A better moment for Noè Ponti (SUI) the morning after his goggles came off and lodged under his nostrils in the 50m final last night: a title contender, the Swiss ace finished last.

That's sport. He bounced back as top qualifier for semis in the 100m heats this morning, his 50.47 in heat 6 of 7 followed by a 51.03 by one of the other two men with sub-50s on their career clock, Maxime Grousset (FRA) atop the last heat. They'd both watched the other title threat, Kristof Milak (HUN) go 50.81 in heat 5. And so it begins...

Here's how it ended up last night:

Steenbergen 51.90 Victory Atop A Dutch 1-2 Punch Makes It A Champs Record In Every Round

“There was a lot of pressure on the final; everyone expected me to win, and then you actually have to deliver. I’m very happy I succeeded and got to win here.” Marrit Steenbergen, who then went 50.87, the fastest 100 free relay split ever

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Shanahan Shines With First Gold Of Senior Career In Dominant 2:06 British Record

“I’m so happy with that. I feel like for the past few Europeans I’ve been silver. I think I’ve been silver like 3 times, I think. So to finally get that gold, it’s so special. I’m just really, really happy right now. I think it might take a while to sink in.”

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Martinenghi Magic Strikes Again In Paris: Euro Title Returns To Olympic Champion

“I was talking to my teammates, saying that in my opinion, there was a one-in-twenty chance of me bringing home the gold, but I was going to fight for it to the very end - and if I succeeded, I’d probably quit swimming. That probably won’t be the case, though” - the 2026 champion

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Simona Quadarella & The First Quad In Euro 800 History

″ I’ve won many European titles, but winning more is always motivating. And as I always say, winning is hard, but repeating a victory is even harder—yet, in my opinion, that’s what ultimately brings the most satisfaction.” - the 2026 champion

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Grousset Claims Silver Then Mixed Gold With French Mates

Silver in the 50 ’fly as the first man home and only man on the podium with a nation next to his name was followed by gold in the Mixed medley relay in a host-nation victory that raised the rafters at the Paris pool

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Kós Cracks Euro 200 Back Mark With 1:52.30 All-Time No 2

Day 2 semi-finals featured one European and three championships records among those booking tickets to Lane 4 showdowns on Day 3

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Highlights Day 3 Heats:

Into finals:

• W400IM: Just 14 entries... leading the way - Justina Kozan (POL) 4:40.47, 16-year-old Amalie Smith (GBR), champion for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two weeks ago and European junior champion a month ago in Munich, into her first individual final at her senior European debut, in 4:40.56, and former Euro junior champion Vivien Jackl (HUN) on 4:40.71
• W4x100m Free: No second swim for Sarah Sjöström after her 50m butterfly final this evening, Sweden locked out by a slither...

Into semis:

• M100 'fly: Noè Ponti bounces back from goggle failure as top qualifier for semis on 50.47
• W200 free: Marrit Steenbergen (NED) was back in the night after gold in the 100 free in 51.90 and a riotous 50.87 bring the Dutch Mixed medley quartet home to silver a snap of an arm swing shy of glory for France. Through in a 1:58.00, Barbora Seemanova (CZE), Ieva Jurkunaite (LTU) and Linda Roth (GER) in 1:57s; Freya Colbert (GBR) on 1:58-point
• W50 back: European record holder Sara Curtis (ITA) sets the pace - 27.31 
• M200 breaststroke: Kirill Prigoda, Filip Nowacki and Olympic medallist Caspar Corbeau lead the way on 2:09s

This morning's rolling file, updates at the end of each passing event, below.

• Subscribers and Newsletter readers: refresh the browser link in your email to see updates. 
• RESULTS IN FULL & START LISTS

Women's 200m freestyle 

In the third heat, Marrit Steenbergen (NED) was back in the night after gold in the 100 free in 51.90 and a riotous 50.87 bring the Dutch Mixed medley quartet home to silver a snap of an arm swing shy of glory for France.

By comparison, a 1:58.00 over four laps this morning was a moment of calm on a still sea of possibility.

Next heat, and Barbora Seemanova (CZE) lifted the pace to 1:57.10 a touch ahead of Ieva Jurkunaite (LTU), 1:57.28, and Linda Roth (GER), on 1:57.60.

Freya Colbert (GBR), who brought Great Britain home to gold in dominant style in the 4x200m freestyle on Day 1, was not to be panicked. Sixteen lanes were up for grabs. Her 1:58.66 was smooth and all she had to do. Ninth through, with a touch over half a second grace. Others were keener to make sure, and Francisca Martins (POR) stopped the clock first, on 1:58.56 in that last heat.

The qualifiers for semis this evening

Men's 100m butterfly - Ponti Dusts Himself Down, Rises Again

The qualifiers:

Women's 50m backstroke

In heat 3, Mary-Ambre Moluh, buoyed by her European record of 57.99 leading France's Mixed medley relay to gold last night, set the pace at 27.39 ahead of busy Marrit Steenbergen (who has two semis and a relay final to contend with this evening), win 27.61, a time that was matched by France No2 Analia Pigree atop heat 4, Beryl Gastadello (FRA) locked out of further action under the two-per-nation rule, in 27.75, Lauren Cox (GBR) on 27.97. European record holder Sara Curtis (ITA) shuffled the pack from top downwards with a 27.31 heats topper in heat 5, five others in the last lineup making the list of 16 qualifiers:

Men's 200m breaststroke

It was heat 3 of 5 before the contenders with an eye on prizes in the final tomorrow started to stack up. Kirill Prigoda delivered the first sub-2:10, in 2:09.33, which would grant him Lane 4 in the second semi by the end of play.

Next heat, and Olympic medallist Caspar Corbeau (NED) cruised through in 209.66. Heat 5 of 5 had its benchmark. Jack Kelly (IRL) led the pace for three lengths out in lane 6. In 4, Filip Nowack (GBR), Commonwealth champion for Jersey in Glasgow two weeks ago, flowed more smoothly that all others on his way to a 2:09.47 ahead of Aleksandr Zhigalov, 2:09.84, Kelly, 2:10.14, and Greg Butler (GBR), 2:10.44.

Women's 400 medley 

Just two heats and 14 swimmers up for the 'toughest' race in the pool, as some suggest, not without some good argument on their side. All main contenders for the big prize got through. Heat 1 was led by Alba Ruiz (ESP) in 4:41.71, before three of four qualifiers from heat 2 topped the race into the final, Justina Kozan (POL) in 4:40.47, 16-year-old Amalie Smith (GBR), champion for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two weeks ago and European junior champion a month ago in Munich, into her first individual final at her senior European debut, in 4:40.56, and former Euro junior champion Vivien Jackl (HUN) on 4:40.71:

Women's 4x100 free

No second swim for Sarah Sjöström after her 50m butterfly final this evening, Sweden locked out by a slither...

The qualifiers: