A native of Odessa became the European swimming champion, setting a Ukrainian record

Nikita Sheremet, a 19-year-old from Odesa, won gold at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris. In the 50-meter freestyle final, the Ukrainian swimmer clocked a time of 21.13 seconds, became the European champion, and set a new Ukrainian record.

This was reported by Suspilne.Sport.

Sheremet entered the final as the leader. In the semifinals, he swam the distance in 21.38 seconds, tying the previous Ukrainian record held by Vladislav Bukhov. This result also allowed the Odesa native to top the overall semifinal standings.

In the final, Sheremet improved his time even further—to 21.13 seconds. Second place, with a time of 21.37 seconds, was shared by Yegor Kornev, competing as a neutral athlete, and Serbian swimmer Andrey Barna.

Another Ukrainian, Vladislav Bukhov, finished fifth with a time of 21.58 seconds. Thus, for the first time in five years, Ukraine was represented by two swimmers in a single European Championship final.

For Nikita Sheremet, this is his first gold medal at a senior European Long-Course Championship. He had previously won medals at the World and European Junior Championships, and in 2025, he finished as the European runner-up in the 50-meter freestyle in a 25-meter pool.

His time of 21.13 seconds set a new Ukrainian national record and ranks among the best performances in the history of swimming at this distance.

This victory is particularly significant for Odesa, as Sheremet is a product of the Odesa swimming school. After the outbreak of full-scale war, the athlete trained in Poland and is currently studying and competing in the United States.

Thus, the 19-year-old from Odesa won his first senior gold medal at the European Championships, simultaneously setting a new national record in the 50-meter freestyle.

Андрій Колісніченко