Contrasting fortunes for Olympic Champions on another golden day for Adam Peaty amid disappointment for Gregorio Paltrinieri
It was a mixed night in the pool for the star men on show.
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The only two male Olympic swimming Champions at the Glasgow 2018 European Championships felt contrasting emotions on the sixth and penultimate day of racing at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre on Wednesday.
Adam Peaty (GBR), who holds the 100m breaststroke Olympic title, gave himself "ten out of ten" for his dominant performance in the 50m breaststroke, which he won in 26.09 seconds, a Championships' record.
Meanwhile, the Italian freestyler Gregorio Paltrinieri, beaten for the first time in five years over his Olympic title distance of 1500m on Sunday, lost again in the 800m when he could not catch the impressive winner Mykhaylo Romanchuk (UKR). "I usually swim better than this. It's a pity I leave without a gold medal," said a disappointed Paltrinieri, who had felt unwell before Sunday's race but could not blame illness for his latest defeat.
Peaty has set records in all three of his gold medal events to date - a world best in the 100m breaststroke, a European record in the mixed medley relay and now a record in the 50m breaststroke.
Part of that he puts down to home support, including "my own nan over there in the corner with her flag". He will have more support on Thursday when he tries to make it four straight wins in the men's medley relay. "I don't think people realise how much home support means to us," said Peaty.
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The Hungarian Katinka Hosszu and Swede Sarah Sjostrom were other Olympic Champions in good form. Hosszu took her fifth successive European 200m medley title ahead of Ilaria Cusinato (ITA). Hosszu is the first woman to win the same European event five times.
Sjostrom made it four European 100m freestyle titles in a row when she held off Femke Heemskerk (NED) in 52.93s. She had already won the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly and is not finished yet.
"These have been a very successful Championships," said Sjostrom. "I'm going to be very, very proud of this meet. I still have one event to go which is possibly my strongest [50m butterfly], so I'm excited to go into the last day."
France won the 4x100m freestyle mixed relay, with Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) adding that gold to her bronze behind Sjostrom. Evgeny Rylov(RUS) won the men's 200m backstroke in a European record 1:53.36s to keep Russia top of the medals table.
The best performance in the session's semi finals was by Ben Proud (GBR), who became the third-fastest man over the distance in qualifying fastest for the 50m freestyle final in 21.11s, a Championships' record.
