Several years ago, the University of Florida did not accept Tomas Navikonis for studies because his sports results were too low.
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Then the Panevėžys native joined the simpler Ohio University and through hard work traveled a long way to the swimming elite until he reached Paris.
At the Olympic aquatic center, buzzing with 5,000 fans, he raised two fingers before the start and, as always, calmly went to prepare for the dive.
Then in the 200 m freestyle final, he put on a spectacular performance, swimming for a long time among the eight swimmers in the middle, but with a divine finish in the last 50 meters, he rushed onto the silver podium.
1 min. 44.55 sec. – this is an impressive result with which the 23-year-old Lithuanian won his first medal at such a high-level competition.
Shining with silver, T. Navikonis was only beaten by the superstar from Romania, David Popovici (1 min. 44.15 sec.), leaving many other titled swimmers behind him.
- Previously, on Thursday in the qualifying heats (1 min. 46.22 sec.) and semifinals (1 min. 45.63 sec.), he was seventh.
- At this European Championship, this was T. Navikonis’s third final.
- He broke the Lithuanian record and was eighth in the prestigious 100 m freestyle event, and also helped our country’s team to take fifth place in the men’s 4×200 m freestyle relay.
- It may not be the end, as T. Navikonis is likely to be called upon for the mixed 4×200 m freestyle relay on Saturday.
Splashing water, with a calmer, more usual face, T. Navikonis got out of the pool, and soon, even before the awards, he shone with a calm smile and cheerfully tried to explain what miracle happened on Friday evening in the Paris pool.
– I don’t know what happened myself. With 75 m left, I thought I had to do something or I would be last. Something twisted in my head and I decided: I’m just going.
– Tomas, what was the emotion when you saw the result?
– I was very surprised. 1 min. 44.55 sec. is out of this world. I really didn’t think I would do that much.
– What ignited such a result?
– I don’t know. Coach Paulius Povilionis said I looked good, everything is fine. I just tried to trust. A couple of days ago in the 100 freestyle I didn’t feel special, but coach Laurynas encouraged me that everything is great, I look good, so I gained confidence. And today was similar.
– Probably the best moment of your career?
– Yes, probably one of the top moments. I’m very happy.
– When going to the European Championship, was there even a distant thought that you could achieve something like this in Paris?
– No. I didn’t think so, you know. Someone said that before the championship I was ranked about 24th. So I thought there would be problems, I tried not to think about results.
– During the championship you kept getting faster, is your athletic form growing?
– Definitely. I didn’t expect to swim faster every day. But it happened, so I’m happy.
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– After such an unexpected result, maybe the competition organizers will invite you for doping control?
– No, I already did the test on Monday, maybe it won’t be needed anymore. Calm mind.
– What did the coach say before the start?
– He just encouraged me to swim my swim. Yes, he advised what times the splits should be, but I didn’t pay much attention, I just swam my own.
– Before the championship, the coach named Ruta Meilutyte and Kotryna Teterevkova as the biggest hopes for winning medals in this championship. Do you have anything to say to the coach now?
– No, I understand why he said that. Kotryna just finished her final, interesting to see how she did (K. Teterevkova took 6th place in the 200 m breaststroke, ed.).
– Before your start, the judges delayed everyone on the block a bit. Was there any anxiety to move?
– No, but I noticed that in this championship they really like to delay. I’m not the first athlete to notice this, Andrius Šidlauskas mentioned the same thing this morning.
– Your reaction time was good this time and unlike the semifinal, you started the race in a higher gear, holding 5th-6th positions, then followed a powerful finish.
– Yes, I told myself today that I need to start the first hundred solidly to show that I can be fast at least for the first hundred. Probably it was not bad.
– Did you see your opponents out of the corner of your eye?
– Actually, no. At 150 meters I even thought, where are they? Am I racing evenly with them, what’s going on?
I knew David Popovici had to be ahead for sure, but the others…
This is out of this world, I didn’t think about it.
– What would the Lithuanian record holder in this event (Danas Rapšys, his result 1 min. 44.38 sec.), with whom you swam together in the semifinal and whom you looked up to when you attended swimming at the Panevėžys Žemyna pool, say to you?
– He is still the record holder, so I have respect to maintain. Of course, we will celebrate.
– Who are you most grateful to for this medal?
– Coach Paulius Povilionis, my American coach, I will definitely thank him. Parents, of course. Also grateful to the federation, friends.
– How will you celebrate?
– I don’t know, I think I still have a start on Saturday (mixed 4×200 m relay), so the celebration is still far away.
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– Maybe you won’t have to swim anymore?
– I don’t know, I don’t think that far. I think five minutes ahead (smiles).
– In five minutes there is the awards ceremony.
– That’s all I think about (laughs).
