13th European Short Course Swimming Championships
10.12.2009 - Barbara Moosmann: Istanbul, the European Swimming Capital: Participation of more than 550 athletes from 42 countries
Istanbul (pps) LEN announces a first record for the 13th European Short Course Swimming Championships to take place in Istanbul on December 10-13 with the participation of more than 550 athletes from 42 countries. Further records may well be expected in the temporary pool built inside the Abdi Ipekci Arena, considering the quality of the entries. More than 140 European Records have already been set this year, with some yet to be officially ratified by LEN.
There will be new European Champions in at least nine of the 38 events, because the title holders are missing or do not compete in their championship events of last year, such as Austrian Dinko Jukic in the 400m individual medley. 88 of the 115 medal winners of Rijeka in 2008 will compete again in Istanbul. At the 2008 European Short Course Swimming Championships, Russia was the most successful medal winning nation with eight gold, two silver and four bronze medals, followed by France (7-9-4) and Italy (5-5-8).
Germany’s national coach Dirk Lange, who has been in this position for just one year, expressed the expectation after the German national short course championships in Essen at the end of November, that Germany could return to the European top in Istanbul after last year’s medal “drought” with just six medals (1-3-2). Germany clearly leads the “all-time” medal table of the European Short Course Championships since its inauguration in 1996 with a total of 242 medals (83-86-73), followed by Sweden with 123 (52-39-32), the Netherlands with 84 (40-22-22), Italy with 98 (35-30-33), Great Britain with 130 (34-44-52) and Russia with 86 medals (28-27-31).
Russia has entered the largest team with 38 swimmers followed by Sweden (36), Italy (34) and Germany (33). Host Turkey will compete with 28 athletes.
Seven 2009 World Long Course Champions of Rome are among the outstanding swimmers at the Europeans in Istanbul: Federica Pellegrini (ITA/200m and 400m freestyle), Lotte Friis (DEN/800m freestyle), Alessia Filippi (ITA/1,500m freestyle), Nadja Higl (SRB/200m breaststroke), Sarah Sjoestroem (SWE/100m butterfly), Paul Biedermann (GER/200m and 400m freestyle) and Daniel Gyurta (HUN/200m breaststroke). Pellegrini also won the 2008 Olympic title in the 200m freestyle in Beijing. Among the top athletes in Istanbul are also 14 current Short Course World Record holders.
Slovenia’s Peter Mankoc will attempt an amazing feat: his tenth consecutive European Short Course title in the 100m individual medley. He has not been defeated in this event in the Europeans since 2000, a series of victories never seen before.
LEN follows the tradition of the past years, and again at these European Short Course Championships will pay a total prize money of 35,000 Euro for outstanding performances. The best results in the men’s and women’s events will be awarded 5,000 Euro, second place 3,000 Euro, and third place 2,000 Euro. To places four to seven the amount of 1,500 Euro each is provided.
Also as usual, the media representatives will elect the “Newcomer of the Year“ in both men’s and women’s events. The selected swimmers will receive 1,500 Euro each.
LEN partner Omega will honour the best performance of each of the four competition days with a valuable watch.
(December 4, 2009)
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