Greek swimmer Anna Ntountounaki missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the women's 100m butterfly final at the European Swimming Championships in Paris.
The 31-year-old athlete from Chania touched the wall in 57.10 seconds during the opening race of the afternoon session on day five of the competition. Her time was slightly slower than the national record of 56.99 seconds she established in the semi-finals the previous day, but it remained faster than her previous national record of 57.25 seconds and marked the second-fastest performance of her career.
Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium claimed the gold medal for the second consecutive European championship, taking victory in 56.08 seconds. Germany's Angelina Köhler secured silver with a time of 56.39 seconds.
Daria Klepikova, competing as a neutral athlete from Russia, earned the bronze medal in 56.76 seconds. To reach the podium for a third time at a European Championship, Ntountounaki needed to improve on her national record time to overtake Klepikova.
Final Results and Greek Performances
Fellow Greek swimmer Georgia Damasioti also featured in the final, finishing eighth with a time of 57.72 seconds. Although Damasioti delivered her fastest career performance in the event, she was unable to maintain the pace set by the leaders.
Great Britain's Keanna MacInnes finished fifth in 57.25 seconds. Anastasiya Kulyashova, competing as a neutral athlete from Belarus, placed sixth in 57.57 seconds, while Slovakia's Tamara Potocka finished seventh in 57.58 seconds.
Athlete Background and Championship Context
Ntountounaki, born in Chania on the island of Crete, is one of Greece's most decorated swimmers in international competition. She has previously won two European Championship medals in the butterfly events, making her a central figure in Greek aquatic sports.
The European Swimming Championships are organized by European Aquatics, the governing body for aquatic sports across Europe. The 100-meter butterfly event requires athletes to navigate two lengths of a standard 50-meter Olympic pool using the simultaneous arm stroke and dolphin kick technique.
