The European Junior Championships are set to begin this week in Athens, bringing together the best junior artistic swimmers, aged between 15 and 20, from across the continent for five days of competition.
188 athletes from 24 nations are expected to take part, including from Russia and Belarus, who return to the European stage for the first time since 2021. These two countries will compete under the “Individual Neutral Athletes” (AIN) designation and are only allowed to enter the solo, duet, and mixed duet events.
The Russian federation will appear in every eligible event. Alisa Shevchenko, who already competed at the Soma Bay World Cup earlier this year, will swim in the free solo event. In duet, the strong pair of Anastasiia Sidorina and Veronika Sokolova is back after winning gold in free duet at that same World Cup, against many of the world’s top senior pairs.
Valeriia Plekhanova, the reigning Russian junior champion in technical solo, will make her international debut in that event. In the mixed duet, Zakhar Trofimov will also make his first international appearance, partnering with Alina Rumiantseva. He is set to compete in the men’s solo events as well, where he’s the reigning senior national champion.
Belarus, also competing as AIN, has only entered one duet with Anastasiya Dabravolskaya and Aliaksandra Mironchyk, a pair already familiar from appearances at various World Cup stages this season alongside the senior squad.
At the last edition of the European Junior Championships in 2024 in Malta, Spain dominated the field, winning medals in all 11 events and finishing at the top of the medal table. Alongside Spain, Italy also stood out, with both countries earning five gold medals each and showing their strength in depth and consistency.
This year, Spain travels to Athens once again with a very strong roster, headlined by the duet of Naia Alvarez and Rocio Calle, two-time European Junior champions and bronze medalists at the World Junior Championships last year. Isabel Shuang, the reigning European junior champion in free solo and vice champion in technical solo, is one to watch in these events as well.
The team routines will feature many returning athletes from the squads that won gold in both technical and free team last season, making the country a heavy favorite there. Additionally, Eneko Sanchez, a silver medalist at the European Youth Championships in solo, will make his junior debut, competing in the solo events.
Italy also arrives with a powerful roster. Gabriele Minak will look to build on Filippo Pelati’s two golds from last year and to carry Italy’s legacy in the mixed duet events. Minak and Ginevra Marchetti return as the defending champions in the technical routine, and Marchetti will also appear in the solo events.
Like Spain, Italy is entered across all 11 events and will particularly look to defend its European Junior title in the acrobatic team. Overall, it’s great to see junior teams following the lead of their senior counterparts, making the effort to show up in every event and giving more athletes a chance to shine.
All in all, Spain and Italy have firmly established themselves as the nations to beat at the European junior level in recent years. Spain’s dominance, particularly in the team events, has been remarkable. The country remains undefeated in technical team since 2022 and has claimed two of the last three titles in both free and acrobatic team—the only exceptions going to Italy.
The pattern continues in the mixed duet and men’s solo events, where only Spain and Italy have ever won European Junior titles since those events were introduced. Notably, Spain secured two hat tricks in both technical and free mixed duet events from 2021 to 2023, before Italy took over last year.
Greece continues to build momentum at the junior level, having firmly established itself as a podium contender in recent years. The team earned silver in both the technical and acrobatic team events in 2024, and bronze in the free team. Now training under American coach Hiea-Yoon Kang, the team will look to make an even bigger impact on the European stage on home turf, competing in 10 events.
The Greek squad is led by 16-year-old Ismini Maria Karavisili, who makes her junior debuts after winning silver in solo and duet at last year’s European Youth Championships, Estella Karamanidou, reigning World Youth Champion in duet, and World Cup silver medalist Marios Kritsas.
France, which won five medals last year, remains another nation to watch for podium places, although it is only entered in six events once more. 16-year-old Romane Temessek, the reigning World and European Youth Champion in solo, will compete in the technical event and is surely amongst the favorites for a medal. She finished eighth in free solo last year but has been focusing on the technical routine this season which she’s showcased in senior competitions.
Switzerland narrowly missed the podium in 2024, placing fourth in both technical and free team, with about 1.5 points separating them from bronze in the latter. This year, they will be led once again by Aimée Michel and Melody Halbeisen, who took silver at the Paris World Cup in February. They were already among the top pairs at last year’s European Juniors and will look to improve on their two fourth-place finishes in the duet events as well.
After skipping the 2024 edition, Ukraine is back at the European Junior Championships, with athletes who also make up most of the senior team. The Ukrainian senior squad recently won silver in both technical and acrobatic team events at the European Championships earlier this month, and these are likely the same routines the juniors will present here. The Hrynishyna twins, who placed seventh in free duet at the Soma Bay World Cup, are entered in both duet events.
Several well-known names will compete at their final European Juniors before fully transitioning to senior-level focus. Ranjuo Tomblin of Great Britain, reigning European champion in technical solo, and Maria Alavidze of Georgia, a World Cup silver medalist, are both fresh from the World Cup Super Final in China and are expected to contend for the podium one last time in the junior ranks.
Finally, it’s also great to see the continued growth of more European nations such as Sweden, who’s back with a full team in Athens. The squad is led by David Martinez Delgado, who has already gained experience on the international stage since 2023. Among the newcomers is Cuba Seren, a European Youth finalist in solo and duet, and the reigning Nordic Youth Champion in solo and figures. Born in 2010, she will be the youngest soloist in the field.
The European Junior Championships start on Wednesday at 10:00 am local with the women’s free solo preliminary, followed by the free duet preliminary at 6:00 pm. All the information you need to follow the meet is available here.
ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA MARMET
Cover photo: European Aquatics
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