She was randomly selected for testing by anti-doping specialists, so the 16-year-old swimmer will have to visit the control room for the second time in her life, which is common for other swimmers.
The 16-year-old swimmer will still need to get used to many things, as all signs indicate that I. Jurkūnaitė’s path in elite swimming is just beginning and will continue for a long time.
“I am happy with my result. Fifth in Europe – very good,” said the 16-year-old swimmer.
In the 200 m freestyle final, she swam in 1 min. 57.26 sec.
Only four swimmers were faster – gold was won by Czech Barbora Seemanova, who improved the European Championships record (1 min. 54.36 sec.), silver went to Dutch Marrit Steenbergen, named the best European swimmer last year (1 min. 54.65 sec.), bronze to Brit Freya Colbert (1 min. 55.81 sec.), and fourth finished German Linda Roth (1 min. 56.71 sec.), with whom I. Jurkūnaitė also competes in youth championships.
“She gave me motivation, it’s a pity I couldn’t overtake her,” said I. Jurkūnaitė.
In the 200 m freestyle semifinal, the swimmer from Varėna was sixth, swimming at a record speed for Lithuania in 1 min. 56.90 sec.
The daughter of former basketball player Andrius Jurkūnas swam in the qualifying heats in 1 min. 57.28 sec., breaking the national record set this year by Sylvia Statkevičius for the first time.
There was no record in the final, but the semifinal result would not have helped to climb higher than fifth place.
Although on Thursday evening, with 5,000 spectators roaring, I. Jurkūnaitė was second after the first 50 meters, a fast start in swimming does not always mean half the work is done.
“In the second half, I already lacked strength. I haven’t seen the split times yet, but I felt that I started a bit too fast because of motivation. Then I lacked a bit at the end,” said I. Jurkūnaitė.
The youngest member of the team recorded the highest achievement among Lithuanians halfway through the European Swimming Championships in Paris.
Only she, and the men’s 4×200 m freestyle relay team, also reached fifth place in the 200 m freestyle distance.
There are still high hopes in the women’s breaststroke events, as Kotryna Teterevkova qualified for the 200 m breaststroke final with the sixth-best result, Rūta Meilutytė will start the 50 m sprint this weekend, and Tomas Navikonis still awaits the 200 m freestyle final.
Unlike other experienced swimmers, no one expected big miracles from I. Jurkūnaitė before the championship.
In the European Youth Championships this summer, she was fourth in the 200 m event, disappointed with the result in Germany, but in her debut European Championship, she was very confident.
“Somehow I was surprised myself that I wasn’t very nervous before the final,” said the swimmer. “Maybe I felt a bit too calm. But overall, very nice.”
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Her work in Paris is not over yet.
“I will probably still swim the 4×200 m freestyle mixed relay and maybe the 400 m freestyle, but I don’t know yet,” I. Jurkūnaitė outlined her immediate plans.
