European Championships, Day Four Finals: Filip Nowacki Extends British Breaststroke Excellence With 200 Victory
An intense start to the fourth finals session saw Kristof Milak set a European record en-route to 100 fly glory followed in quick succession by Sara Curtis’ WR in the 50 back, 24 hours after her previous standard.
Great Britain remain top of the medal table with five golds, a silver and three bronzes followed by Italy (three golds, two silvers, four bronzes) and Hungary (three golds, a silver and two bronzes).
Men’s 200m Breaststroke
Filip Nowacki maintained the British tradition of excellence in this event as he caught leader Caspar Corbeau at the death for victory.
The 18-year-old stopped the clock at 2:07.70 to join the likes of fellow Britons David Wilkie, Adrian Moorhouse and Nick Gillingham who’ve all stood atop the podium.
Corbeau took silver in 2:07.78 with Luka Mladenovic of Austria third in 2:08.91.
Jack Kelly of Ireland led at the first turn ahead of Kirill Prigoda and Corbeau with Nowacki back in sixth. The Dutchman, who won bronze across the city at the 2024 Olympics, came through on the second 50 and led at halfway with the Briton still in sixth although he was well in touch with the field.
Corbeau still led at the final turn ahead of Nowacki who’d made his way through the field although the gap was a sizeable 0.46secs. Nowacki was perfectly composed and maintained his length and line to eat into the Dutchman’s advantage before drawing onto his shoulder as the pair approached the wall and getting the touch.
With that, the 18-year-old added the European crown to his Commonwealth title for Jersey, world junior crown and last year’s European junior gold.
“It felt great,” he said. “I think the main thing about a championship race like that is getting your hand on the wall first, and that’s the most important. It’s not so much about the time, you know. I’m a fraction outside my PB from last year, but you know, that’s part of sport. And being in a championship race like that, everyone sort of tenses up and everyone wants to win that. So just very special to me to have got my hand on the wall there.”
He added: “Caspar’s walls are absolutely incredible, so it’s almost like I felt myself chasing every 50. He pushed off and all of a sudden I’m like half a body length behind, so I found myself chasing quite a lot. But you know, I just absolutely loved that race, so I look forward to watching it back. Fantastic.”
The teenager also received his A level results today although as yet he hadn’t opened the envelope to see how he’d got on in his Economics, Mathematics and Physics exams with a move to Loughborough University to come.
“You know, I feel good about it,” he smiled. “I’m going have to say I am because my mocks weren’t great, but you know, mocks are there for a reason. So hopefully I learned my lesson and I remember working quite hard for my exams. So it’s almost like I left no stone unturned and you know, if it doesn’t go my way, I can’t look back and be like, I should have put in more work. So you know, fingers crossed it goes well.”
Nowacki becomes the seventh British man to win the title and the third in the last 10 years following James Wilby in 2022 and Ross Murdoch in 2016.
“I had the pleasure in meeting Michael Jamieson and Ross Murdoch in Glasgow (at the Commonwealth Games), Nowacki said. “So that’s quite special, especially Ross Murdoch because he won in Glasgow last time, and I think he was the one that handed me my medal, so I think that was very special.”
He finished: “I do my best to put in my part, and I think it’s good that I’m almost carrying that breaststroke legacy on along with Angharad Evans as well. It’s very special. I saw her win the 100 yesterday, and obviously she’s got a 200 tomorrow night, so wishing her all the best of luck.”
I do my best to put in my part, and you know, I think, I think it’s good that I’m almost carrying that breaststroke legacy on along with, uh, Anne Hard Evans as well. It’s very special. I saw her win, win the 100 yesterday, and obviously she’s got a 200, so tomorrow night, so wishing her all the best of luck.
Prigoda was fourth in 2:098.14 with Nowacki’s GB teammate Greg Butler fifth in 2:09.45.
Men’s 4×100 Free Relay
A 46.29 anchor leg by Kristof Milak steered Hungary to top spot as they clinched the title in a championship record of 3:10.03. It was Milak’s second title of the night following his 100 fly four-peat in European record time.
Hungary splits:
Hubert Kos: 48.18
Szebasztian Szabo: 48.29
Nandor Nemeth: 47.27
Kristof Milak: 46.29
Egor Kornev split 46.32 on the final leg as the Neutral Athletes B team clinched second in 3:10.12 with Croatia coming from fifth at the final handover to finish third in 3:11.08.
