Yannick Agnel (FRA) fell just 0.28sec shy of his French record as he lifted the European junior 200m freestyle crown in 1:46.58 (25.38; 52.73; 1:20.01), a championship record inside the 1:47.02 he clocked for victory last year when he wore a shiny suit for the first time (and one of the last times too).
In Agnel's wake came Andrey Ushakov (RUS), on 53.47 at half-way, 1.55sec adrift the champion at the last turn and on 1:49.11 by the close. The bronze went to Daniel Skaaning (DEN), also close at 100m, on 53.68, on 1:22.02 a lap later and 1:50.23 by the close. Agnel later put in a 47.80 free split in the medley relay for France.
There were several close calls on championship records. Andrea Toniato's 2009 effort of 1:00.97 for Italy came under fire in the 100m breaststroke as Anton Lobanov (RUS) clocked a 1:01.06 victory ahead of Sverre Naess (NOR), on 1:01.91, and Christian vom Lehn (GER), on 1:02.56.
Among girls, Grainne Murphy's 2009 mark of 2:14.15 over 200m medley for Ireland was challenged by Sophie Smith (GBR) a champion who led all the way to a 2:14.48 victory over Beatriz Gomez Cortes (ESP), on 2:14.65, and Juliane Reinhold (GER), on 2:15.16.
The 4:16.82 400 medley standard of Gergo Kis from 2006 stood the test of time, the 2010 crown going after a tight tussle to Maxym Shemberyev (UKR) in 4:20.46, ahead of Raphael Stacchiotti (LUX), 4:21.28, and Zsombor Szana (HUN), 4:21.53.
In 1:02.05, the 100m backstroke title went decisively to Daryna Zevina (UKR), silver to Rachele Qualla (ITA), 1:02.72, bronze to Karley Mann (GBR), 1:02.99.
Marina Garcia Urzainqui (ESP) turned first at the turn in the 100m breaststroke on 32.89, 0.04sec ahead of Lisa Fissneider (ITA) - and that is how the order stayed: on the way home, the Spanish charge made tiny gains on her challenger to claim the crown by 0.19sec in 1:09.40. The bronze brought a cheer from the local crowd, Jenna Laukkanen, 1995 born, on 1:10.42 for a rare Finnish medal.
The boys' 100m fly was a cliffhanger, Marcin Cieslak (POL) on 25.42 at the turn and 53.91 at victory, compared to Mehdy Metella (FRA) on 25.50 and 54.08 for silver and Bence Biczo (HUN), on 25.68 and 54.22 for bronze.
Two 50m sprints brought the solo events for the 2010 champs to a close. The 50m butterfly went to 1995-born Nadiya Koba (UKR), in 27.13, ahead of Silke Lippok (GER), 27.47, and Daria Tcvetkova (RUS), another counting 15 years in 2010, on 27.62.
No getting to Steffen Deibler's 22.26 blast for Germany in 2005 but Andriy Govorov (UKR) had a good stab at it with a 22.54 win in the 50m free ahead of Jasper Aerents (BEL) on 22.79 and 1993-born Clement Mignon (FRA) on 22.96. That locked 1993-born Aitor Martinez Rodriguez (ESP) off the podium by 0.03sec.
The medley relays went to Germany ahead of Britain and Russia among girls, 4:08.29 to 4:09.48 and 4:13.41; and to Russian, France and Germany among men, respectively on 3:41.12, 3:41.55 and 3:43.58. Russian boys were more than 2sec up going into freestyle, then Agnel nearly tipped the balance for Gaul with a 47.80 blast.
A fitting end to a championship that witnessed the junior swansong of a Frenchman with many a summer of senior promise ahead of him, starting in Budapest and the European Champs from August 9.
And that senior summer is building with each passing meet. At sectionals in Athens, USA, over this weekend, Cesar Cielo (BRA) imposed his sprint superiority once more with efforts of 21.73 and 48.99 over 50m and 100m free. In bthe 50m free his part-time training partner at Auburn with coach Brett Hawke, Fred Bousquet (FRA) clocked 22.01. Among other strong efforts was a 52.80 from Tyler McGill in the 100m 'fly.
