The 2026 European Swimming Championships are underway in Paris, France, and the second day of preliminaries is packed with exciting races and potential record-breaking performances. The early morning session in the United States features some of the most anticipated events, with stars like Sarah Sjostrom, David Popovici, and Angharad Evans taking to the pool.
One of the highlights of the morning is the women's 50 butterfly preliminaries, where Sjostrom, the heavy favorite, aims to defend her title and set another record. Her time of 24.43 seconds from 2014 remains the world, European, and European Championship records, making her a formidable contender. Sjostrom's performance will be closely watched, especially by Belgium's Roos Van Otterdijk, who is seeded second.
The men's 100 freestyle preliminaries also promise a thrilling race, with Popovici, the European record holder, leading the field. His time of 46.51 seconds from 2025 is more than four tenths ahead of Egor Kornev, who has been strong this meet. France's Maxime Grousset, who impressed in the 50 fly semifinals the previous night, will also be in action.
The women's 100 breaststroke preliminaries feature a strong field, with Great Britain's Angharad Evans holding the top seed in 1:04.96. This will be Evans' first race of the championships, and it sets the stage for a challenging path to the middle lane, with reigning World Champion Anna Elendt among the contenders.
Hubert Kos, the men's 200 backstroke leader, will be on the hunt for Aaron Peirsol's supersuit record of 1:51.92. This will be Kos' first event, but he has a busy schedule ahead. The mixed 4x100 medley relays, the second-to-last event, could be a close race, with season-best add-ups indicating a potential final showdown.
The session concludes with the men's 800 freestyle preliminaries, where newly minted European record holder Johannes Liebmann leads the field by just under two tenths ahead of his countrymate, Sven Schwarz. These races will determine who advances to the next round and set the stage for the upcoming finals.
The 2026 European Championships are shaping up to be a thrilling competition, with records at stake and close races expected. The early morning session in the United States will be a treat for swimming fans, offering a glimpse into the potential winners and record-breakers of this prestigious event.
