, so let's get started!
Boys' 100m Freestyle - Semi-Finals
The boys' 100m freestyle semi-finals were a thrilling display of speed and technique. The top four swimmers all went under the 49-second threshold, with Neutral Athlete Egor Proshin leading the way with a new lifetime best of 48.51. Proshin's performance was particularly impressive, as he sliced 0.18 seconds off his previous PB. This race was a true test of speed and endurance, and Proshin's victory was a testament to his hard work and dedication.
Spanish national record holder Luca Hoek, the 2025 European Junior Champion, posted a strong 48.76 to secure the second seed. Hoek's performance was a reminder of his incredible talent and potential, and he has the opportunity to defend his title in the final. Reigning World Junior Championships bronze medalist Tajus Juska of Lithuania also put his hat in the ring with a solid 48.81, followed by Matvei Miliaev, who turned in 48.95 for the Neutral Athletes.
Juska's performance was a testament to his resilience and determination, as he looks to exact revenge from being shut out of the 100m fly final despite having won the event last year in Slovakia. The semi-finals were a true showcase of the depth and talent in this event, and the final promises to be an exciting race.
Girls' 100m Freestyle - Final
The girls' 100m freestyle final was a tightly-packed contest, with four swimmers having dipped under the 55-second barrier during the semi-finals. Italy's Alessandra Mao, just 15 years old, crushed a monster lifetime best of 54.28 to grab the gold, successfully fending off a charging Neutral Athlete, Kira Manokhina. Mao's performance was a true testament to her talent and potential, and she has the opportunity to make history in the final.
Manokhina settled for silver just 0.09 seconds behind in 54.37, with Great Britain's Emma Wood hanging on for bronze in 54.61. Spanish speedster Irene Ciercoles, Germany's ace Linda Roth, and top-seeded NA athlete Kseniia Sorokina were all denied medals in this tightly-packed contest. Mao's victory was a true showcase of her speed and technique, and she has the opportunity to make history in the final.
Boys' 800m Freestyle - Final
The boys' 800m freestyle final was a true test of endurance and strategy. Grigorii Vekovishchev, competing as a Neutral Athlete, was the top performer, hitting a time of 7:52.31 to grab the gold. Vekovishchev's performance was a testament to his hard work and dedication, and he has the opportunity to make history in the final.
Teammate Maxim Gusev reaped the bronze in 7:54.37, with Poland's Mikolaj Litoborski splitting the pair in 7:53.36, good enough for silver. The final was a true showcase of the depth and talent in this event, and the performance of Vekovishchev and Gusev was a testament to their incredible endurance and technique.
Girls' 200m Butterfly - Final
The girls' 200m butterfly final was a true test of speed and technique. 17-year-old Vivien Jackl proved too quick to catch, stopping the clock at a swift 2:09.42 as the sole athlete in the field to dip under the 2:10 barrier. Jackl's performance was a testament to her incredible talent and potential, and she has the opportunity to make history in the final.
Neutral Athlete Serafima Fokina was next to the wall in 2:10.06, holding a healthy advantage over Jackl's countrywoman Boroka Kertesz, who rounded out the podium in 2:10.87. Fokina's performance was a testament to her incredible speed and technique, and she has the opportunity to make history in the final. Jackl's victory was a true showcase of her talent and potential, and she has the opportunity to make history in the final.
Boys' 100m Backstroke - Semi-Finals
France's 200m backstroke champion, Nathan Muratory, entered the 100m backstroke semi-finals as the top contender, clocking 54.60 this morning. However, Muratory added some time to check in with a semi-final swim of 55.06, dropping down to the #2 seed. Neutral Athlete Mikhail Shcherbakov improved upon his 55.20 morning swim to establish himself as the man to beat with a rapid result of 54.30.
Shcherbakov's performance was a testament to his incredible speed and technique, and he has the opportunity to make history in the final. Muratory's teammate Chrissander Cerda captured the 3rd seed, with Great Britain's Dean Fearn lurking as the 4th-seeded swimmer in 55.28. Fearn is scheduled to also take on the 50m butterfly semi-finals later in this session.
Girls' 100m Breaststroke - Semi-Finals
The top eight girls' 100m breaststrokers were revealed, with those moving on to tomorrow night's final separated by less than a second. Ukraine earned the top two spots, with Iryna Miliutina and teammate Yana Klikotska producing the sole times of the field under the 1:09 barrier. Miliutina posted 1:08.81 to secure the pole position, while Klikotska touched a fingernail behind in 1:08.89.
Neutral Athlete Sofia Anufrieva is also in the mix, courtesy of her time of 1:09.20, which garnered her the 3rd seed, although she was faster in the morning in 1:08.92. Additional swimmers on which to keep an eye in tomorrow night's final are Great Britain's Imogen Myles (1:09.60) and Switzerland's Kay-Lyn Lohr (1:09.71). Both landed on the 200m breast podium during yesterday's final, with the former becoming this year's champion and the latter finishing with the silver in that event.
Boys' 100m Breaststroke - Semi-Finals
The semi-finals of the boys' 100m breaststroke were a true test of technique and endurance. The top eight swimmers all went under the 1:00 barrier, with the final promising to be an exciting race. The World Junior Record holder, Shin Ohashi, is set to compete in this event, and his performance will be a true test of his talent and potential.
Girls' 50m Butterfly - Semi-Finals
The semi-finals of the girls' 50m butterfly were a true test of speed and technique. The top eight swimmers all went under the 27-second threshold, with the final promising to be an exciting race. The World Junior Record holder, Rikako Ikee, is set to compete in this event, and her performance will be a true test of her talent and potential.
Boys' 50m Butterfly - Semi-Finals
The semi-finals of the boys' 50m butterfly were a true test of speed and technique. The top eight swimmers all went under the 24-second threshold, with the final promising to be an exciting race. The World Junior Record holder, Diogo Ribeiro, is set to compete in this event, and his performance will be a true test of his talent and potential.
Girls' 200m Individual Medley - Semi-Finals
The semi-finals of the girls' 200m individual medley were a true test of versatility and technique. The top eight swimmers all went under the 2:15 barrier, with the final promising to be an exciting race. The World Junior Record holder, Summer McIntosh, is set to compete in this event, and her performance will be a true test of her talent and potential.
Girls' 100m Backstroke - Semi-Finals
The semi-finals of the girls' 100m backstroke were a true test of speed and technique. The top eight swimmers all went under the 1:02 barrier, with the final promising to be an exciting race. The World Junior Record holder, Regan Smith, is set to compete in this event, and her performance will be a true test of her talent and potential.
As the 2026 European Junior Championships continue, the action is heating up, and the competition is getting tougher. The semi-finals and finals of the remaining events promise to be exciting and thrilling, and I can't wait to see what the athletes bring to the pool. Stay tuned for more expert analysis and commentary as the event unfolds!
