The 50th National Swimming Championship has kicked off with the APOP leading the charge, showcasing incredible talent and four new national records. The opening day of this prestigious event unfolded at the Limassol Olympic Swimming Pool, where the competition was fierce and performances were nothing short of exceptional.
Swimming: Strong Start for APOP
As the first day concluded, APOP emerged as the frontrunner in the championship, amassing a total of 148 points. This puts them ahead of the Nautical Club of Nicosia, which trails closely with 132 points. The Nautical Club of Limassol stands in third place with 88 points, while the remaining clubs, including the Nautical Clubs of Famagusta (64), Paphos (62), Constantia (31), Kyrenia (29), and Larnaca (19), are all striving to close the gap.
Record-Breaking Performances
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the establishment of four new national records. Maria Erokhina from the Nautical Club of Paphos shattered her own record in the women’s 100m breaststroke, clocking in at 1:08.52, a significant improvement from her previous time of 1:09.59 set just days prior. In the men’s 400m individual medley, George Dimitriou from the Nautical Club of Larnaca set a new standard with a time of 4:36.40, breaking the previous record held by Adam Kyriakos Papas since 2014.
Additionally, Andrew Marcus Lagoutis from APOP made waves by breaking the youth national record in the men’s 50m butterfly twice in a single day. He initially posted a time of 24.72 in the morning heats and later improved it to an impressive 24.54 in the finals.
A Captivating Opening Ceremony
The championship commenced with a vibrant opening ceremony led by the former president of the Cyprus Sports Organisation, Andreas Michaelidis. The atmosphere was electric, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling competition.
Exciting Events on Day Two
The excitement continues today, with the preliminary heats set to begin at 10:00, followed by the afternoon finals at 18:00. Today’s events include the men’s and women’s 50m freestyle, 200m breaststroke, 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly, and the 4x200m freestyle relays. With APOP in the lead, the battle for the team title is expected to intensify.
Top Performers from Day One
The first day concluded with several standout performances across various events:
- 200m Freestyle: Men: Kiselev Ivan (APOP) 1:53.15, Stadnik Aleksei (APOP) 1:54.16, Manolis Christos (Paphos) 1:54.31. Women: Agiomamitis Christina (Nicosia) 2:07.42, Kapsali Eleni (Famagusta) 2:10.32, Papazacharia Georgia (Famagusta) 2:10.51.
- 100m Breaststroke: Men: Panaretos Panayiotis (Famagusta) 1:04.30, Grigoriou Alexandros (APOP) 1:04.35, Arutyunyan Tigran (APOP) 1:05.34. Women: Erokhina Maria (Paphos) 1:08.52 – National Record, Antoniou Andreana (Kyrenia) 1:15.36, Giovanis Iosifina (Nicosia) 1:16.22.
- 400m Individual Medley: Men: Kolev Nikola (APOP) 4:30.51, Dimitriou George (Larnaca) 4:36.40 – National Record, Patsalidis Antonis (Limassol) 4:36.74. Women: Manoli Agathi (Paphos) 5:07.95, Savva Tatiana (Limassol) 5:24.14, Kermanou Maria (Limassol) 5:27.42.
- 50m Butterfly: Men: Iakovidis Markos (Nicosia) 24.54 – Lagoutis Andrew Marcus (APOP) 24.54 – National Record, Dovellos George (APOP) 24.61. Women: Antoniou Kalia (APOP) 26.62, Beka Melina Kyriaki (Nicosia) 28.91, Lymbouri Gabriella (Nicosia) 29.02.
- 200m Backstroke: Men: Nikolaou Antonio (Limassol) 2:07.92, Smirnov Alexandr (Nicosia) 2:09.24, Iakovidis Alexios (Nicosia) 2:11.22. Women: Kourra Despina (APOP) 2:29.92, Nearhou Maria (Nicosia) 2:30.65, Evelthontos Eleni (APOP) 2:31.20.
Looking Ahead
The competition is set to heat up as teams vie for supremacy in the remaining events. With APOP holding the lead, their performance on the second day will be crucial in maintaining their advantage. Fans can catch all the action live, thanks to the generous sponsorship from Allwyn and Arena Greece, with Cablenet streaming the events on Cablenet Sports 1.
