A packed arena with more than 5000 on the tribunes cheered the roof at the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships on day 3. With two championship records and one world record the evening finals again presented world class swimming.
Yuliya Efimova sets a new championship record in the 100 m breast stroke semifinal. And her competitor of Lithuania Ruta Meilutityte also set a new championship record in the 100 m Individual Medley final. The world record was set in the last race of the evening 4×50 freestyle mix relay by Russia. The new world record mark is 1.29.53.
– It’s hard not to be satisfied with a day like this. The swimmers are thrilled with the enormous cheering from the spectators. The spectators are also excited about the world class swimming, the tense atmosphere and the extremely well organized event set-up. The International Swimming Federation, LEN, praises the event. And it’s also great to see the European Champi-onships as a festive celebration of swimming in the entire Denmark, says Jakob Staun, tour-nament director of the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2013. The event is staged by the Danish Swimming Federation together with the City of Herning and Sport Event Denmark.
A few minutes before the finals on this third evening of the European Championships in Her-ning, LEN awarded two swimmers the title of European Swimmers of the year. The titles were awarded for outstanding performances throughout the year and the two swimmers were elected on the basis of votes from members of LEN and journalists of the European countries.
The female swimmer of the year was Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, meanwhile Yannick Agnel of France was awarded title of the male swimmer of the year. Hosszu received the award from the President of LEN, Paolo Barelli while Agnel will receive his later as he wasn’t present in today.
Around 380 volunteers contribute to the staging of the event and they are recruited from local swimming clubs from all over Denmark.
Alongside the championships more than 300 young swimmers from the Danish swimming clubs are gathered in a special swimming camp. Here they have a great time watching their idols – and as a special treat they get the extraordinary opportunity to go for a swim in the temporary pool in the multi flexible arena, Jyske Bank BOXEN.
– In that way you can say that the championships are not only a competition between the very best European Swimmers but the event also forms a depeche for the clubs and the stars of tomorrow, continues Jakob Staun.
Editor’s note
2013 LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships will be staged from 12th-15th of December 2013. 559 swimmers from 41 nations will participate. The Danish Team consists of 29 swimmers – the largest team ever for a senior championship.
The championships are organized by The Danish Swimming Federation. Sport Event Denmark and The City of Herning partner the event.
For more on the event: www.herning2013.com
For tickets: www.billetnet.dk
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/svoemdk/