Seventeen-year-old Russian sensation Kliment Kolesnikov was the star of the first night of finals in Copenhagen, Denmark — breaking two world junior records on the way to leading Russia to top the medal standings on Wednesday at the Royal Arena.

2017 LEN European Short Course Championships

December 13-17

Copenhagen, Denmark

Royal Arena

Short Course Meters (25m)

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LIVE RESULTS

Men 50m Breaststroke

RECORDS

World Record: 48.08 — Chad le Clos (RSA), 2016

World Junior Record: 49.53 — Zhuhao Li (CHN), 2017

European Record: 48.48 — Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS), 2009

Championship Record: 48.93 — Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS), 2009

Semifinals

This quickly turned into an evenly split three-horse race, with Great Britain’s Adam Peaty breaking Fabio Scozzoli’s championship record in the first semifinal (25.81) only for Russia’s Kirill Prigoda and Scozzoli, again, to get under that time in the very next heat.

1. Kirill Prigoda (RUS) — 25.72 [Championship Record, European Record]
2. Fabio Scozzoli (ITA) — 25.74
3. Adam Peaty (GBR) — 25.81
4. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) — 25.96
5. Peter John Stevens (SLO) — 25.97
6. Fabian Schwingenschloegl (GER) — 26.02
7. Huseyin Emre Sakci (TUR) — 26.18
8. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) — 26.31 [World Junior Record]

Final

The Italian veteran Scozzoli snatched back his European and championship records in dramatic fashion, touching out Prigoda and Peaty with just 0.08 separating the podium finishers. Peaty wasn’t able to match the pre-meet hype about what he could produce in short course, and for Scozzoli, this is his first major championship gold medal after knee surgery in 2013.

1. Fabio Scozzoli (ITA) — 25.62 [European, Championship Records]
2. Kirill Prigoda (RUS) — 25.64
3. Adam Peaty (GBR) — 25.70

Women 50m Breaststroke

RECORDS

World Record: 28.64 — Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2016

World Junior Record: 29.64 — Imogen Clark (GBR), 2016

European Record: 28.81 — Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2014

Championship Record: 29.10 — Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013

Semifinals

Four women clocked sub-30-second swims, and just 0.45 separated all eight competitors going into the final.

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) — 29.72
2. Sophie Hansson (SWE) — 29.85
3. Jenna Laukkanen (FIN) — 29.90
4. Dominika Szandera (POL) — 29.95
5. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA) — 30.01
6. Hrafnhild. Luthersdottir (ISL) — 30.03
7. Natalia IVaneeva (RUS) — 30.06
8. Fanny Lecluyse (BEL) — 30.17

Final

London 2012 Olympic champion Meilutyte bounced back to strong form to claim her second title in this event, after her 2013 win.

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) — 29.36
2. Jenna Laukkanen (FIN) — 29.54
3. Sophie Hansson (FIN) — 29.77

Men 200m Backstroke

RECORDS

World Record: 1:45.63 — Mitchell Larkin (AUS), 2015

World Junior Record: 1:48.66

European Record: 1:46.11 — Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS), 2009

Championship Record: 1:48.33 — Radoslaw Kawecki (POL), 2015

Final

We may be seeing the start of the Kolesnikov era in European backstroke, with the young star getting a come-from-behind win over three-time defending short course world and European champion Radoslaw Kawecki from Poland. Kawecki hasn’t been defeated in this event short course since before 2011. Kolesnikov’s time is another world junior record and ranks him as seventh-fastest performer of all time.

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) — 1:48.02 [World Junior, Championship Records]
2. Radoslaw Kawecki (POL) — 1:48.46
3. Danas Rapsys (LTU) — 1:49.06

Women 400m IM

RECORDS

World Record: 4:18.94 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2017

World Junior Record: 4:23.33

European Record: 4:18.94 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2017

Championship Record: 4:19.46 — Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015

Final

The Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu got her massive schedule started in Copenhagen with a wire-to-wire win in the longer medley event. Notably absent from prelims Wednesday morning was world-record holder Mireia Belmonte Garcia. 

1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) — 4:24.78
2. Lara Grangeon (FRA) — 4:28.77
3. Fantine Lesaffre (FRA) — 3:30.68

Men 400m Freestyle

RECORDS

World Record: 3:32.25 — Yannick Agnel (FRA), 2012

World Junior Record: 3:39.48

European Record: 3:32.25 — Yannick Agnel (FRA), 2012

Championship Record: 3:34.55 — Paul Biedermann (GER), 2009

Final

Russia claimed its second gold of the evening with the 200m and 400m silver medalist from the Short Course World Champs last year, Alexandr Krasnyk, getting the win over defending champ Peter Bernek of Hungary. Both men were out quick, 1:46.7.7 to 1:47.2, but Krasnyk had the better closing speed to secure his first European Championship gold medal.

1. Alexandr Krasnyk (RUS) — 3:35.51
2. Peter Brenek (HUN) — 3:37.14
3. Henrik Christiansen (NOR) — 3:38.63

Women 100m Backstroke

RECORDS

World Record: 55.03 — Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014

World Junior Record: 55.99

European Record: 55.03 — Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014

Championship Record: 55.42 — Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015

Semifinals

Hosszu backed up to win her semi in 56.88, but it was just behind Kira Toussaint’s 56.80, which will see her race from lane four in Thursday night’s final.

1. Kirra Toussaint (NED) — 56.80
2. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) — 56.88
3. Maria Kameneva (RUS) — 57.45
4. Daryna Zevina (UKR) — 57.46
5. Mie Nielsen (DEN) — 57.71
6. Mathilde Cini (FRA) — 57.73
7. Simona Baumrtova (CZE) — 57.79
8. Alicja Tchorz (POL) — 57.79

Men 100m Butterfly

RECORDS

World Record: 48.08 — Chad Le Clos (RSA), 2016

World Junior Record: 49.53 — Zhuhao Li (CHN), 2017

European Record: 48.48 — Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS), 2009

Championship Record: 48.93 — Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS), 2009

Semifinals

In two very tight races, Laszlo Cseh, the most decorated man in Europe, has missed the cut with his 50.84 falling shy of the 50.63 required for a top eight spot. Thursday night's final will see all competitors separated by just 0.62 of a second.

1. Matteo Rivolta (ITA) — 50.01
2. Konrad Czerniak (POL) — 50.26
3. Alexandr Kharlanov (RUS) — 50.28
4. Alexandr Sadnikov (RUS) — 50.43
5. Joeri Verlinden (NED) — 50.44
6. Marius Kusch (GER) — 50.49
7. Peiro Codia (ITA) — 50.62
8. Yauhen TSurkin (BLR) — 50.63

Men 4x50m Freestyle Relay

RECORDS

World Record: 1:22.60 — Russia, 2014

World Junior Record: 1:27.46

European Record: 1:20.77 — France, 2008

Championship Record: 1:20.77 — France, 2008

Final

Not an event we regularly see at international competitions, the single-gender 4x50m relays bring an NCAA feel to end the night. Russia claimed its third gold medal, with Kolesnikov leading his team off in 21.42 — a new world junior record — followed by 20-point splits from Vlad Morozov (20.59), Sergei Fesikov (20.49), and Mikhail Vekovishchev (20.91), narrowly beating out the Italian team boosted by a 20.92 leadoff from Luca Dotto.

Other 20-point splits from the night were from Lorenzo Zazzeri (20.83), Marco Orsi (20.75), Konrad Czerniak (20.78), Kyle Stolk (20.86), Jesse Puts (20.97), and Pieter Timmers (20.86).

1. Russia — 1:23.23
2. Italy — 1:23.67
3. Poland — 1:24.44

By Bobby Hurley