The Alexandri sisters also hit their fourth European Championship competition in Rome on Monday.
As in the free program, Anna-Maria and Eirini-Marina Alexandri won the silver medal in the technique free program, only the Ukrainian duet was ahead of them once more. With its best score of 91.9852 points, the OSV team was less than 0.9 points behind Maryna Aleksijwa/Wladyslawa Aleksijwa (92.8538). Triple sister Vasiliki Alexandri had won bronze in both competitions in solo.
It was medals eight to eleven for the Austrian Swimming Association (OSV) in the history of the European Championships. The yield now stands at one gold, four silver and six bronze.
Reitshammer, Bayer and Kreundl in the European Championship semifinals
Breaststroke swimmers Bernhard Reitshammer and Valentin Bayer started their renewed attempt for a European Championship medal on Monday morning by entering the semifinals (6:29 p.m.) in the 50m distance. The 100m eighth Reitshammer advanced in 27.42 seconds as seventh fastest, Bayer as fourth on Friday in 27.57 as eleventh best. The 22-year-old missed bronze on the 100 by just 0.04 seconds. In the semi-finals (07/19) Lena Kreundl also qualified in the 200m individual medley.
The Upper Austrian marked the seventh fastest mark in 2:14.97 minutes. “My best time in the morning, faster than in Budapest (WM, note), so I’m very satisfied,” said Kreundl. “The final might be close.” The 24-year-old completed her police training at the end of the season and will now pursue her job in Linz for three months a year. “The idea is that you can divide it up. It’s also a good change for the head, the community in the police force is great. I have a finished job, I just find it cool.”
As expected, Reitshammer described his chances in the sprint as greater than over 100 m. The preliminary performance satisfied him to some extent. “The time isn’t too special, but it’s okay.” Bayer reduced his personal best from 2020 by 0.09 seconds and took the next step. “The goal is to improve once more.” As in the preliminary heat, it was also evident for the semifinals that he and his teammate are in the same heat. “There’s nothing better than fighting back and forth with a teammate,” said the 22-year-old Bavarian.
Heiko Gigler was eliminated as 20th in 28.00, Luka Mladenovic in 29.06 as 40. “A good gap filler”, said Gigler, because his focus was more on the chest sprint scheduled for Tuesday. Finally, Lena Grabowski ended her season in 1:03.32 minutes with rank 31 over 100 m backstroke. In this she had passed her high school diploma, the 19-year-old had to skip the school-leaving trip because of the sport. “It was important to me here to confirm that I’m close to the top,” she said, looking back on her eighth place in the 200 m backstroke.
In the evening session, Felix Auböck is also in action in the final over 200 m freestyle (6:06 p.m.).
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