Apostolos Christou blazed to a 100m backstroke championship record as he added the Mediterranean Games title to his European gold in Taranto.
The Greek swimmer was out in 25.34 and back in 26.91 to post 52.34, 0.07 off the time in which he won gold in Paris. It was 0.25 outside his national record of 52.09 from the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.
Francesco Laazzari was almost two seconds adrift in 54.28 with Evangelos Makrygiannis making it a Greek 1-3 in 54.54.
Alberto Razzetti also delivered a new CR of 1:55.29 to clinch the 200 fly title. Andrea Camozzi ensured an Italian 1-2 in 1:57.29 with Polat Uzer Turnali third in 1:57.54.
Simone Spediacci set a championship record in the men’s 200IM to take gold in 1:57.70. Berke Saka (1:58.66) was second with Jacopo Barbotti making it an Italian 1-3 in 1:59.28.
Camila Rebelo went 1:00.37 for a 100 back CR to add to her 200 back title. Federica Toma went 1:00.74 for silver with Italian teammate Martina Biasoli joining her on the podium in 1:01.12.
While several swimmers were setting CRs throughout the four-day meet, Ahmed Jaouadi was well short of the form that secured two world titles last year in Singapore.
The Tunisian won bronze in the 800 free and returned for the 1500 where he was sixth in 15:30.99, a little over 12 months after going 14:34.41 for global gold. Matteo Diodati headed the race in 15:06.27.
Sara Franceschi came from second at the final turn to move past Italian teammate Chiara Della Corte to win the women’s 200IM in 2:11.22 to 2:11.65.
Giovanni Guatti was the sole man to break 22secs as he posted 21.96 to win the 50 free. Lorenzo Ballarati was 0.04 behind in 22.00 for an Italian 1-2 with Luka Cvetko of Croatia third in 22.16.
Kalia Antoniou completed the 50/100 free double with a 24.92 dash win. The Cypriot was the only woman to break 25secs with Elena Capretta (25.02) and Agata Maria Ambler (25.12) making it two Italians on the podium.
Paola Borrelli led throughout to take the women’s 200 fly in 2:08.47 with Georgia Damasioti of Greece second in 2:09.73.
