Federica Pellegrini proved once again she is Europe’s queen of the 200m freestyle after claiming her third straight title at the European Championships in Berlin on Saturday.
The Italian has topped the podium at Olympic, world and European level since her debut on the rostrum at the 2004 Games in Athens, when she won a silver medal in the 200m freestyle shortly after her 16th birthday.
On Saturday, she denied Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu a fourth individual gold medal, with Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands third.
Photo: Reuters
Spain’s Mireia Belmonte Garcia won the 1,500m freestyle relay, while Britain’s Fran Halsall took the 50m backstroke.
Other winners at the Europa-Sportpark were Polish pair Konrad Czerniak and Radoslaw Kawecki in the 100m butterfly and 200m backstroke respectively, Great Britain’s Adam Peaty in the 50m breaststroke, with Germany winning a thrilling men’s 4x200m freestyle relay to conclude the action.
Pellegrini was third at the halfway stage before she surged ahead and from that point there was no way she would yield, touching in 1 minute, 56.01 seconds, 0.68 seconds ahead of Hosszu, with Heemskerk third.
Pellegrini hoisted herself on to the lane rope and waved to the crowd at the end and said: “I am satisfied with the race. It is good to win here in Berlin.”
Hosszu had already won the medley double as well as sharing the 100m backstroke title with Mie Nielsen.
Dubbed the “Iron Lady” because of her ability to withstand grueling multi-event programs, she said: “I hate to lose. I love winning so much that finishing even behind Federica makes me angry.”
She then returned to qualify fourth for the 200m butterfly final.
Czerniak, 100m butterfly bronze medalist at last year’s World Championships, had qualified fastest and he led from start to finish to win in 51.38 seconds, a championship record.
The Pole became the fourth fastest man in the world this year, but said: “I expected more. Not for the medal, but for the time, I would have liked to be a little bit faster.”
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