Competitor Carles Coll clinches gold in the intense 200m heat, subsequently crumpling in the concluding stages.
Hubert Kos Shines at European Championships, Sets New Record in 200m Backstroke
Hubert Kos, the Dutch swimmer, made a splash at the European Championships, setting a new European record in the 200m backstroke. His remarkable time of 1:53.19 minutes not only broke his own previous record but also improved it by four hundredths of a second. This victory marked Kos's second medal of the championships, following his bronze in the 200 individual medley.
Pieter Coetze, the South African swimmer, also had a standout performance, setting a new African record in the same event. Coetze finished the final in second place with a time of 1:53.36 minutes, just a hair behind Kos.
Meanwhile, Hubert Kos reclaimed the world title in the 200m backstroke at the Fukuoka 2023 World Championships.
In a separate event, Caspar Corbeau from the Netherlands won the bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke final with a time of 2:07.73. Haiyang Qin from China took the gold with a time of 2:07.41, while Ippei Watanabe from Japan won the silver with 2:07.70. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard finished the 200m backstroke final in third place with a time of 1:54.62 minutes.
Coll, the Spanish swimmer, finished the 200m breaststroke final in seventh place with a time of 2:09.44. Despite a strong start, Carmen Weiler and Estella Tonrath, two other athletes, faded in the last 50 meters of their respective events.
Coll's move to the United States and training with Sergi López have led to a significant improvement in his performance, as evidenced by his seventh-place finish. However, there is no publicly available evidence that details how Coll's 200m breaststroke performance has improved after training with López.
Coll did break a Spanish record in the semifinals of the 200m breaststroke, swimming a time of 2:08.49 minutes. He led the way and maintained his lead after the first turn, swimming at world record pace.
These results showcase the high level of competition at the European Championships and the impressive performances of the participating swimmers.
The average time for the 200m backstroke at the European Championships this year can be considered relatively low, given that Hubert Kos set a new European record with a time of 1:53.19 minutes. In the same sports-analysis, Pieter Coetze bettered the African record in the same event with a time of 1:53.36 minutes.
