European Championships, Budapest, day 6 heats
Men 50m freestyle
Well, that woke everyone up: Alain Bernard, on 21.99, is out, Fabien Gilot on 21.91, before Fred Bousquet knew what he needed and did the job in some fiery style: 21.65, just 0.01sec off Alex Popov (RUS) at his best back in 2000 and second best in the world this year behind Cesar Cielo (BRA). That's desire for you. Stefan Nystrand (SWE) was the other man to crack 22sec, in 21.98, with Amaury Leveaux, on 22.00 but fourth-best Frenchman and gone. Italy was the other nation fielding four men in the top 16 times, progression the property of Luca Dotto and Marco Orsi, both only 20, on 22.32 and 22.41, locking out teenagers Lucio Spadaro and Luca Leonardi, on 22.65 and 22.65. The cut for semis: 22.76.
Women 50m breaststroke
In the first event of the morning, Yuliya Efimova (RUS) set the tone with a championship record of 30.54 to go through first, ahead of Britain's Kate Haywood, on 31.43 and well one the road to recovery after surgery last year. The meet record had stood to Germany's Janne Schaeffer since 2008. Next to progress was Moniek Nijhuis, on 31.64. The cut: Achieng Ajulu-Bushell's 32.27 for Britain.
Women 200m butterfly
With gold (200IM, 4x200m free) and silver (400IM) in her pocket, Katinka Hosszu set up another home thriller for the crowd with a 2:08.80 lead time ahead of teammate and 200IM bronze medallist Zsuzsanna Jakabos, on 2:09.02. Those two kept teammate Eszter Dara (2:12.50) out. Third through Mireia Belmonte, on 2:09.72. The only other nation to see a swimmer dropped under the two-per-nation rule was Britain, Ellen Gandy (2:09.78) and Jemma Lowe (2:10.36) locking out hard-working 400IM champion and bronze medallist in the 200IM and 4x200m free Hannah Miley (2:11.98). The cut: 2:13.46.
Women 50m freestyle
No struggle to get up of a morning tangible in Therese Alshammar (SWE), 33 at the end of the month and first through to semis in 24.93. Dorothea Brandt (GER) went through next on 25.04 from heat 5, ahead of Fran Halsall (GBR), 100m free champion and silver medallist in the 100m 'fly by 0.08sec between Sara Sjostrom and Alshammar last night, at the helm of heat 6 on 25.07, and Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) following Alshammar home in heat 7 on 25.10. The cut: 25.75. And that concluded semi-finals action at the championships, tomorrow the last day with all heats leading to same-day finals.
Men 4x200m free
Russia and France will battle again in the long relay after the Russians got the better of Gaul in the 4x100m. Going through, Russia leads France 7:15.52 to 7:15.87, with Germany close on 7:16.00. All three teams have yet to add their biggest guns, though France did put Yannick Agnel to his blocks this morning just to make sure and give the teenager a warm-up for tonight. Paul Biedermann will go for Germany but no news yet as to whether he and Agnel will race the same leg. Fourth through, Britain, on 7:16.33, ahead of Holland, on 7:19.45. The cut: 7:21.80.
