Europeans put Chinese domination on hold on Day 3 of swimming

Five gold medals were up for grabs on the third day of swimming competition at the Chengdu FISU World University Games.

As it turned out, four of those will soon be boarding planes back to Europe, while only one will remain in China.

European winners crowned on Thursday at the Dong’an Lake Sports Park Aquatics Centre included Poland’s Kamil Sieradzski (men’s 200m freestyle), Lithuania’s Kotryna Tetervkova (women’s 100 breaststroke), Gabriel Lopes from Portugal (men’s 200 individual medley) and Italy’s Ivan Giovanni (men’s 1500 free).

Two-time Olympic champion Zhang Yufei was the only swimmer from the host nation to reach the top of the podium, in the women’s 100 free.

Coming out of the water, Sieradzski was almost too out of breath to find words to describe his performance.

“I am very happy, but also so tired, I don’t know what to say right now,” said the Academy of Physical Education Katowice student, who clocked 1:47.60. “It was my first international meet, so I was a little bit nervous but felt very well once I was in the water.”

The men’s 200 free podium was completed by Tomas Navikonis from Lithuania and Italy’s Giovanni Caserta.

In the women’s 100 breast final, Tetervkova (1:06.74) edged Kaylene Corbett from South Africa and Dominika Anna Sztandera from the Czech Republic.

Zhang saved the day for China in the third final of the evening, the women’s 100 free, claiming her fourth gold medal and fourth FISU Games record in as many events in Chengdu thanks to a time of 53.34.

“I was actually in my dizziness when I was swimming in the pool,” said Zhang, who needed to take a nap prior to the race to cope with the challenging humid climate.

“It was only after the race when I heard I broke the FISU record again, so that was a really amazing journey for me.”

Lopes triumphed in the men’s 200 IM despite the quick turnaround from the world championships which ended a few days ago in Fukuoka, Japan.

“I was able to swim 1:58 in Japan and wanted to repeat this here,” said the Portuguese swimmer, who touched the wall in 1:59.12. “I was close, and I think I could have done a little better, but having a gold medal in University Games, there is nothing really to complain about.”

Last but not least, Giovanni showed impressive endurance by finishing the 1500m in 15:11.81.

Written by Annika Saunus, FISU Young Reporter