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Russia Tops Euro Junior League

Jul 8, 2012  - Craig Lord

Russia topped the medals table at the European Junior Championships after five days of racing in Antwerp, with Italy, Germany, Britain and Hungary following on.

If Russia's girls took eight of their nation's 12 gold medals, then Italian boys won the male meet with six golds from 7 in total. Germany claimed six crowns and the highest tally of medals, 23, two more than Russia, with Britain taking 19 medals, four of them gold.

Among many excellent swims, some were outstanding in context, including the following efforts worth more than 940 IPS points:

Girls: 

  • 200m free: 1:58.26 semi for Russian Mariya Baklakova, born 1997, before she claimed the crown in 1:58.59 ahead of a 1:59.75 from 1996-born Italian Diletta Carli. Baklakova also won the 100m, in another 940-plus swim, on 55.08.
  • 400m free: Carli clocked 4:09.36 for victory.
  • 1500 free: in 16:29.12, Germany's 1997-born Leonie Beck took gold
  • 100m back: on 1:00.69 leading off the Danish medley relay, 1996-born Mie Nielsen took the final in 1:00.87
  • 200m back: a 2:11.07 granted Julia Larina (RUS) the crown

Boys:

  • 50/100m free: in 22.28 and 49.68, 1994-born Maximilian Oswald, of Germany, emerged sprint prince of Europe
  • 400/1500m free: toping the points in all boys' races was Gabriele Detti, on 3:49.67 over 400m and 15:11.41 over 1500m ahead of a 15:18.82 from Germany's Rob Muffels, who won the 800m in 7:59.43.
  • 200m breaststroke: a 2:13.15 gave Marat Amaltdinov (RUS) the crown ahead of 2:14.53 (2:13.62 semi) by Britain's Ross Murdoch.
  • And.. 
  • 200m 'fly/400IM: not quite at 940 but taking a double in 1:58.50 and 4:17.26 respectively was Britain's 1995-born Matthew Johnson.