Christou Gold Makes It 8 Backstroke Podiums Since 2016
Men's 100m backstroke: "All the effort and hard work I have done is reflected. The patience I have had in recent years despite the 2024 medal, to continue to star, win medals and above all to inspire the team and show that we can achieve things" Apostolos Christou
Defending champion Apostolos Christou, of Greece, has won a backstroke medal at every European championships since 2016.
A decade one, he just won his seventh such prize: Gold in the 100m in 52.27, 0.01sec ahead of Olympic champion and World-record holder Thomas Ceccon. 'Neutral' Pavel Samusenko took bronze in 52.57.
That 0.01sec matched the record for the smallest margin of victory in the event: Spanish legend Martín López-Zubero beat Sergiy Zabolotnov by 0.01 in 1989.
Olympic silver medalist here in the same city in 2024, Christou, 29, made it eight continental backstroke prizes:
- 2026: Gold, 100m
- 2024: Gold, 50m; Gold, 100m
- 2022: Gold, 50m; Silver, 100m
- 2020: bronze, 100m
- 2018: Bronze, 100m
- 2016, Bronze, 100m
“The main thing I wanted I achieved, to be on the podium in a row since 2016,” he said through the Hellenic Swimming Federation.
“When I came here I didn’t care about the colour. But with the Olympic gold medallist next to me and doing this performance, I feel even more beautiful and proud of myself. I reached 50m in fourth, that’s how I had planned it, to have strength at the end, I changed the pace, I counterattacked and my decision was right.
“All the effort and hard work I have done is reflected. The patience I have had in recent years despite the 2024 medal, to continue to star, win medals and above all to inspire the team and show that we can achieve things, as Apostolos (Siskos) and many guys who surpassed themselves did.”
The History File below ...
