European Championships, Budapest, semi-finals, day 5:
Women 200m freestyle
Federica Pellegrini (ITA), Olympic and world champion and world record holder, set a championship record of 1:56.53 to claim lane four for the final of a four-lap freestyle battle that looks to be firmly in her grasp. Pellegrini looked at ease as she went through in 28.09; 57.36; 1:27.29 and ended 0.66sec up on next best, Agnes Mutina, one of the heroes of Hungary in that winning 4x200m free relay last night, and on 1:57.19 today for lane 5 in the final.
On the other side of the favourite Camille Muffat (FRA) on 1:57.97 and showing not a little steeliness after the events of yesterday on medley and in the relay. Another woman involved in both those events, but claiming solo silver and relay gold, Evelyn Verraszto was next through in 1:58.07, ahead of Patricia Castro, (ESP) on a national mark of 1:58.11. Femke Heemskerk, 1:58.28, and Silke Lippok, 1:58.29, swam in ahead of Coralie Balmy (FRA) who shut the door to the final on 1:58.58, a hand ahead of Jo Jackson (GBR).
Men 100m butterfly
Joeri Verlinden (NED) looked like a man in control of his destiny as he swept into lane four for the final in 51.96, the sole sub-52 effort of the semis. Next through, Konrad Czerniak (POL), 52.09, and defending champion Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS), on 52.10. The Russian's ADN Project training partner Peter Mankoc also secured a centre lane, on 52.31, for a final that will go without their other training mate and Olympic and world silver medallist Milorad Cavic (SRB), out of race action as he recovers from minor surgery to a back injury. The cut: 52.71.
Women 50m backstroke
Aliksandra Herasimenia (BLR) took lane 4 for the final in a 27.98 that represents a lifetime best, one not far from her shiny bests of 27.57, 27.62 and 27.65 in semis, final and heats, in that order, in Rome last year. The new textile best also set a championship record for an athlete who back in March 2003 tested positive for norandrosterone and Noretiocholanolone, metabolites of nandrolone, and was suspended for four years, later reduced to two. By June 2005, she was back in the water and by June 2006 she clocked a best time of 28.19 over 50m backstroke. There it remained until shiny suits came along. Either side of her in the final tomorrow are Mercedes Peris (ESP), on 28.04, and Daniela Samulski (GER), on 28.19. The cut: 28.95, a time that in shiny suit 2009 was good enough to rank as 24th best European.
Men 200m backstroke
Radoslaw Kawecki (POL) claimed lane four for the final in 1:57.84 ahead of Stanislav Donets (RUS), on 1:58.01, and Benjamin Stasiulis (FRA), on 1:58.31. Defending champion Markus Rogan (AUT) tested his speed with a 56.25 opener that hurt on the way home to a 1:58.79 finish for seventh and an outside lane for the final countdown. At the helm in heats, Eric Rees gave Gaul a second berth, shutting the door in 1:59.36, which locked out Aschwin Wildeboer (ESP), on 1:59.41.
Men 50m breaststroke
The last event of the day put a broad smile on the face of the Dutch: Lennart Stekelenburg leads the way on 27.44, ahead of Fabio Scozzoli (ITA), 0.02sec back, and teammate Robin Van Aggele, on 27.50. two Slovenians followed, Damir Dugonjic on 27.52, Emil Tahirovic on 27.57, with Barry Murphy putting a glint in the eyes of the Irish on 27.60 ahead of 100m champion and 200m silver medallist Alex Dale Oen (NOR), on 27.63, the final closed on 27.64 by Dragos Agache (ROU). That cut-off would have ranked 26th in Europe last year. Among those locked out European record holder (26.83) Hendrik Feldwehr (GER), 12th in 27.94.
