Day 6 Swimming: European Championships

The time, 2016. The Place, London. The event... The 33rd European

swimming Championships. Foal years on from hosting the Olympic -- foal

years on from hosting the Olympics. Queen Elizabeth Park now welcomes

your APPLAUSE Finest tournament.

Just ten weeks out from the next Games. Britain's best come here,

with more than one reason to be present. Some are here to put down a

marker for the future. An unbelievable performance from the

18-year-old from Warrington. Dawson has a bronze medal. What a wonderful

spreads. -- sprinter. Some are here to find you their skills for Rio.

Gold to team Great Britain. Summer here thinking, if only. A

goat medal for Great Britain, Ross Murdoch, brilliant swim. -- eight

gold medal. But the main goal remains the same. The quest for gold

and glory. Eight will be a wonderful gold medal for Adam Peaty. What a

wonderful swim. We are in Queen Elizabeth will park

for the penultimate day of the European Championships. -- Queen

Elizabeth Olympic Park. There are plenty of expense -- expected

British fans fizzing with excitement. More gold medals for

British swimmers today, possibly, and it will be a great day. Coming

up... Fran Halsall is looking to defend

her European title, Georgia Davies joints in the 50 meter backstroke.

Then proud is looking for a place in the 50 meter freestyle. The

world-record holder and Commonwealth champion face off in the 50 meter

breaststroke final. Let's have an account that medal

table. Hungary is set at the top. Some people will be shouting at the

table, how can Great Britain be in third? Italy and Hungary have more

gold medal. It could all change today. Mark Foster, Becky Adlington,

a big night of racing for British swimmers, but what are your

highlights, the key performances of the week so far? It has been hard to

choose, there are the big names like Hannah Miley, Fran Halsall, but I

have liked seeing the younger guys like Kathleen Dawson, players we

have not seen before -- swimmers we have not seen before who have shone.

So many people have stepped up. We have talked about people being in

hard training and in different parts of their preparation. Kathleen

Dawson shone out. The fact we can have four entries, some of the

junior team at the 2020 Tokyo team have had the chance to step up

majorly, she has shown that she can do that, she has so much more to

come. I think she is one of the stars for the future, brilliant.

Let's look at two of the stars of today, Ross Murdoch and Adam Peaty

both have gold medals already. Let's look at Ross from earlier in the

week. This is Adam, rather than Ross. Their breaststroke look the

same. It is perhaps! How impressed with you -- were you with Adam? You

kind of expect him to win now, everybody gives him the medal

already, he has been so successful over the last couple of years. He is

still chasing the Olympic success that he wants in Rio. He was even

surprised. He probably knows coming into this meet that he should be on

the podium but, for him, the time really, really impressed. With his

50 metres in the semifinal yesterday, I think that was a shock

to get that close to the world record. I know we keep talking about

hard training, but it is incredible, just ten weeks out from the

Olympics. We can't overrate the pudding, his times are world-class.

This is a high-quality European field, but he is with the best of

all time up there? What he did in that race could have potentially won

the Olympic Games, that is how good he is. He is rewriting history books

at the moment, a class apart. I don't remember going into any

Olympic games, I don't even remember saying this with you, I'm afraid...

He virtually nailed the gold medal. I would not say that. You can only

say that if you cross your fingers. So many people are chasing Adam,

everybody wants to beat him, the rest of the world are clocking him

and there is always the sneaky person that just shocks and

surprises everyone. Michael Phelps on the block, I would say that

Michael Phelps Goodwin. With the home pressure, I would say Adam

Peaty can win. Things can go wrong, but I think he is that good, and he

has so much to improve. He has got so far to go. Let's look at the

other individual gold medal of the week. This was Ross Murdoch in the

200 metre breaststroke. He made the time at Olympic trials, a big

talking point. He will not be up for this, his favourite event, but he

has no doubters after this. The other two boys, Andrew Willis and

Craig Benson, qualified for this. Ross is smoked, if you like. He is

still in hard training. He even said it in his interview, he really

wanted to prove that point from his Olympic trials, that he is better

than that. We keep saying he is a 200 breaststroke swimmer, that is

two years ago. It is nice to see him swimming an impressive 50, an

impressive hundreds and a very impressive 200. We are a victim of

our own success when talking about this as they battle for the spot at

the 200. Two names in a team of 26 are going to Rio, let's remind

ourselves of some of the other names, some names that people will

not know at the minute as well as they know Adam Peaty and Ross

Murdoch, but by the end of the summer, they might. I think Chloe

Turton has done that this week. Simply would have looked at that and

gone, who is that? Tim Shuttleworth has done fantastic in the 800 metres

free, huge PB, British record. Then there are people like Chris Walker

had one, people who have struggled. But somebody like Chris, people like

James Guy, they have come here and learnt a lot in a different way to

some of the juniors. For some of the less well-known

guys, there is no pressure on them. That being in that team environment,

that hotel, having that experience and being around the guys, they

suddenly go, do you know what, they are training in the same way that I

do, they just dedicate themselves, commit themselves and it shows that

anything is possible. When you have is accessible team, being around

successful people breed success. That is what they will take away.

They may not shine in Rio, they may, that they may shine in Tokyo. It is

never-ending. We're talking about Rio, Rio, Rio, that some guys here

are thinking about Tokyo. Let's look at the women's 1500 metres

freestyle. Let's talk this through the start list. Mireia Belmonte

Garcia is the current champion. Keep an eye on the Boglarka Kapas, she

has to medals this week already. -- two medals this week.

COMMENTATOR: You have joined is coming into the 450 metres turn,

nine lengths down of the 50 lengths of this final. -- of the 30 lengths.

Out in the lead, and has been pretty much from the start, but Boglarka

Kapas, the champion of a tinge of metres freestyle. A lovely stroke,

goodness me. Nice and long and strong. Breathing only to her

rights. To her leftist Maria Vilas Vidal of

Spain. Marrero Belmonte -- Barrera Belmonte is also doing well.

1000 metres to go, 20 lengths left. Boglarka Kapas leading for Hungary.

Karen Pickering, Boglarka Kapas swam a brilliant eight injured metres

freestyle. This is not in the Olympic programme but it seems to be

working well, trying to prove a point? She is swimming well here.

The whole Hungarian team is swimming well. They have not had Olympic

trials as such. They may have decided to come here and ease back,

try to post some good times for the season at these championships.

Obviously when you have Hungarians picking up numerous medals, it helps

with the statistics of how the country gets on. But Kapas swam an

excellent 800 as part of the gold medal for by 200 team. We sort of

expect Mireia Belmonte to have featured more than her youngest

team-mate, but she is back from injury. She has had some shoulder

injuries and shoulder problems. With the amount of training that these

swimmers have to do, it is a bit of a problem when you start to have

shoulder niggles. She has to speak to a physio pretty much every day as

a prevention. With the metres and metres and metres that they are

doing for the training, they reckon she burns about 6000 calories a day

in full training, no wonder she needs someone as part of her support

to help her with a shoulder problem. This is not an Olympic event,

interestingly, the 1500 for women. It is for men. There is no 804 men

at the Olympics, but there certainly is for the women. -- there is no 800

for the men. I am joined by the 800 metres champion from Beijing, Becky

Adlington of Great Britain. This 700 metre turn, 100 metres in your

comfort zone and then an unknown territory? Bitty much, I will not

lie. I think I only raised two 1500 metres. It is a tough event. It is

not in the Olympic programme. I saw jazz column this morning and I was

like, are you not doing the 50? She was like, no, why would I? -- are

you doing the 15? Lots of swimmers are using this as a training

process, learning through the race process. From the water point of

view, maybe putting the 1500 metres in outside the pool during this

week. Is it not a good opportunity to do some race practice? For

somebody like Jazz Carlin, who has the 400 tomorrow, her concentration

is on that. This takes a lot out of you. It is 3000 metres worth of

racing, when Jazz can do a session, a land programme, carry on his

similar routine of her normal week. You say that, that is interesting.

If a swimmer wins the 1500, 800 and 400 and they do heat and finals of

each, maybe they warm up for 2000 metres and swim down for 1000...

That is a good swim down, I could never get out unless I had in 1500.

But just say, they had actually swum three miles of racing, they do 10.25

miles of warm up and swim down, then let's say they chuck in a little

5000 metres training session because they are in the middle of training,

just because they can, that would be another 20 miles, they would enter

doing three miles racing, 10.25 miles of warm up and swim down and

20 miles of training. A quick 33.24 miles a week -- 33.25 miles a week.

I am completely lost! It is a lot of metres. Even somebody like the

American swimmer, Katie, her programme is jam-packed. She is

doing the 200, 800, 400, possibly even the 100 free. She races a

ridiculous amount, sheep really does more than some people do in

training. They had to push themselves into doing this, because

you have people like Katie. The diving Jazz, the British girl, it is

more a case that she wants to do the 400. -- but I think for Jazz I think

she is really trying to build in the speed, 1500 is a little bit too far

for Jazz It is a great opportunity to get in the race. I thought it

would be closer. I just thought, why wouldn't you race the 800? She beat

me in London, it is one of her strongly beds. I am shocked at how

far she is buying. The winner of the 800 is leading by eight or nine

metres in lengthy, Vilas Vidal Spain and Belmonte Garcia. She normally

comes back quickly, she is in third in the moment and on the left-hand

side. I know she comes back quickly, she did it in London against me.

Karen, what do you make of that? Too far to come back? She would have to

stop in order for Belmonte Garcia to come back on this one. I have the

feeling she didn't and now what fitness level she had to race and

didn't want to put herself on the line on an Olympic event. Seems like

she just said I will go in the 1500, it is not a great reflection or an

exact reflection of what I can do later in the year I will test myself

without putting myself on the line. 200 metres butterfly, 1500 of

freestyle when you have got shoulder problems. The hardest event,

especially for your shoulders, I just had shoulder surgery, the

thought of it terrifies me and I am retired, but it is scary for her,

you have to be careful because like you said with shoulders, it is so

easy for things to come back, so simple just doing something in the

gym or in a recovery session, it can put you two months back again. She

is trying to carefully choose her events on what to do, but I think

this week is an odd one what she has decided to do in my eyes. Surely you

would choose something less injury and is. 50 metres freestyle! I would

choose that. Extending her lead and swimming very well. Must be at 13

metres ahead and looking really fine. Maybe ten metres, second is

the Dell of Spain, found at the moment, the defending champion, but

she will lose that champion, Belmonte Garcia, she has had bad

shoulder problems. She is still nurturing that to full fitness.

Impressive stuff from Kapas, I wonder if she has a chance at the

Olympic semifinal in the 800 because she was brilliant. I think so, the

girls will be looking at that, but like racing Michael Phelps, the gold

is catered for, it is for Ledecky. That is what a lot of these girls

will be thinking, the fight is on for silver and bronze and jazz

Karlin is amongst that but so many other as well. I think she has a

contender to get on that podium on one to watch. For the speaking of

something to watch. Watch this time, I love the butterfly kick off the

wall. Loupe she has a lovely cake anyway, a lot of the distance girls

and boys we have seen this week, the dog in the use their legs, Kapas

does, she keeps her legs going throughout the entire race, really

tough to do but to see somebody like Hideki and people like that at the

distance, that is what they are doing now. They are doing very well.

Leading is Kapas of Hungary and she will take the 1500 metres women's

title indeed. Interesting battle for the silver and bronze. Belmonte

Garcia, the defending champion, waited far too late, but she has a

cracking chance of silver, Vidal has trouble, this is Kapas. I don't

think Almonte Garcia wants her younger Spanish team-mate to beat

her and that is driving her on in the closing stages. The champion of

the 800 metres freestyle, she has got two legs left, 100 metres to go.

Kapas out in front and looks like Belmonte Garcia could come second.

Belmonte Garcia second, the Dell third and she has really started to

go to her feet, Kapas, no doubt about the winner, way ahead but just

one lane up from the leader, Belmonte Olympic silver-medallist,

two super-tough races but the gold is very clear. Guillemot 15 metres

clear now and Belmonte Garcia finishing well. Great to see that,

but really kicking hard. She has just controlled this race from start

to finish and been so impressive at these championships. Kapas getting a

massive ovation from the crowd at this Europeans winning

championships, two gold medals in the two toughest offence, 800 metres

freestyle and now the 1500 hard time is very good indeed, 15 minutes and

50 seconds. It is a new championship record, I believe was that silver

has gone to Mireia Belmonte Garcia. And the bronze goes to Spain as

well. It was Mireia Belmonte Garcia Yedlin championship record, Kapas

has taken seven seconds of that. Belmonte Garcia, interesting

tactics, left it very late to start her charge but charge seeded.

Testing herself, to see if she has the turn of speed that she will need

in the closing stages in the summer. It is easy to stick to a rhythm, but

to just change pace. Testing just to see if that kick was there. In the

top three times in the world this year. You can see the leg kick. The

butterfly kick off the wall. Interesting finish as well. Totally

delighted. Two European Championship titles. New championship record.

No wonder she is delighted, two individual titles, gold medal for

the relay. Let's talk about the 50-metre breaststroke semifinal. The

world record holder is not in this. Jennie Johansson is only doing this.

Everybody is in different stages, to me I'm a great believer in racing as

much as possible. She is Olympic champion, she has won the World

Championship, done everything, part of her programme and her coach was

seeing, do the 100, that is her event. And then go home again. The

50-metre breastmilk is not in the live pigs, she is doing what she has

to do, going back and doing a training programme. She is not

somebody who needs the experience and run the competition because she

has got so much experience and it is impossible to underplay it. That was

quite significant, elbow surgery, it will cost her problems later in the

year? I don't think so, you have all your physios looking after you every

day, they will be monitoring that, as will her coach, she will have to

fill out everything about how she feels at all these wellness sheets

and you have to do all of that stuff, every little thing, even if

she gets a little thing, they will attack and make sure she is fine. No

need to worry. Let's have a look at the semifinals.

Fiona Boyle did well to make this semifinal. The fastest qualifier. --

Fiona Doyle. Two Italians here in lanes five and

six. The Italians have swum very well at these championships,

particular the men's freestyle. They have, they have dominated. The

distance races. They have brought a really strong team over and great

results, maybe trying to get some fast wins to get confidence into the

summer. Luthersdottir is silver-medallist of the women's

breast stroke. This is the semifinal. Doyle the Irish record

holder, right at the bottom of the shot.

One-month breast stroke, not an Olympic event but it is a European

Championship event and a very good start in two from Kivirinta from

Finland, Boyle try to go with her, good start indeed and a heavily got

to power down this first 25 and older onto the stroke, quite

difficult to get the balance between the turnover of the stroke and the

pace of the turnover on the stroke and holding water, looks like

Luthersdottir in the centre starting to come through, very fast turnover.

30.9. Three women under... Four women under 31 seconds, that'll be

the time to try to beat to make the final and Luthersdottir delighted

with that. Good on her. She is 24 years old and she has got medals

already on the 200 and 100, can she get one in the 50-metre? I think so,

she was good on that, great start. From Sztandera, the Polish swimmer,

come out of the water, dipping their head and a good turnover. The fast

turnover work for her, Luthersdottir, three women under 31.

Fiona Doyle in sixth. The world champion, Jennie

Johansson, as a prize for everybody including her when she won it, she

goes in as the fastest qualifier. Interestingly at this championships,

we have had the world record holder for the 200 metres breaststroke come

here just for the 200 and on the 100 came for some crosstraining, just

that the 100. Jennie Johansson, current world champion just swimming

the 50th. It just seems like they are trying to us less time out take

of training as possible, using it for their race practice and then

getting out. It is little disruption as possible, so interesting tactics

for the breaststroke girls. Jennie Johansson in the centre. Lane number

four, the fastest qualifier for this final. 30.7 five. In her heat. 30.8

in the second session. Just need to do what she did in the heats this

morning to go through to the final fastest. Silver in 2014. Has never

won it. Can she win the gold? Second semifinal of the women's 50

metres breast or, Jennie Johansson from Sweden the fastest qualifier in

lane four, the world champion. The world champion with the yellow hat

in the centre gets a decent start, a very good one, Laukkanen of Finland.

Going well down in two. Ivaneeva. Any of these women can make it

through. Starting to come through, the Jennie Johansson of Sweden,

powering inside the last five, very good and it was needed. 0.1 seconds

faster than the time she did indeed heats and an impressive swim and she

has done the job. Absolutely, looked like she was speeding up, more

likely she was slowing down the least of the swimmers as they seem

to be tying up about going up and down more than stretching forward,

she didn't have the greatest start of the 50-metre specialist,

surprising she was a little bit down and had to work, but she was the one

that kept the stroke smooth and flowing right throughout that 50.

The result of the second semifinal. The finalists for the 50-metre

breaststroke. Jennie Johansson goes in fastest. Chocova makes it in

seven. There must be a tie for eighth, that will be interesting if

they have to have a swim off. We will have that for you tomorrow

night. Don't go anywhere. In 1987, you won gold in Strasbourg at the

100 metre flight, which is the final we have coming up next. So I would

like to speak to you about Laszlo Cseh, I believe that Fortune favours

the brave, he is changing his programme with one eye on the

Olympics? Yes, it is quite interesting, if he wins a medal in

this next 100 metres he becomes the second most successful medallist at

the European Championships ever, hired Alex Popoff, 22 European

medals. The one he keeps winning all the time is the medley, he has the

record for the most individual wins on the 400, he has five 400 medley

titles, four 200 medley titles, he was the fastest qualifier after the

heats in the 200 medley and dropped it to swim the 55. I think he thinks

he can win the 200 fly at the Olympics. I'm much he thinks he can

win this hundred, but it would be great practice. -- I am not sure he

thinks. Time for the men's 100 metre butterfly in the European

Championships. Take us through this, Andy and Karen. COMMENTATOR: There

is big Mehdy Metella in lane three. This at the World Championships, but

he is right extra Laszlo Cseh, the fastest qualifier, who goes in four.

-- right next to. Konrad Czerniak from Poland is the defending

champion. Two big Polish swimmers in here. Laszlo Cseh, the world

champion in the 200 fly, silver medallist in the hundred. He lost

the 100 fly that he did not lose the 200 fly. Karen, I am whingeing about

Rio, the 100 and 200 and Laszlo Cseh? -- I am wondering. From his

background, you have to think that the 200 butterfly is the want to

keep an eye on. Essentially, it could be stacked with Michael

Phelps, who else will be coming through the ranks as well? It will

not be easy, certainly. It is not what I would choose to do. 100 fly?

200. It is the event of champions. Take

your marks. The best start definitely coming from the defending

champion, Konrad Czerniak of Poland, world ranked in the two this year.

Laszlo Cseh is only number three. Czerniak has gone off like a rocket.

Cseh will be strong in the closing stages. I would have thought that

Metella would have gone faster, but he is being patient and waiting.

Laszlo Cseh, of course, will be strong. A great turn from him.

Superb underwater work. He will be strong. He will be strong, he hit

the turn right on the end of the/ bounced off it. Used all the

momentum that he had going into the turn to come out, Metella coming

back, Laszlo Cseh wins it. 50.80 six. Goodness, gracious me. -- 50.80

six. The Olympics will not be much faster than that. Laszlo Cseh has

not rested at all. Gold at the 100 metres butterfly in the European

Championships in a new championship record, 50.8 six. He's still the

record from the man he just shook hands with, Konrad Czerniak. -- he's

still the record. You would not think that Cseh was a good 100 metre

butterfly swimmer. He is not so big and mostly, you would not think he

has the power, that he is so efficient with his strokes. A

perfect turn, making the most of it. It looked like the closing stages

hurt, but he did enough. I think he is most pleased with the time. He

becomes the second most successful male swimmer in European history,

with 22 medals, gold on the 100 fly, Mehdy Metella on the bronze and

Konrad Czerniak on the gold. How much of a fatal Laszlo Cseh give

Michael Phelps? -- how much of a competition will Laszlo Cseh give

Michael Phelps? Phelps has not been under 51 this year yet. Laszlo,

50.8, very, very quick. The big change has been the fact that he has

dropped the 400 and the 200 and concentrated on the fly. He became a

world medallist in the spreads butterfly last year. He has got so

much more speed. If he has the background and speed, he will

trouble Phelps in the 100 fly. I know we are talking about

world-class athletes with an incredible amount of a very

intelligently behind them, but is it a risk putting all your eggs in one

basket? Know. I think you have to now. There is so much depth in

swimming, it is very rectified Cindy like Michael Phelps who can do

loads. Obviously Cseh can, but for most people it is best to give 100%

to one and get the medal rather than risking it, trying to do a couple

and falling short of the gold. Right now it is time for Sharron to talk

to Laszlo Cseh. Fantastic swim, are you please? Yes.

I would like to see my best time, I don't know if it is that all post

about, but it is quite a good time. You are the second most decorated

swimmer ever in European history. I don't know, that this is really

good. Before Rio it is a sign that we do something good. What is most

important, 100 or 200? Is important is to be as fast as possible, beat

everyone and show everyone that I am Laszlo Cseh. It is most important to

be the fastest, yes, it is! Time for the women's 200 metre

freestyle final. Federica Pellegrini is going for her fourth consecutive

European title, and if she doesn't, she will be the first person to do

it. -- and if she does it. COMMENTATOR: Pellegrini is the

second fastest qualifier. Heemskerk is the fastest, she is swimming very

well here. This will be a fascinating final. There is the

fastest qualifier for the final. She won a bronze medal in the 100 metres

freestyle, a gold and a bronze in the Dutch relay. I am delighted to

be joined by Karen Pickering, herself world champion in the 200

metres freestyle. What do you reckon, Heemskerk or Pellegrini?

Femke Heemskerk has been having a great week the Dutch girls have been

swimming ever so well. But you can't bet against Pellegrini. She is so

gritty, such a racer. She lives to get in and chase them down. If she

is in position I think she could take gold. Tactically, it will be

interesting. Heemskerk is a very good hundred swimmer, Pellegrini

comes back really hard. I wonder if there will be some mouse and cats.

The final of the women's 200 metres freestyle, the fastest qualifier is

in the centre, Femke Heemskerk of Holland. Federica Pellegrini, I am

sure, will track her every metre. The white hat leading of Heemskerk,

and the black Cats one length up is Pellegrini. Femke Heemskerk of the

such an excellent 100 metres freestyle, her stroke looks built

for the 200. So long. She is not rushing it. Very patient and smooth.

Fast. A great start. Perfect for Pellegrini, in third at the moment,

but right on the heads of Femke Heemskerk. She loves the chase. She

does. How far behind do you think Pellegrini can afford to get and

still come back and win? I think she is well in position, already

starting to come back. She won't let Heemskerk get too Farah head. But

Femke is a world champ injured finalist at 200 metres freestyle,

she is no slouch. But I think Pellegrini is in the perfect

decision. Four and 3Com Heemskerk and Bonnet. Bonnet is from France.

She was meant that the World Championships on the 200. A very,

very good swimmer indeed. Bonnet is second. It has been half a second

pretty much for Pellegrini in the Black Cats, now she has to go. Femke

Heemskerk is going, kicking her legs. Pellegrini chasing her down

with every stroke. This is her strength, this is what she loves

doing. Pellegrini is coming back, she has won this championship three

times in a row. She will not give it up easily. Bonnet is coming back.

Can Heemskerk hold on? Gold medal, Pellegrini. My goodness. Ball

hundreds of a second, Federica Pellegrini has done four in a row.

-- four hundredths of a second. The very last stroke was the only time

that she was ahead. Perfect pacing. You can definitely say that that is

timing it to perfection. Leading off the four by 200 relay earlier this

meet, somebody went quicker than matter, 155.3 zero. Exciting stuff.

She chose not to swim this. Pellegrini was in the race. But it

right at the end. -- got it right at the end. Four hundredths, that is

what it looks like to your team-mates. Silver. Goodness me.

What a fantastic race. Federica Pellegrini, again, for the fourth

time, gold in the 200 metres freestyle.

There was close, then there is really, really close extra measure

up what a game plan, what a race. Karen Pickering, let's talk about

that field. The Europeans are strong, but in ten weeks' time on a

world stage, that final will be stacked? Exactly. The USA have not

had their Olympic trials yet, you can't be absolutely certain, but the

chances are that Katie Merdeka will be in that field. We know her as a

distance swimmer, 800 and 400, she holds the world records at the 1500,

but she leads the world rankings in the 200. So you have a make of the

sprinters, Pellegrini, Femke Heemskerk particularly, then you

have Katie, you come down a distance, they meet at the 200,

tactics will be so important. You have the guys who will go strong,

the guys who will finish strong, such an exciting race and full of

talent. We will look forward to that in ten weeks.

Plenty more to come. In about an hour, Adam Peaty, the world champion

from last year, he said this competition like last night with his

times, keeping everybody on the edge of their seat, is looking to repeat

his incredible year from last year. Can you Adam and Eve it? I went

there! It is a matter of keeping cool and hopefully going faster at

the world Rugby jibs. If I want to be great, I need to be the athlete

who moves the time, and hopefully brings Saddam for Great Britain --

going faster at the World Championships. I need to be the

athlete who moves it on at hopefully brings it on for Great Britain. The

world champion, Adam Peaty for Great Britain. Easy power from Peaty. Come

on. Starting to pads -- power away. Five yards left to go, Peaty is just

in front. The silver is there! Adam Peaty again! Destroyed the world

record. If Adam Peaty can deliver his usual 100 metres... He is

turning first, fantastic news for Great Britain. The Russians are

miles behind. Competing for Great Britain. Come on, Adam Peaty, this

is where you have to work it. And Britain win gold! I can't quite

believe rape Britain has taken all the gold, four gold medals for Great

Britain. -- I can't quite believe Great Britain has taken all the

gold. What a week for Adam, everybody

starts and went, he is there, an international name and a man to

watch. Another young man trying to set his stall out is then proud.

Sorry, I can't help it. -- is Ben Proud. Mark Foster, you help that

record the 26 years, so to make you feel good about yourself, we decided

to send you along to catch up with Ben Proud. Has he got it? I think he

has! Gold, 50 freestyle, Ben Proud. Commonwealth Games, I did not know

what to expect. I said it was just a stepping stone. Doing as well as I

did, it was a massive leap. Leaving my friends and family back in

Malaysia to start this new life, it made it worthwhile. You could say

that what we're doing is right. A great 2014, what about last year? It

was OK. And OK competition. It was a year full of injuries and illness.

All others in my support team were frustrated because we did not have

the preparation we wanted. As soon as the World Rugby jibs wooden, we

came back, looks at what we needed to change and did it. A good year to

get it wrong. Were you trying different things out? We tried

altitude training. That was no good for me.

John got it right. He said it was the time to do it. Good time to

catch up. Caught up now and feel like we are back on track. Jim Watt

help me a lot in the water but how did you find that different part of

training, helping in the water? Massively, being a sprinter there is

only so much you can do for 21 second race, the last ten years it

has become a massive part of training. Still got it! Who is your

main rival? Manaudou has taken the world by storm in the last few

years, he is a big guy, strong in the gym and powerful in the water,

he is the benchmark. If I compare you to him, you are a bit shorter,

he is six feet six and weighs 105. I have seen the way you start and if

you can be near him at the start there is no reason why you can't be

near him at the end? Vesely, we are trying to make sure I am in the best

physical shape I can be and keep the transition into the dive. A big part

this to do the power things into the gym and created into something else

and hopefully that drags it on. 23 seconds, that is for the freestyle.

All the same type of things I would do in the race and it is completely

different dynamics. It really is a massive challenge. Getting close to

Rio it is worth it. What are your chances, what are you thinking?

Coming into the summer, the chances are all over the place. I could be a

medal contender are finished last, or diving well and come first.

Anything can happen. The bar has been raised and I will go until we

touched the wall. I have learned a lot over the time being here and I

think it is time to step up. Let's talk about Ben Proud because he is

one of the youngest in the field. How much of a factor does age play

in this type of event? A lot. You naturally get stronger into your

late 20s. He is still 21. He has been on a fast learning curve since

he was 15, a fast improver on what impressed me so much, he is very

focused the way he is doing it. He has dissected what Manaudou is

better known world and the favourite for the Olympic Games, he looks at

what he does and the way he looks, they will not try to make a minor.

Every detail is thought about. He is playing catch up. He has not swam

for that. Everything is clicking into place

right now. Fast improving. Believing himself a bit more, he more relaxed

and he can get more out of himself. In the nicest possible way he says

you have to have a bit of arrogance in the 50 metres and maybe that is

what would encourage. You have still got it. Confidence, there is a

difference. In terms of strength, are you surprised at to how much

land training he does compared to you? He did one length of swimming.

It is the same thing. You did one length hair week. We are hammering

mark now. To break the race down, I counted 32 strokes. You want to go

33 strokes, 100 strokes, it is 21 seconds. You want to make it the

best possible, you spend a lot of time on land becoming a strong as

possible. You need to fill the water very well. That is the problem,

people get too strong and the slip in the water. They do a lot of

lengths but they were quality. -- I didn't do a lot of lengths. I feel

like this is going to go on for a while. Let's see how Ben Proud goes

in the semifinals. The first semifinal of the men 50-metre

freestyle. It is a massive one. Manaudou is in four. Czerniak, he

won a silver medal and European Championships two years ago in

Berlin and is right next to this man, he is a man mountain, he is the

world champion. I think tomorrow night he has a cracking chance of

adding another European title. To defend it in Rio. Can anybody get

anywhere near him? I cannot see it. He is so strong. Watch when he

swims, very different to a lot of the other sprinters. Tough to do

that. Czerniak won the 100 butterfly already, so might be a little bit

jaded. 50 metres freestyle, fastest human

on the planet. Manaudou of France, it is crushing,

my goodness me. Got to 40 metres this morning. He just eased down the

edges, look how far ahead he is. He is easing off. Nice and easy. It is

comfortable. How many men under 22. The confidence, the arrogance,

whatever you want to call it. To slow down in the closing stages, a

little wave. Just popped in and swam 50. He was already ahead and just

eased back and made it look close. Comfortable as well. Shaking the

water out of his years, Manaudou, he wins Mack the first semifinal, the

men sub 22, that is the target. Ben Proud knows what he has to do. He is

the Commonwealth champion, he won the 50 fly and the 50 free.

I didn't think any of the sprinters looked good this morning. 50 is a

bit too early to get the fast twitch fibre is going before midday. And

was one of them, he swam well he did well. Second-fastest qualifier. Luca

Dotto won the 100 individual freestyle. European junior champion.

Won gold in the 55. That was an unbelievable swim. Ben is the

youngest in the semifinal. Bigger, stronger, the experience. Got to be

really camp and collected. Experience beyond his years.

Ben Proud training at Plymouth with John Ruddy. Champion and world

record holder. As is the shortest race and the fastest grace. Second

semifinal. Ben Proud, fastest qualifier in lane four. Superstar,

very good indeed. He is ahead by a quarter of a second. Beautiful

butterfly stroke. Going well, it will be tight. But it might be Ben

Proud and it is. He wins Mack. Sub 22. Nice. Good. Comfortable. Ben

Proud has thus -- just done the job beautifully. He gave the swimmer is

so much work to do, he had to fight back, couldn't get past him. The

first two were close, Ben Proud wins the second semifinal. Big gap to

third place. Interesting. There are other finalists. Manaudou

goes fastest. Ben Proud in second, that is great. Govorov is third,

that will be a heck of a final. Another Andy Jamieson classic, refer

to them as the thoroughbreds. Ben Proud looks in shape, the evidence

of how strong they are, what do you make of the wash that comes after

those guys. It is as brash, it is crazy. Just absolutely incredible,

one of the best art I have seen from world-class field. Exceptional

start. Then, tremendous swim, is it an advantage being in the second

semifinal? Definitely, you get to see how the other guys went. I did

my own race. If it wasn't for UK sport bringing sportier, it wouldn't

be the same. Great having a home crowd and home advantage. Great to

see the crowd happy. Superb start, were you aware of that that you had

so much man advantage? It starts to do well, I'm not the biggest and the

stronger but I can get the technique and skill is right, why can't I be

the fastest? He has got a few years on you and you will be a long time.

It is interesting because like you say, quite often in every sport you

see the young guys humming and without the expectation and pressure

and they are the copy, confident, not arrogant, once, but he doesn't

have that. He is very shy in character but you are hearing there.

There is a belief there. He was saying I'm not the biggest or the

strongest but why not. That start is the nominal. Manaudou kills it at

the start, he is longer, taller, a lot more range, Ben is looking

fantastic. All the training he is doing is geared towards Rio but in

that kind of shape, third fastest in the world this year, not 1 million

miles away. Looking good. Plenty to be confident about, that statistic,

he was out of the air in front of everybody. From men on their front

to women spitting on their back, the final of the women's 50 back coming

up but last night there were two cracking semifinals. In the first

semifinal, European gold-medallist, Nielsen, she touched the wall first

and will start in lane four but she will have British company in the

middle of the pool, this is what happened in the second semifinal

last night. altitude training. That was no good

for me. Here is the second semifinal. Look

at that in the centre, fastest and second-fastest qualifier. Georgia

Davies in four, the great Fran Halsall all in five.

Second semifinal, women's 50 backstroke, Great Britain in four

and five. The streamlining is so important,

the little red marker are the main line. I have to say, I think Elaine

two went past it, we will have to see about that. It looked like she

went too far, but a good start the Fran Halsall in the blue hat in the

centre. She may be knocked off her stride. Al Saud is just about

leading. Georgia Davies coming back a little bit. Hulse all coming back.

-- Halsall stop Great Britain won an two in the second semifinal, they

will be two and three into the final. -- Great Britain lanes one

and two. Although Fran is the reigning champion, it must be like a

phoney vent her, there is no pressure. Just get in, bash out a

50, get out, don't have to worry about it too much. Always good. They

are like arrows through the water. It is hard. It is amazing that that

is faster than swimming backstroke on the top, underwater kick flight.

Hard to keep that oh, though, the abdominal work you get from

underwater butterfly cake. -- hard to keep that up. The abdominal work

you get from the underwater butterfly kick.

You Jonas as the Hungarian national anthem plays out for Laszlo Cseh. He

has an army of fans, even though there are not many Hungarians,

nobody can doubt what he is giving to the sport and what he might give

later this year. Fran Halsall, I know it is not an Olympic event,

there is no pressure in that sense, but it is a big year, big home

crowd, she will be looking to set his stall out. She did not get a

medal in London, which disappointed her, massively. Is that pressure or

expectation on her? She is just a sprinter. She said no to the breast

stroke. She can do freestyle, butterfly, backstroke. For her, it

is more of a funny bend, as Karen and Andy have just referenced. She

has a great start, so look out for her the start. Georgia said last

night that this is not a main event, she does not train for age, it comes

naturally to her. A fun event for iPhone lady, Fran Halsall caught up

with us earlier in the week. I love this pool, I think it is a

fast pool. It is so light and airy, it feels like an arena. The pool, to

swimming, feels amazing. For swimmers, we go a lot on feel, so

having an environment that feels it creates that extra 1% that you need

to swim faster. People will put in good performances and good times

that they probably do not expect. What do you need from the Europeans?

I need the crowd to be nice and noisy, lots of home support would be

great. I want to be competitive in the am at. I feel like I am in good

shape and could do well, I need to put my race plans together well. I

am racing against people who know me. They're only so many times in

the year that you get to do that, so to have the opportunity now is a

great experience before an Olympics. How confident are you that you can

get that peak performance at some point this year, hopefully at the

Olympics, and break those macro? Really confident. -- and break those

PBs? The more you build and build, it will come out at some point, so

you can relax at a big meet. It's somebody beats me they are better

than me, it is not because I could have done this but I didn't, I want

to win, knowing I have done everything I am supposed to do and

everything I need to to get there. It is quite important to me.

Fran is defending European champion at the 50 metre back. In the top

three, Georgia Davies and Mie Oe Nielsen. How likely is it to be the

same three this time? I think Fran will win it. She loves a crowd,

especially when on form, I think she will rise to the occasion. Nielsen

is in the middle of the British sandwich, I think Georgia Davies

will sneak second and you'll soon will get third. Let's see what

happens, Georgia Davies and Fran Halsall going for Britain in this.

-- and Mie Oe Nielsen will get a third.

COMMENTATOR: We have surrendered. The European champion on the 100

metres backstroke, Georgia Davies in three and Fran Halsall in five. The

fastest qualifier was Nielsen of Denmark, in four.

They are introducing them to the crowd from slowest to fastest. Here

is the fourth fastest, Dracula of Greece. -- Drakou. A huge welcome

the Georgia Davies, the third fastest qualifier, Commonwealth

champion, I think she will get right on top of the podium. But I am sure

that Fran Halsall wants to defend her championship title. Nielsen is

on top form. She won the 100 back in a really quick time. Karen, where

will it go? You have Mie Oe Nielsen Georgia Davies, beautiful backstroke

technicians, against Fran Halsall, who is the speed merchant. She has

the fast twitch fibre, she can turn it to anything. Will it be the

technicians or the speedster? Brian loves the big stage, she loves the

crowd, I think she can do it -- Fran loves the big stage. There is

Halsall in the dark blue suit and the blue hat of Great Britain. She

is in lane five. Blue hats in three and five of the British women, in

the middle of those two, Mie Oe Nielsen of Denmark. The final of the

women's 50 metres backstroke. Interestingly, the first action from

the Nielsen was to go towards the wall rather than away from it. A

very good start from Fran Halsall. A wonderful start. She has a clear

head lead at the moment. She is going very well at the moment, Fran

Halsall. Nielsen is in four, charging back. How's all is the

European champion of the 50 metres backstroke. -- Halsall is the

European champion. What a wonderful swim. I believe it is a new British

record. A new championship record. It is gold to Fran Halsall of Great

Britain. A new English record for Fran, she loves that. She will be

loving the noise of the crowd. It came down to the speed. She is not

the best backstroke technician, but what a start she had. Dutiful

underwater work. She popped up so far ahead. The backstroke as could

not catch her. Nielsen was charging. Yes. Well done, Fran, well done. Two

medals for the British women, gold to Fran Halsall, a new championship

record, Mie Oe Nielsen De Silva for Denmark, and Georgia Davies a

bronze. Wonderful stuff. -- Mie Oe Nielsen got the silver for Denmark.

For you guys, it was over after the first ten metres? Has is

unbelievable, the underwater phase. Georgia is better at the backstroke,

but Fran got it from the word go. For Fran, she is a 50 swimmer. It is

the same energy systems. She goes too far ahead for them to catch up.

I bet she has enough energy to talk to Sharron

The thing, and so she should be. Championship record, the new English

record, and you love the crowd? That was exciting, I enjoyed that a lot.

A bit emotional. How much does this set you up? You will be full of

confidence? It shows I am in good shape. My strategy tonight was do

not hate the lane rope and you will be OK, I swimmer in a straight line

under the great time, it was perfect. Is it nice that some of the

pressure of having to do the distance work is gone and you could

be the Sprint steam and that we know you are? People ask why you don't do

the hundred, this and that, I am not a big giant bat can do a big thing.

I have to specifically target things, I am not a naturally gifted

in height or anything. It is either puts on weight on and be very

competitive in the 50, sacrificing the 100 bit, or stay skinny and

light and be average at the hundred, so I chose the one that I would be

better at. I wish I could have sworn the 50! No chance. I will let you

go, back to Georgia. Congratulations. We said we did

Beaver Stephen -- speed Demon versus the technician, I thought you had

the second, it was just the finish? I am pleased with the time, I have

been consistent this week. It is nice that I had in three 27 points,

hopefully that will help my front end of the hundreds, I will get out

faster and be more controlled, that is the aim. It is always lovely to

have the two argue on the medal ceremony, well done full top what

did you make of Georgia's swim? A really good time for her. She has

progressed from the heats, the semis, the finals. In the interview

yesterday she said she is naturally gifted in the 50, she does not train

for it at all, this is Fran, who is pure speed. You have been speaking

to Fran Halsall for the best part of ten years, how have you seen her

change as an athlete, Sharron it is 11, she came onto the scene at the

European youth in 2005. She has won nearly 40 medals internationally, if

you include junior once, not a single one of those has been an

Olympic yet. She made four Olympic finals in London 2012 and was

heartbroken that she did not pick up a medal, that is what she needs to

finish her career. She is great fun to interview, always chatty and

bubbly, a great ambassador for swimming.

Sticking with backstroke, we have the men's 200 metre final last

night, and there were two cracking semifinals last night. In the first,

it was a young man from this away near. He went through fastest. Boom,

he seriously enjoyed that one. COMMENTATOR: The second semifinal.

The greenback from Cockermouth in Cumbria, a fabulous club, he is in

third -- Luke Greenback from Cockermouth in Cumbria.

The Hungarian is the fastest qualifier for the second semifinal.

He has never made a senior final. Quite raw, quite green, yet

experience. It will be very interesting to see how they swim,

tactically. He won a bronze in the 50 backstroke, silver in the

hundred, will he have the stamina in the closing stages? The 200 tactic

is so important. Chris do of Greece has gone out fastest. We have the

bronze in the hundred metres backstroke. A shorter distance, he

has the stroke of a distance act/ swimmer, very long and smooth, not

necessarily the power that you would expect. The Greek has gone up very

fast, the Greeks are having a great meet here. He is not in a bad

position, three from the bottom. He will head a really good turn and

bring it home, he has a great chance ringing the final. He is still going

fast. The 19-year-old bronze medallist is looking good. What a

beautiful backstroke. He just look so effortless. All the work only one

underneath. Head still, shoulders rolling, really using the upper body

power -- all the work going on underneath. That rolling really

hurts your legs. Luke Greenback moved up to fifth position on that

turn, he has some work to do. The first semi was not that fast. If he

can bring it home he has a good chance of making the final, under

1.59 would be good. The Greek wins it.

Luke Greenback peers time will be tied. He is ninth, he has missed the

final by 16 hundredths of a second. When he is up against the big boys,

the seniors, it is difficult. Siladji hard lines for Luke

Greenbank, just edged out in ninth, so not making the final, part of an

extremely impressive setup. Hill he is, I've been lucky enough to go

there a couple of times, it is a tiny pool, four lane 25-metre pool,

built in 1978, but the coaching setup, all volunteers and they are

all professional coaches, quite amazing what they have achieved, 100

members. 50 competitive swimmers. Of those guys they took 44 to the

counties, 23 to the regionals and 13 to the internationals, 13 out of 15,

her team got the top four club placing, they have got four guys

into the junior team and they have got Greenbank who broke the world

junior record. Not only that they had five guys going to the

Paralympics and Toure Invicta 's games, so an amazing what the club

has achieved. It is a town not far from where I am from, lovely town,

very impressive, but for somebody like Luke Greenbank, what do you

benefit by going to a bass or hanging out with Adam Peaty, they

have spent some time together. Going to Bath University, I presume! It is

interesting, he is a young lad. The philosophy is, it is a wonderful

thing to set the kids up and really set them on a life path, it is... He

has got his lads lined up and will possibly swim with Mel Marshall in

Derby. Maybe some of the women go over to the Metro, set them up and

give them the start, the times the technique, they really work on that

stuff on off a lot, set them up beautifully and allow them to go and

make a flourish. What a wonderful approach to life, it is brilliant.

Anzhi. Luke Greenbank, how big a future do

you think he has? Has had a very impressive 200 metres backstroke,

went 156, incredible time, not quite but that this year and he is one to

watch. Andy is moving to Bill Marshall. Great programme to train

in in Derby and interesting to see what he does in the future. Take us

through the final of the men 200 metre backstroke.

COMMENTATOR: Here are the finalists. Rapsys of Lithuania is in lane four.

The fastest qualifier of one of the most wide-open finals in this

Championships. It is a lottery, the winner could come from anywhere.

Very close after the semifinals, difficult to tell, nobody seemed to

really make a move or put down a marker. Very happy with this. We'll

be great to see him do it again. He is certainly good. He has had good

progression from the heats to the semifinals. Not many Russian

swimmers. Tarasevich here. Ciccarese had a good heat. Toumarkin of

Israel. In a race like this it is wide-open, so the guy who sticks his

neck on the line and goes for it, pacing it perfectly for his own

race. The best chance is to blast out and steal it, could be the guy

that has just walked out. Chris do, he of anyone to the race on --

Christou. Caught in the closing stages of his semifinal but he was

committed, impressive with his race and when you are swimming for the

pride of a gold medal, you are able to hang on better in the closing

stages. Watch out for lane three and Christou. Rapsys of Lithuania, the

fastest qualifier, Kawecki of Poland, the defending champion. Not

quite sure she is on full form here. For me, with Kawecki not on his best

form, it really is wide-open. Rapsys in four Dummett Kawecki in five.

Where do you see this going? What a question, thank you. I will back

Christou. OK. Toumarkin in lane six. The final of the men's 200 metre

breaststroke. Kawecki the defending champion in five.

Four lengths of the pool, 50 metres underwater. I tell you fought, lane

five, Kawecki, I thought he was mighty close to the 15-metre mark.

I'm sure we have not seen the judges with the thumbs down, good start and

he is off and running, that's for certain. In the centre of the pool,

not much in it. Kawecki turning first, Christou in there. My

prediction might come right, don't make me look silly! It is Kawecki

who is well in control. Great effort. Very efficient over the

water. Side to side. Having to work those legs continually going from

side to side, it is hard. Watch the town, he is very tight in the water.

Just fizzes off. How long it is to hold your breath for that long and

be holding at underwater. Does use up a lot of energy. In the 200 metre

breaststroke, you can tell what state the swimmer is by how far they

go underwater from the times. Making sure they are swimming very

straight. The roof is not perfectly straight, going a tiny bit sideways,

Kawecki has been brilliant. Brilliant off that one again. Very

good indeed. The rest of the field have work to do. Working very hard.

Right on the lane, very difficult to sit straight -- swim straight in

this pool. Coming back very straight is Toumarkin. For the Kawecki wins

it, very tight Kawecki of Poland successfully defends the

championship title he won in Berlin two years ago, the silver has gone

to Toumarkin of Israel and the bronze to Rapsys. In the end very

impressive swim. Just past in the centre? From that angle that was

very close. The scoreboard has rotated, so the judges think it is

OK. Look at that work. Easing down into the water. I think he is a

lucky boy to be honest for that goes a massive amount off the walls.

Kawecki, double champion of the men's 200 metre backstroke. Rapsys

gets the bronze. British ladies making their way to the pool for the

semifinals of the 200 metre fly, but what we don't normally see in this

event, Hani Miley -- Hannah Miley and will not looking to get the

strength when they are ahead. Hannah has worked on that. And as wins

everything, she normally has a jam-packed programme, Amy did this

in the Commonwealth Games, she won Olympic trials of this a few weeks

ago, so it is something that helps them but it is a bit of a bonus

event. In terms of Hannah, good week so far and a lady who has had one

hell of a career. This is a brilliant swim from Hannah Miley.

Hannah Miley gold at the European Championships. It is going to be

really tight, really tight. It is the silver. The crowd are on their

feet. Double champion. Well done, Hannah Miley.

The first semifinal of the women's 200 metre butterfly. The fastest

qualifier is Siladji from Hungary. Hentke of Germany the second fastest

qualifier for the first semifinal. Haven't seen very many Germans. They

have sent a tiny team. The German team is really small. Opted to

really use this meeting as part of their preparation, which is unusual

for the German team, the usually strong and European Championships,

but they have through this youngster. Good to get some

experience. 16-year-old in this first semifinal, lane one.

Four lengths of the pool butterfly, this is a tough event, 200 metre

butterfly for a women. Szilagy Of hungry the fastest qualifier.

Hungary. Not a bad start coming from the two

Hungary and is. Dzeko boss and Szilagy. The youngster, hopefully

not gone out to fast, not got too excited by the occasion because it

is about pace, the 200 butterfly, you can really lose the flow and

start going up and down instead of forward and you start to get behind.

Quite difficult because if you go easy on butterfly you change your

stroke a little bit, not used to swimming that slower stroke and it

can go badly quickly if you're not careful, it is about getting the

balance right and Szilagy has got the balance right. Dzeko

centre of the Mormon. Is a fly specialist, but the other swimmers,

quite a common double to do the 400 medley, if you can do butterfly, the

training needed is good for the stamina needed in the closing stages

of this race. The young German aid the price for the pace in the early

stages. Szilagy Still ahead of Hentke. These two going well. In the

white cap, just two from the bottom, the way she goes to the site,

the head stays flat but it is a very unbalanced. Quite difficult to stay

balanced, bizarre way to do it but it certainly works for Jakabos. Her

team-mate Szilagy wins the first semifinal. Hentke of Germany come

second. Fastest in the heats, so that is good progression from the

teenager. Was not put off by her experience team-mate coming back at

her. Good indication by how far they go

off the wall. How they are feeling. Turning around at halfway, why on

earth would you do that? Some of the fastest swimmers in butterfly in

Europe. 2.09 seems to be the target for the

final. Here is the second semifinal, we

have Hannah Miley in one and Aimee Willmott in seven. In four is the

defending European champion in this 200 metres butterfly. Listen to that

of a for Hannah Miley. -- listen about a Vasin. -- listen to that

ovation. I would not want to have got out of the 1500 and back it up

with a 200 butterfly, that has too heard. That is training, I suppose.

That is quite ridiculous. All she has to do, and it is easy to say,

there's a soft 2.09, and I think she will be in the final. Aimee

Willmott, this is her home pool. Her dad is a policeman. He just retired.

He is here to watch her do the heats. A very proud father. The

Commonwealth silver medallist in this event. There is Miley, she will

be closest to us in one. Mireia Belmonte is the current champion. I

think it will be tough for the British girls to make it through to

the final. Great racing experience for them.

The second semifinal of the women's 200 bidders butterfly. Right on the

end of the 50 metre mark on Lane two, Polieri. She has had a good

start. At the bottom is Hannah Miley of Britain in the white hat, in Lane

two she is breathing to the side, that keeps her body nice and flat,

if you turn your body to one side your other shoulder tips, not good

at all. You need to make sure you keep your shoulders totally flat. It

is working for her at the moment. It is the flexibility to do that. Only

a few swimmers do. It just brings in another possibility for Nicholls and

injuries when you add in a movement like that into the stroke. -- for

Nicholls. -- niggles. If I'm being stripped, I expected the Swiss

girl's turns and underwater work to be better -- if I'm being stripped.

Judith Iglesias Aruba is going well. Good news for her.

How much pain is Keren in? Anybody who has tried butterfly knows how

hard it is to get both arms out at the same time. When you start to tie

up on butterfly, it starts to spiral out of control quickly, she will be

hurting. But going very well indeed in Lane two. Coming to the side is

Polieri of Italy, she will win the second semifinal. It looks like

Wilmot is still going well. Polieri wins it. A slightly slower semifinal

in all. It will be tight to make that final for the British women,

they finish in fifth and sixth. Polieri is delighted, what a great

swim. Pasted to perfection. Three seconds quicker than she has

previously gone. She is delighted. What a strange semifinal. They were

all over the place. You normally see the fastest swimmers in the centre.

What a mishmash. Breathing into the side, she leads the flexibility in

her neck. She was way ahead. A fantastic finish, utterly delighted.

If you are going to come to the European Championships, you might as

well commit like you did. She won the second semi and I think she will

be into the final as the fastest qualifier. I think Aimee Willmott

and Hannah Miley might just have missed the final. But very close.

Confirmation of the finalists, Polieri goes in fastest. Oh, the

British women are finishing in ninth and tenth. They missed the final by

1100 's and 12 hundredths. Commiseration to them just missing

out on the final in ninth and tenth. Britain has two medals, Fran Halsall

has successfully defended her European title in the 50 metre

backstroke. Coming up, the men's 50 metre breaststroke. We have a world

champion and Commonwealth champion battling it out. Here is what

happened in the semifinals last night. COMMENTATOR: Murdoch was the

third fastest qualifier. He goes in lane three. The first semifinal of

the men's 50 breaststroke. Ross Murdoch into his stroke, three

from the bottom in the white hat. One up from him is Stevens of

Slovenia. Starting to get into his strike, Murdoch. He has come through

in the last ten. Goodness me! 27.25, very, very good. Really good. A

wonderful reaction. Gold in the 200, Sylvain the hundred, he will be in

the centre lane for the 50. Ready and stuff. -- silver in the hundred.

I'm delighted, that is the fastest I have been since the Commonwealth

Games trials. A personal best by 300. I tried doing my 200, it seems

to have worked out. There has only ever be one human being swim under

27 seconds in a heat of a 50 metres breaststroke, it is Adam Peaty, he

has done it this morning. Unbelievable. Adam Peaty in lane

four for Britain, the fastest seed in the 50 metres breaststroke, the

only human being ever to go under 27 seconds in a heat at breast stroke.

Look at this, already starting to swim away. It has taken 25 metres to

get into his stride. Going quite well. It is Adam Peaty. Now here's

getting into fifth gear. Now he is swimming away, now he wins it by an

absolute mile. 26.6. I said it was close to the world record. He does

not know yet what time he has done. 26.60 26.42 is the world record, he

is a quarter of a second outside his own world record.

Incredibly quick. Just off the world record? It felt easier, I could

probably have done another 26 after that. That is the value of my

training, my investment in training. Hopefully something good for the

hundred, I can take out that easy speed, we will see what happens. And

the medal ceremony for the women's 50 metres backstroke, the new

European champion, successfully defending the championship title she

won in Berlin two years ago, fabulous Fran Halsall of Great

Britain. An unbelievable swim, a superstar jihad. A new lifetime best

and European champion on the 50 backstroke. -- an unbelievable swim,

a superstar, she is. Two British women on the podium. Nielsen of

Denmark winning the silver. What a wonderful swim from Fran Halsall.

# God save our gracious Queen. # Long live our noble Queen. The

ruck God save our Queen. Brake happy and glorious.

# Long to reign over us. # God save our Queen.

APPLAUSE CHEERING

European champion in the women's 50 metres backstroke, Fran Halsall of

Great Britain. Silver to Nielsen of Denmark and

bronze the Georgia Davies, the Commonwealth champion, representing

Wales. Georgia on the right, Fran Halsall in the centre, Mie Oe

Nielsen on the left. Juanfran is looking small in the middle. Look at

the size of Mie Oe Nielsen. She is a pocket rocket. Championship record.

Some race from the speedy girl. What a wonderful British medal podium.

A very successful day for British swimming, two ladies on the podium,

Georgia Davies and Fran Halsall. A word on Georgia? An amazing swim

from her. She will be so chuffed to get back on the podium and receive

her medal. The 50 is not her eventer, she will be buzzing. So

much confidence going into Rio. We will probably see her on the 4x100

medley relay, she will have another opportunity to get back in the pool.

She is up there with world-class swimmers on the podium when that is

not even her favoured event. Her eventer is 100 backstroke, she does

backstroke. It is just one length rather than two lengths. Her

training is geared to the 100 metres, she still needs speed, she

needs to practice that. She needs easy speed for the 100 metres race.

Perfect training for her 100 metres. We have said numerous times it is

relaxed and fun for Fran, does that help you put in the performance when

you need to, if you are relaxed? Completely, she loves this crowd.

They have been fantastic all week. They are getting louder and my voice

is getting more and more salt, it is so packed out in here. She has got

the 50 metres freestyle tonight, she will be running off adrenaline. She

will have to get back in the pool. Talking about two boys who have had

busy weeks, Adam Peaty and Ross Murdoch, their semifinals last night

were quite dramatic, we were hanging on the edge of our seats. Their

impressive, what do you think he will be doing tonight? I think he

will have a crack of the world record. I think Adam Will Beer bent

-- against the clock. -- I think Adam will be against the clock. I

think we will get first and second in this race. People ask why he is

so red when he comes out. Everybody has race preparations, he slaps

himself a lot. I am pleased that my ritual was not slapping myself,

because by the looks of it, it hurts. That is him getting pumped.

Rosters that as well. It is a breaststroke thing. Keep your eye on

the clock and your eyes on the chests of the boys in the pool!

COMMENTATOR: What finally happen store. Peaty goes in fastest, the

world-record holder, the world champion, the defending European

champion. Ross Murdoch, brilliant 200 metres breaststroke gold. He has

won medals in the 100 and 200. I wonder if murder can win a medal

on this 50 as well. Very, very exciting indeed. Can Great Britain

sweep the men's breaststroke? That would be great. He seemed very

chilled and relaxed earlier, chuffed with his swims. And happy. That is

the easiest way to describe it, happy and content with what he has

done this week. He was delighted. We met him at lunchtime today and had a

little chat, he seemed very calm and relaxed, delighted with the 200.

Wouldn't it be brilliant if he could get a medal in the 50, 100 and 200?

It is key for him, going into Olympic Games he will not be

swimming the 200, he has got the 100. So to produce this type of

speed over the 50 is very exciting and a wake-up call to some of these

swimmers around the world. The two Brits are coming out, the last two

to be introduced, the fastest two, the second-fastest qualifier, the

200 metres breaststroke champion, Ross Murdoch of Great Britain. What

a great programme they have at the University of Stirling, where he is

coached by Ben Hickson. Now listen to this.

CHEERING Fantastic atmosphere, absolutely

wonderful. The world record-holder, the world champion, the defending

European champion, the Commonwealth champion, only got to slot in

Natalie -- that little Olympic gold to complete the set. Only one man

has done the four in the history of great British swimming, the great

David Wilkie. Becky has done it for the women. There is that chest. Look

at that. The stronger he gets the more he

will hurt himself doing that. Very interesting in the semifinals, the

clock didn't work and put the time is up on the board immediately and

all the swimmers were watching but he was watching very intently, I

wonder if he thought he went close to his world record in the

semifinal. Dropped 0.3 seconds in the semis, if he does that again he

will have the world record. Could we see Adam Peaty on the gold medal

rostrum at the Olympics. The final of the men's 50-metre

breaststroke at the European Championships and Great Britain have

two summers in the centre and a decent start in four and five for

Peaty and Murdoch. Peter Stevens coming from Slovenia. Great warm up

for the Olympic medals in Rio. Peaty is going well. Murdoch is going well

and he could be in for a medal. Peaty wins gold, adding to the gold

on the 100 and he is time exact that the same time as in the semifinal, a

quarter of a second off his world record that he broke earlier at that

is an amazing swim, brilliant swim from him and what a wonderful

preparation for Rio 11 weeks from today. Gold in the hundred and gold

in the 50. Quick reactions again, not the best away underwater. Look

at that power, so quick on the takeover. Great flow. Ross coming

back strong all the time in that race, could not catch Peter Stevens,

bronze for him. Adam Peaty, nodded his head, that will do. It certainly

will. Adam Peaty, successfully defends the European Championship

title he won two years ago. That is very fast and he has not rested,

Peter Stevens from Slovenia and a wonderful bronze for Ross Murdoch.

Gold and bronze for Britain. The crowd went crackers. What was

interesting to see, the crowd going crazy but we were keeping an eye on

the team, particularly the coach. She did not look impressed. As soon

as he dived them, he didn't have the best start, she was shaking her head

and they wanted the world record tonight and he did lose it on the

start. What do you do know, 11 weeks from Rio, did you say, let's pick

apart that start our is it too late for that? Doing a lot of the King at

the moment, now they have made a lot of changes at the bottom line is

whether those changes will sink in and hopefully they will. How harsh

are we being. Yes, that was an amazing swim. Ross Murdoch to pick

up the bronze medal. It was amazing. Victims of their own success! Both

medal holders are with Sharon. Graduations, stop chatting to each

other, come and chat to me. -- congratulations. Everything happens

for a reason. I paid for the start, but I am good at these winning. I

love the 50 and a 100 even more. It is great. You would like you are

going to beat yourself up a bit too much. What is the thinking behind

that? I don't know, it is the 50 at the end of the day, smash and dash,

if you are thinking too much you end up going slower, same time as

yesterday. Happy with that. The consistency is incredible, it is

very exciting for your 100th. Yes, that is my ninth raise this week so

far, delighted how my body has held up to get a medal and my weakest I

am delighted. I have never heard anything like it. This arena is

amazing. Thank UK sport for bringing it to this arena and holding this

event, it is great for the GB swimmers to get confidence. What a

way to being a will to inspire the next generation and the Olympic

pool. It is pathetic having the crowd here. They are second to none,

had an absolute blast this week, all the GB swimmers have been talking

about how good they have been to us and we are happy with how it has

gone. Many congratulations. I love just Ross just quickly waved at

member of his family, I'm on TV, not now! It is time for the women's

50-metre freestyle. Commented to the first semifinal,

Otterson, the fastest qualifier. Rate in the centre. Of Denmark, the

bronze medal. Two years ago in Berlin. She is the classiest of the

field, looking for under 25 if she can, very good start from lanes for

and five, you have to have strong shoulders here because the freestyle

has straighter arms, huge the pressure on the shoulders, now

coming through, starting very close indeed. Good heavens. You don't

normally see somebody from the outside lane come through so well

but track who has done well. Clear winner from Denmark. Just slipped

under. Not particularly excited by that, it looks like it. She looks

chilled about that race. Pretty powerful swimmer she is. Drakou as

well. Very powerful sprinters. Did what she needed to do to finish

there. The winner of the first of the semifinals. 24.9 three.

The second semifinal coming up. Halsall, how will she be feeling

after the gold. Just one through Murez of Israel in

lane eight in the second semifinal of the 50-metre freestyle. There is

the Olympic champion in four I wonder if she can defend her title.

Shut -- such strong arms and shoulders. There is Halsall, coached

by James Gibson, pretty light compared to the rest of the

swimmers. She is a pocket rocket, very quick, lane three. Going in

lane two. Alshammar from Sweden, she can qualify if she goes 24.7, big

ask, going well is Fran Halsall and she is leading. Very good, she has

got the Olympic champion in four. At the moment she is going well. Coming

back is Kromowidojo, Frank takes first. 24.21. Where did that come

from? Kromowidojo. Halsall is just outside of the British record, she

is like a kid in the sweet shop, she loves it. Halsall is on fire

tonight. 24.2 one. British record, just under 24 seconds. That is how

fast that was. Kromowidojo looked good as well. Brown was so high on

the water, when she is at her best, she skims over the top of the water.

Kromowidojo jewel, superb starter. Outside firm, didn't show. 50

backstroke, doesn't matter, go again. Fran Halsall wins the second

semifinal of the women's freestyle and she will go into the final

fastest. The top three will be fastest into the final, very good

second semifinal. The finalists. Fran Halsall does go in fastest.

What a final that is going to be. Fran Halsall certainly is on fire,

her fastest time this year, very impressive, she will be first

tomorrow night, if you want to join us for some European swimming, the

last day of competition, it all kicks off at four o'clock.

Fran is undoubtedly on form as you have seen.

The reason those names are all in a later shide is because we are hoping

to see them but that will be determined by the seats in the

morning. Hopefully we will see lots of British medal hopefuls in the

pool tomorrow evening. If you want to see how they get on, tuning to

BBC Two at 4pm tomorrow evening. We have a medal ceremony from tonight,

Adam Peaty's gold medal and Ross Murdoch, that will be on BBC sport

online. You can see they relay on there as well. It is worth watching,

don't sort screaming Quesne, we have finished for just now, it is not my

fault! As accessible night for Britain's swimmers. Completely,

amazing to see France backing all of the medals up. So pleased for the

girls. I will go for the boys. Peaty and Murdoch first and third. Done

the double. Double of the World Championships last year, double at

the Europeans, every time he has gone on in the last couple of years

he has one the race. Quite impressive. Lovely for them in what

is no doubt a very intense year in terms of training and competition

and expectation to have an opportunity to enjoy themselves. We

had Adam and Ross saying they are lapping up the skirt and Fran is as

well. They have all had fun this week -- lapping up this crowd. Your

life and swimming when you do retire is when you look back, the ones that

meant the most to me is the ones where you didn't do great. I have

never been in a pool in the UK and done well. This has been phenomenal,

the crowd have been phenomenal. The crowd have certainly made the most

of the opportunity because this place is sold out tonight and

tomorrow, so if you want to see the swimming you will have to join us on

ABC two from 4pm, the medal ceremony and the final really are online, so

head over there if you want to see them, otherwise we will see you

tomorrow evening camisole join us on BBC Two if you want to see them.