French swimmers lead medal table going into final day

AFP - Russia claimed three gold medals at the European swimming championships on Saturday to leapfrog Britain and hosts Hungary to second place in the overall medals table behind France.

With just Sunday left, France head the competition with 17 medals (six gold, six silver and five bronze), but Russia have kept the pressure up and now have six gold, three silver and a bronze.

Evgeny Korotyshkin won the 100m butterfly and Stanislav Donets the 200m backstroke on a day rounded off by the Russian quartet claiming gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

It was also a good day for the Italy team which claimed their first two golds of the competition through Fabio Scozzoli in the men's 50m breast-stroke and Federica Pellegrini in the women's 200m freestyle.

Korotyshkin kickstarted proceedings for Russia with victory in 51.73sec, ahead of Dutchman Joeri Verlinden and Poland's Konrad Czerniak

"My plan was to swim a fast first lap, about 24sec flat," said the Russian. "I finished as best I could because I was completely exhausted in the last 10 metres."

Donets made it double gold by powering to a narrow win in the 200m backstroke, finishing in 1min 57.18sec, with Austrian Markus Rogan taking silver in 1:57.31 and Frenchman Benjamin Stasilius bronze (1:57.37).

"I had a strenuous programme here with the three backstroke competitions, and am quite tired now," admitted Donets.

"But I am very pleased that it was enough to win the title."

Daniil Izotov then anchored the Russian foursome to 4x200m freestyle relay from Germany and France.

The Russian team completed the 800m swim in 7:06.71, with the Germans at 1.42sec and the French a further 1.57 adrift.

"This was a really good relay," said Izotov. "That's how we like it. Although the French had Yannick Agnel in their team that didn't bother us."

Italian Scozzoli wrapped up the 50m breastroke in 27.38sec ahead of Romanian Dragos Agache, with Lennart Stekelenburg of the Netherlands taking bronze.

Scozzoli's team-mate Pellegrini then claimed gold in the women's 200m freestyle in 1:55.45, with German Silke Lippok taking silver and Hungarian Agnes Mutina bronze.

"After yesterday's semi-final I thought I could be fast today," said Pellegrini.

"After the first half I saw Silke Lippok, but I continued to swim my own race."

Denmark's Lotte Friis claimed gold in the women's 1,500m freestyle in 15:59.13, but complained that the scheduling of events had been tough.

"I was still tired from the 800m," she moaned.

"I think it is stupid to schedule these long distance events without a one-day break. Today I knew I would be able to win the 1,500, but thought it would be closer."

Ireland's Grainne Murphy took silver at a distant 16:02.29, with Spaniard Erika Villaecija winning bronze.

The seventh medal event on the penultimate day's racing went the way of Belarus, Aliaksandra Herasimenia winning gold in the women's 50m backstroke in 27.64sec.

Germany's Daniela Samulski won silver (27.99) and Spain's Mercedes Peris bronze (28.01)