West News Wire: A dramatic evening at the European Championships in Rome came to a close with Great Britain winning gold in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
David Popovici, a 17-year-old from Romania, won the men’s 100m freestyle event earlier by setting a new world record of 46.86 seconds.
British swimmers also took home bronze in two other competitions.
Freya Colbert, 18, and Luke Greenbank, 24, both placed third in the men’s 200-meter backstroke and the women’s 400-meter medley, respectively.
An outstanding effort by Lucy Hope, Anna Hopkin, Medi Harris, and Freya Anderson helped Britain win its first gold medal at these competitions.
In a time of three minutes 36.47 seconds, Anderson, who placed third in the individual competition, led the team to victory over Sweden and the Netherlands.
It capped a great night for Britain in the pool after earlier medals from Colbert and Greenbank.
Teenager Colbert showed a great deal of promise to swim 4:40.06, coming close to pipping Hungary’s Zsuzsanna Jakabos for silver. Viktoria Mihalyvari, also from Hungary, won gold.
Greenbank, who won silver at the World Championships earlier this year before being laid low by Covid, bounced back well finishing in 1:56.15 after failing to finish on the podium in the event at the Commonwealth Games.
France’s Yohann Brouard won in 1:55.62, with Hungary’s Benedek Kovacs claiming silver.
“It [Covid] got me to near breaking point, so I am happy to finish with a 56-low to get a medal,” said Greenbank.
“Just to bounce off the Commonwealth and get a medal here I can’t complain.”
