In 48.43 seconds he managed the third Austrian record of this title fight over 100 m freestyle and moved into the semi-finals (6.33 p.m.) as sixth best. European Championship debutant Anastasia Tichy mastered her baptism of fire on the big stage over 50 m dolphin in 28.36 seconds and took 34th place.
“I knew I could have a better time,” Gigler said, referring to his previous OSV record of 48.82 in April. “I’ve been in focus since yesterday. And I think that’s what makes it so.” If the 26-year-old suffered shipwreck in June in the Budapest World Cup competition with the tactic of a late attack, he changed it for Rome. “Going full speed ahead – that’s what suits me. Because I know I can keep it out the back.” In the semifinals he wanted to go a little faster. “I’m more of an afternoon type.”
Premiere possible
While Gigler was preparing to become the very first Austrian, including women, in a European or World Championship long track final over 100 m crawl, 17-year-old David Popovici continued his impressive triumphal march. With the European Championship record of 47.20 seconds, the Romanian stayed 0.29 seconds above the world record set by the Brazilian Cesar Cielo Filho from the 2009 Rome World Cup. Popovici seems predestined to set new standards in the near future. Gigler: “I’m excited to see what’s in store for us. He has the perfect leverage, his hands are down to his knees.”
Tichy stayed 0.05 seconds above her best time and was impressed by the atmosphere at the European Championships: “It’s all a lot bigger than at the Junior European Championships.” Her strongest event, 200m dolphin, is scheduled for Tuesday. In the Friday final session, alongside Gigler, Lena Grabowski over 200 m backstroke (6 p.m.), Simon Bucher over 50 m dolphin (18.07) and Valentin Bayer and Bernhard Reitshammer over 100 m breaststroke (18.18) are engaged in finals. Before that, there was only one OSV duo in a long course final in 2008, Markus Rogan (1st) and Sebastian Stoss (7th) over 200m backstroke.
Source: Nachrichten
