The 2026 European Swimming Championships kicked off with an exhilarating opening evening session, featuring a variety of events and record-breaking performances. The men's 50 butterfly semi-finals witnessed an astonishing seven national records fall, with Egor Kornev shattering his Russian record and rising to the top three all-time in the event. Maxime Grousset, despite dealing with a foot injury, matched his prelim swim, while Diogo Ribeiro and Kristof Milak also advanced to the final, breaking their respective national records. The women's 100 freestyle semi-finals saw Marrit Steenbergen, the world record holder, dominate with a championship record, while Sara Curtis and Daria Klepikova also qualified for the final. The men's 400 IM final will be a battle between Leon Marchand and Ilia Borodin, with Borodin pacing the prelims and seeking to defend his LC Euro title. The women's 200 backstroke semi-finals were wide open, with seven swimmers under 2:11, and Katie Shanahan cracking 2:10. The men's 100 breaststroke semi-finals featured a star-studded field, led by Adam Ramsay-Peaty and Nicolo Martinenghi, with multiple swimmers breaking 1:00 in the heats. The women's 4x200 freestyle relay saw Russian Neutral Athletes 'B' pace the prelims, while Great Britain, SwimSwam's predicted winner, lurked close behind. The men's 4x200 freestyle relay prelims showcased Germany's dominance, with Lukas Märtens leading the pack. As the evening progressed, the atmosphere intensified, leaving spectators eagerly anticipating the finals and the potential for more record-breaking performances.
