Vazaios crowned European champion with new record

Greek swimmer Andreas Vazaios won gold in the men’s 200 m individual medley at the 2019 European Short Course Swimming Championships in Glasgow, setting a new European record time of 1:50.85.

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The previous European record of 1:51.36 belonged to Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh from 2015. Vazaios, who was a silver medalist in this race at the last edition of this event in Copenhagen in 2017, also posted the fastest time in the world this year, as well as third-fastest ever. Vazaios’ previous personal best was 1:52.95 from last month, which he surpassed in the preliminary heats today with a time of 1:52.38. Silver went to Norway’s Tomoe Zenimoto Hvas (1:51.74), and bronze went to Germany’s Philip Heintz (1:52.55).

With this medal, Vazaios has become the first Greek to ever win a gold medal at the European Short Course Swimming Championships, with 2019 being the event’s 20th edition. When converting Vazaios’ time of 1:50.85 in a short course (25 m) pool to a long course (50 m) pool, it translates to approximately 1:54.04. The world record for the men’s 200 m individual medley in a long course pool is 1:54.00. Theoretically speaking, Vazaios would have won gold with that performance at the last Olympics (Michael Phelps won gold in 1:54.56), and the previous World Championships (1:56.14 was enough for gold). It should be noted that this is not the first time Vazaios won gold at a European Championships, as he did so in London in 2016 (long course), winning the men’s 200 m individual medley in 1:58.18.

Vazaios also competed in the men’s 100 butterfly in Glasgow, finishing 11th and setting a new Greek national record. Greece’s Apostolos Christou finished fifth in the men’s 200 m backstroke and seventh in the men’s 100 m backstroke while setting national records in both events. Anna Ntountounaki also set a new national record, as she finished seventh in the women’s 50 m butterfly. The Championships will conclude on Sunday, so there is hope that Greece can add to their medal tally.

by Andrew Stamas

Image Source: gazzetta.gr

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