Zoe Vogelmann was happy about her European Championship debut on the long track, back swimmer Kliment Kolesnikow conjured up a world record time in the Budapest pool: In the absence of most of the German Olympic starters, the only 17-year-old medley swimmer Vogelmann used her chance to present on the big stage.

Then the Russian Kolesnikow set the first brilliant international warning in the Duna Arena.

In 23.93 seconds, the 20-year-old improved his own record over 50 meters by seven hundredths of a second on Monday.

Shortly before, Vogelmann's smile was clearly visible despite exhaustion and the protective mask.

She hit after 4: 45.61 minutes and came in seventh place over 400 meters.

Even getting into the final was a success for them.

“I was detached,” said the woman from Heidelberg.

“I really flew this morning.

It was so much fun ”, she commented on her prelim, in which she had swum personal best in 4: 43.51 minutes.

Even if she couldn't quite get up to this time in the evening, the youngest athlete in the German team was happy.

"It was a cool day," she said.

Local hero and top favorite Katinka Hosszu secured the European title.

Olympic hopefuls do without EM

Things didn't go quite as hoped for Angelina Köhler.

The 20-year-old from Hanover missed the final over 100 meters butterfly in 58.64 seconds.

Köhler wanted to recommend himself for an Olympic ticket after Berlin's missed qualification chance due to a corona infection in April with a strong performance.

With her time, however, she stayed above the mark of 57.90 seconds required for Tokyo and did not come close to her personal best.

“I gave everything,” said Koehler.

"I also lack the competitive experience that we unfortunately didn't have this year."

For Olympic standard filler Lucas Matzerath, it was also not enough for the 100 meter chest in 59.65 minutes for the final.

Back swimmer Marek Ulrich and freestyle swimmer Jessica Felsner were also eliminated over 50 meters in the semifinals.

The German Swimming Association competes in Hungary with a young and mostly inexperienced team.

Olympic hopefuls like Florian Wellbrock and Sarah Köhler will forego the European Championship from July 23rd, given the all-out highlight of the season.

On the second day of swimming in the pool, double world champion Wellbrock has the opportunity to observe some of his main competitors - even if only in the heats at first.

The strong Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri and the Ukrainian Michailo Romantschuk compete in the 1500 meter freestyle.