European Championships, Debrecen, Hungary, day 6 finals
Olympic silver medallist Milorad Cavic (SRB) is heading back to best form, his 51.45 victory over a national record of 51.77 for Laszlo Cseh (HUN) in the 100m butterfly his best ever in a textile suit-
It took two national records to win gold and silver in the men's 200m backstroke, Radoslaw Kawecki (POL) on a championship record of 1:55.28, second in the world so far this year, for victory. Only Japan's Irie Ryosuke has gone quicker so far on Olympic season.
The Polish champion led from start to finish but was pressed every stroke of the way by Hungary's Peter Bernek, on 1:55.88 for silver, his effort a national mark that places him 4th in the world this year.
The bronze went to Yakov Toumarkin (ISR) in 1:57.35.
Other Race Reports
Men's 100m butterfly
Olympic silver medallist Milorad Cavic (SRB) is heading back to best form, his 51.45 victory over a national record of 51.77 for Laszlo Cseh (HUN) won off a 23.45 split, the sole sub-24sec first 50m of the race. The winning time is the best ever by Cavic in a textile suit, a 51.70 from 2007 world titles the previous best for one of only two men, with Michael Phelps (USA) to crack 50sec at a time when non-textile booster bodysuits were allowed.
Cseh chased hard on the way home but a 27.63 split was not enough to take him past Cavic's 28.00. Matteo Rivolta (ITA) took bronze in 52.40, off splits of 24.70 and 27.70.
Women's 200m freestyle
Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini (ITA) played cat and mouse with Germany's leader for the first three laps, Silke Lippok, before romping past her opponent on the way to a 1:56.76 victory. Lippok, who had Olympic trials in Berlin last week, faded badly on the last lap but hung on for silver in 1:58.19, the bronze going to Ophelie Cyrielle Etienne (FRA) just 0.04sec away, having been 1.85sec behind Lippok at the last turn. Just shy of the podium was Italy's Alice Mizzau, on 1:58.39, while Olympic silver medallist Sara Isakovic (SLO) announced her return to the four-lap fray with a 1:58.90 for fifth.
Women's 1500m freestyle
Mireia Belmonte, the Spanish triple world s/c champion coached by Fred Vergnoux at Sabadell, overhauled Camelia Potec (ROU) after the 400m mark and led from there to a 16:05.34 finish ahead of Eva Risztov (HUN), on 16:10.04, and Erika Villaecija, the Spanish teammate who pipped Belmonte for the world s/c 800m crown in December 2010, on 16:15.85. Potec was locked out in 16:17.88.
Non-Olympic dashes
Mercedes Peris took gold for Spain on 28.25 on backstroke, while Damir Dugonjic (SLO) won the breaststroke crown in 27.32.
Men's 4x200m freestyle
Germany, led bz a 1:46.70 from Paul Biedermann, took the crown in 7:09.17 well ahead of Italy, on 7:13.10, and Hungary, on 7:13.60. The winning quartet included Dimitri Colupaev, 1:47.41, Clemens Rapp, 1:47.90, and Tim Wallburger, 1:47.16. The Belgian team in 4th included a 1:46.90 homecoming split for Pieter Timmers.
