Romania wins its first medals in European Junior Swimming Championships

Romania won its first medals at the European Junior Swimming Championships in Belgrade on Wednesday evening, silver for Vlad Mihalache in the men's 200m butterfly and bronze for Daria Silisteanu in the women's 50m backstroke.

Mihalache timed 1 min 58 sec 84/100, being beaten in the final by Italian Andrea Camozzi, 1 min 58 sec 59/100. The podium was completed by Samuel Kostal of Slovakia, 1 min 59 sec 30/100.

Daria-Mariuca Silisteanu won bronze in the 50 m backstroke with a time of 28 sec 46/100. Ranked first was Hungarian Lora Fanni Komoroczy, in 28 sec 08/100, and second was the British Blythe Kinsman, in 28 sec 41/100.

Silisteanu (CS Dinamo), only 14 years old, corrected again the national record for seniors, after having broken on Tuesday a 21 year old performance, previously held by Diana Mocanu. Daria Silisteanu was timed in the first semi-final with a time of 28 sec 59/100.

In the 4x100m medley relay, Romania (Patrick Dinu, Alexandru Constantinescu, Rebecca Diaconescu, Irina Preda) took sixth place with a time of 3 min 32 sec 39/100. Romania (Patrick Dinu, Alexandru Constantinescu, Ioana Stirbu, Irina Preda) qualified for the final with the fourth fastest time, 3 min 34 sec 30/100.

In the women's 100m butterfly, Eva Paraschiv qualified for the final with the eighth fastest time in the semi-finals (1:00.10), after being ninth in the heats (1:00.39). Andra Gorecki was 49th in the heats (1:05.05).

In the women's 50 m freestyle, Rebecca Diaconescu was 11th in the heats (26.09), Irina Preda 23rd (26.44), and Anastasia Bako 37th (26.79). In the semi-finals, Diaconescu was 10th (25.73) and second reserve in the final.

Vlad Stancu qualified for the 1500m freestyle final with the fourth fastest time of the evening, 15 min 22 sec 73/100.

Romania is participating with a delegation of 17 athletes (eight boys and nine girls) at the European Junior Championships in Belgrade, after winning nine medals last year, five gold and four silver, at the European Championships in Otopeni, but this year David Popovici will not be present.