Eneli Jefimova fastest in European champs 100m breaststroke heats
Swimmer Eneli Jefimova was fastest in Tuesday's heats of the women's 100-meter breaststroke at the ongoing European Aquatics Swimming Short Course Championships in Lublin, Poland, dominating with a time of 1:03.44.
Jefimova has been at the University of North Carolina since the start of this academic year, but returned home to prepare for the competition in Poland.
Two years ago, Jefimova had become the short-course European champion with 1:03.21, a new domestic record, while last year she earned bronze at the short-course World Championships with a time of 1:03.25.
The Estonian was the only swimmer to break the 1:04 barrier.
Second in the heats was German Anna Elendt (1:04.22). She lost to Jefimova by 0.78 seconds. The rest were more than a second behind the leader. The last to qualify for the semifinals was Finland's Veera Kivirinta, whose time was 1:05.96 (+2.52). Maria Romanjuk placed 23rd with 1:06.79, and Egle Salu placed 27th with 1:07.22.
Among the men competitors, the Estonian relay team of Ralf Tribuntsov, Daniel Zaitsev, Kregor Zirk and Siim Kesküla set a new Estonian record in the 4x50 m freestyle, putting in 1:25.03. They secured progression to the semifinals by placing seventh.
The fastest in the heats was the Croatian quartet with 1:23.51.
Zaitsev also advanced to the semifinals in the individual 50m butterfly, recording 22.41 to take sixth place.
Of other Estonians, Alex Ahtiainen recorded 23.49 to place 36th, and Siim Kesküla set a new personal best, 24.64, to finish 51st.
Coming back after a break from competition, Kregor Zirk swam 400 m freestyle in 3:40.65. This 13th-place finish was not enough to make the final.
The women's 100 m breaststroke, the men's 50 m butterfly and the men's 4x50 m semifinals are to take place on Tuesday evening.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Kristjan Kallaste
