Imagine the thrill of top-tier swimming action in Poland, but with a glaring void that leaves fans scratching their heads—no Russian or Belarusian athletes in sight! If you're a swimming enthusiast, this twist in the 2025 European Short Course Championships is bound to spark your curiosity about what's really going on behind the scenes.
Let's dive right into the details of this exciting event. The 2025 European Short Course Swimming Championships are scheduled from December 2 to 7, 2025, in the vibrant city of Lublin, Poland. For those new to swimming lingo, 'short course' or SCM means races in a 25-meter pool, which allows for more turns and often leads to faster times compared to the longer 50-meter Olympic pools. You can keep track of everything through the official Meet Central page (https://europeanaquatics.org/swimming-short-course-lublin-2025/), check out the psych sheets—those are the preliminary entry lists with swimmers' expected times—here (https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/EntryList202511251343.pdf), and follow live results on Omega Timing (https://www.omegatiming.com/2025/european-aquatics-short-course-swimming-championships-live-results).
The entry lists are out, and they're packed with talent ready to make waves in Lublin starting next week. But here's where it gets controversial: the standout news from these psych sheets is the complete absence of any swimmers from Russia or Belarus. This decision stems from ongoing geopolitical tensions, and European Aquatics has been in talks with the local organizers in Lublin to finalize their stance, as reported earlier this month (https://swimswam.com/euro-aquatics-says-aqua-passes-new-policy-allowing-russians-to-compete-at-continental-events/). While World Aquatics, the global governing body, has opened the door for these athletes to participate as neutrals in events like the 2024 World Short Course Championships and the upcoming 2025 World Aquatics Championships—meaning they compete without national flags or anthems—European Aquatics had stuck to stricter rules, excluding them from senior competitions until recently adopting a policy that permits Russians in team events under World Aquatics' guidelines (https://swimswam.com/euro-aquatics-says-aqua-passes-new-policy-allowing-russians-to-compete-at-continental-events/). For beginners, this highlights how international sports bodies navigate complex issues like sanctions and neutrality to keep the competition fair yet inclusive.
Without these powerhouses, we'll miss out on some massive talents. Take Miron Lifintsev, the current 2024 short course world champion in the men's 50 and 100 backstroke (https://swimswam.com/tag/miron-lifintsev/), or Ilia Borodin, who dominated the men's 400 individual medley (https://swimswam.com/tag/ilia-borodin/). Borodin, along with stars like Kliment Kolesnikov (https://swimswam.com/bio/kliment-kolesnikov/), Evgeniia Chikunova (https://swimswam.com/tag/evgeniia-chikunova/), Svetlana Chimrova (https://swimswam.com/bio/svetlana-chimrova/), and Belarusian breaststroke beast Ilya Shymanovich (https://swimswam.com/bio/ilya-shymanovich/), all snagged individual gold medals the last time Russians competed at these championships in 2021. Their absence could reshape the podiums dramatically—think of it as a chess game where key pieces are suddenly off the board.
That said, the field is still stacked with elite swimmers: 19 individual medalists from the 2024 Short Course World Championships and 19 defending champions from the 2023 European Short Course event in Otopeni, Romania, are all set to battle it out. And this is the part most people miss: even without the Eastern European giants, the depth here promises edge-of-your-seat races.
Spotlight on the Women's Field
Leading the charge for the women are short course world champions Ruta Meilutyte from Lithuania (https://swimswam.com/bio/ruta-meilutyte/) and Isabel Gose from Germany (https://swimswam.com/tag/isabel-gose/), joined by France's sprint sensation Beryl Gastaldello (https://swimswam.com/bio/beryl-gastaldello/) and Poland's home-country hero Kasia Wasick (https://swimswam.com/bio/kasia-wasick/). Meilutyte, a breaststroke legend who's been nearly untouchable in the 50-meter breast since her comeback in 2022, hasn't graced these European short course champs since 2017, where she swept gold in both the 50 and 100 breast. To put her dominance in perspective, she's claimed four consecutive long-course world titles in the 50 breast and the last two short-course golds too. Here, she's the top seed in the 50 breast and fifth in the 100, setting up what could be her triumphant return.
Challenging her in the breaststroke sprints will be Estonia's Eneli Jefimova (https://swimswam.com/tag/eneli-jefimova/), the current European 100 breast champ who's fresh off her debut NCAA season at NC State in the U.S.—imagine adapting from international meets to college duals! Then there's Germany's Anna Elendt (https://swimswam.com/bio/anna-elendt/), who just nabbed the long-course 100 breast world title this summer in Doha. These matchups could be epic, especially as Jefimova brings that youthful energy.
Gose, fresh off her 1500 freestyle world crown, is skipping that grueling distance here in favor of the 200, 400, and 800 free—smart pacing for a mid-distance ace. She's the top seed in the 400 and 800, building on her silver in the 800 at the 2024 Worlds. Hot on her heels: Great Britain's Freya Colbert (https://swimswam.com/tag/freya-colbert/) in second for both, and Italy's Simona Quadarella (https://swimswam.com/bio/simona-quadarella/), the defending 400 free champ and 1500 free silver medalist from Worlds. Quadarella's endurance is legendary; she's like the marathon runner of the pool.
Gastaldello, a short-course specialist who's medaled consistently, just earned silvers in the 100 free, 50 fly, and 100 IM at the 2024 Worlds. Expect her to defend her 2023 European 100 free title while chasing more hardware in those events. Meanwhile, Wasick, the seasoned Polish sprinter, tops the 50 free seeding after her bronze at Worlds and sweeping the 50 free at all three North American World Cup stops for a Triple Crown bonus—talk about consistency under pressure!
Another Worlds medalist is the Netherlands' Tessa Giele (https://swimswam.com/tag/tessa-giele/), who took silver in the 100 fly and tied for 50 fly gold at the 2023 Euros with Greece's Anna Ntountounaki (https://swimswam.com/tag/anna-ntountounaki/), who's also entered. Defending champs like Great Britain's Freya Anderson (https://swimswam.com/bio/freya-anderson/) in the 200 free, Sweden's Louise Hansson (https://swimswam.com/bio/louise-hansson/) in the 100 fly, and Germany's Angelina Köhler (https://swimswam.com/tag/angelina-kohler/) in the 200 fly round out a powerhouse group.
Adding an American college twist, several NCAA swimmers are competing: Italy's Sara Curtis (https://swimswam.com/bio/sara-curtis/) at Virginia, Great Britain's Eva Okaro (https://swimswam.com/tag/eva-okaro/) at Texas, Hungary's Minna Abraham (https://swimswam.com/tag/minna-abraham/) at USC and Nikoletta Padar (https://swimswam.com/tag/nikoletta-padar/) at Texas, plus Spain's Carmen Weiler Sastre (https://swimswam.com/tag/carmen-weiler-sastre/) at Virginia Tech. These athletes bridge the gap between U.S. college swimming and international elite, bringing diverse styles to the pool.
Don't overlook names like Dutch double world champ Marrit Steenbergen (https://swimswam.com/bio/marrit-steenbergen/), Israel's versatile Anastasia Gorbenko (https://swimswam.com/tag/anastasia-gorbenko/), Belgium's all-rounder Roos Vanotterdijk (https://swimswam.com/tag/roos-vanotterdijk/), Britain's Angharad Evans (https://swimswam.com/tag/angharad-evans/) in breaststroke, and Ireland's Ellen Walshe (https://swimswam.com/tag/ellen-walshe/) in fly and medley. Gorbenko, a 2021 short course Worlds double gold medalist in 50 breast and 100 IM, plus the 200 IM Euro champ that year, is entered in those breast and IM events—her technical prowess could surprise.
Spotlight on the Men's Field
Towering above the men's entries is Switzerland's Noe Ponti (https://swimswam.com/bio/noe-ponti/), the only multi-event 2024 short course world champ in the mix. This 24-year-old phenom holds top seeds in the 50 fly, 100 fly, and 100 IM, plus second in the 200 fly. At Worlds last year, he shattered world records in the 50 and 100 fly while winning 100 IM gold. Fresh from silvers in the 50 and 100 fly at the 2025 long-course Worlds, he doubled up on 100 fly wins in the World Cup series, though Canadian Josh Liendo (https://swimswam.com/bio/josh-liendo/) nipped his record by 0.03 seconds in Toronto (47.68). Ponti's on a mission to reclaim that mark, and as the defending Euro champ in 50, 100, and 200 fly, he's primed for more glory.
His main rivals in the 50 and 100 fly? France's Maxime Grousset (https://swimswam.com/bio/maxime-grousset/), who took silver behind Ponti in the 100 fly at Worlds, and Austria's Simon Bucher (https://swimswam.com/tag/simon-bucher/), fifth there. For the 100 IM, watch Austria's Bernard Reitshammer (https://swimswam.com/tag/bernard-reitshammer/), the defending Euro champ and Worlds silver medalist. Grousset also defends his 100 free Euro title.
In the 200 fly, Italy's Alberto Razzetti (https://swimswam.com/bio/alberto-razzetti/) will clash with Ponti after smashing the European record (1:48.64) for silver at Worlds. Poland's Krzysztof Chmielewski (https://swimswam.com/bio/krzysztof-chmielewski/), the bronze medalist, adds firepower—especially with the home crowd boost. Razzetti's also a medal threat in the 200 and 400 IM, defending his 400 title and earning Worlds medals in both.
Spain's Carles Coll Marti (https://swimswam.com/tag/carles-coll-marti/), the 200 breast Worlds champ, faces stiff competition from the Netherlands' Caspar Corbeau (https://swimswam.com/bio/caspar-corbeau/), the defending Euro champ who just became the first man under 2:00 in the event (1:59.52) last month in Toronto (https://swimswam.com/caspar-corbeau-shatters-200-barrier-in-200-breast-going-159-52-in-toronto/). Corbeau dominated the World Cup, winning seven of nine breaststroke races.
But Italy's Olympic 100 breast king Nicolo Martinenghi (https://swimswam.com/bio/nicolo-martinenghi-2/), defending 50 breast Euro champ and 2021 100 breast gold medalist, enters with conservative times (25.37/55.63 lifetime bests from 2021)—is he sandbagging for a big surprise? The Netherlands' Arno Kamminga (https://swimswam.com/bio/arno-kamminga/), 100 breast defender, impressed at Dutch qualifiers, while Turkey's world record holder in 50 breast Emre Sakci (https://swimswam.com/bio/emre-sakci/) eyes redemption after last year's Worlds silver.
Other Worlds medalists include Germany's Florian Wellbrock (https://swimswam.com/bio/florian-wellbrock/) with silvers in 800 and 1500 free, Turkey's Kuzey Tuncelli (https://swimswam.com/tag/kuzey-tuncelli/) with 1500 bronze, and Italy's Lorenzo Mora (https://swimswam.com/bio/lorenzo-mora/) and France's Mewen Tomac (https://swimswam.com/tag/mewen-tomac/), who placed second and third in 200 back. Mora defends his 200 back Euro title; Tomac won the 50 and 100 back in 2023.
Notably absent is 200 back world champ Hungary's Hubert Kos (https://swimswam.com/bio/hubert-kos/), who's opted for the U.S. Open instead (https://swimswam.com/hubi-kos-update-when-he-will-rejoin-the-longhorns-and-a-new-event/)—a choice that underscores how swimmers balance calendars.
Rounding out the defenders: Britain's Duncan Scott (https://swimswam.com/bio/duncan-scott/) in 200 IM and Matt Richards (https://swimswam.com/tag/matt-richards/) in 200 free, leading a 17-strong GB team with Olympic gold medalist Tom Dean (https://swimswam.com/bio/tom-dean/), backstroker Oliver Morgan (https://swimswam.com/tag/oliver-morgan/), and emerging breaststroker Filip Nowacki (https://swimswam.com/tag/filip-nowacki/).
For the complete entry lists, head here (https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/EntryList202511251343.pdf).
In This Story
- Alberto Razzetti (https://swimswam.com/bio/alberto-razzetti/)
- Anna Elendt (https://swimswam.com/bio/anna-elendt/)
- Arno Kamminga (https://swimswam.com/bio/arno-kamminga/)
- Beryl Gastaldello (https://swimswam.com/bio/beryl-gastaldello/)
- Caspar Corbeau (https://swimswam.com/bio/caspar-corbeau/)
- Duncan Scott (https://swimswam.com/bio/duncan-scott/)
- Emre Sakci (https://swimswam.com/bio/emre-sakci/)
- Florian Wellbrock (https://swimswam.com/bio/florian-wellbrock/)
- Freya Anderson (https://swimswam.com/bio/freya-anderson/)
- Hubert Kos (https://swimswam.com/bio/hubert-kos/)
- Ilya Shymanovich (https://swimswam.com/bio/ilya-shymanovich/)
- Josh Liendo (https://swimswam.com/bio/josh-liendo/)
- Kasia Wasick (https://swimswam.com/bio/kasia-wasick/)
- Kliment Kolesnikov (https://swimswam.com/bio/kliment-kolesnikov/)
- Krzysztof Chmielewski (https://swimswam.com/bio/krzysztof-chmielewski/)
- Lorenzo Mora (https://swimswam.com/bio/lorenzo-mora/)
- Louise Hansson (https://swimswam.com/bio/louise-hansson/)
- Marrit Steenbergen (https://swimswam.com/bio/marrit-steenbergen/)
- Maxime Grousset (https://swimswam.com/bio/maxime-grousset/)
- Nicolo Martinenghi (https://swimswam.com/bio/nicolo-martinenghi-2/)
- Noe Ponti (https://swimswam.com/bio/noe-ponti/)
- Ruta Meilutyte (https://swimswam.com/bio/ruta-meilutyte/)
- Sara Curtis (https://swimswam.com/bio/sara-curtis/)
- Simona Quadarella (https://swimswam.com/bio/simona-quadarella/)
- Svetlana Chimrova (https://swimswam.com/bio/svetlana-chimrova/)
- Tom Dean (https://swimswam.com/bio/tom-dean/)
About the Author
James Sutherland (https://swimswam.com/bio/james-sutherland/) swam competitively for five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, focusing on the 200 freestyle, backstroke, and individual medley. He wrapped up his college career in 2018 with a bachelor's in economics and earned a graduate degree in sports journalism in 2019. Before university, James had a strong background in competitive swimming... Read More » (https://swimswam.com/bio/james-sutherland/)
Now, let's get controversial: Is excluding Russian and Belarusian swimmers the right call for fairness in European Aquatics, or does it contradict the spirit of global unity that World Aquatics is pushing? What do you think—should sports stay out of politics entirely, or is this a necessary stand? Drop your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you're Team Inclusion or Team Caution!
