Matti Mattsson is one of the biggest medal hopefuls at the European Swimming Championships in Rome.
Matti Mattsson is still missing an EC medal from his trophy cabinet. EPA / AOP
Matti Mattsson was the winner of his 200-meter breaststroke heat in his main race with a time of 2:11.57. Portugal’s Gabriel Jose Lopes was second, 0.41 seconds behind the Finn.
Mattsson was second in the heats overall. Only the Czech Republic Matej Zabojnik was 0.35 seconds better.
– It went as planned. It was that kind of Sunday swim. I swam as quietly as I could, Mattsson stated on Yle’s broadcast.
Next, he aims to reach the final in the evening starting at 20:04. Mattsson says that the pace needs to be tightened a bit, but the bangs will be saved for the final.
Mattsson holds the SE time, which is 2:07.13.
On Thursday, Mattsson was 11th in the 100 meter breaststroke in his side event. In his own semi-final, he finished sixth, and the place in the final thus remained a dream.
The Finnish swimmer won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics on that trip. He is also a World Cup bronze medalist nine years ago.
They also competed in Rome on Saturday morning Jenna Laukkanen and Laura Lahtinen backstroke 50 meters.
Laukkanen, known as a breaststroker, won the heat with a time of 29:13. Lahtinen finished last in the heat with a time of 31.36. The Finns did not make it to the 16th best group. Laukkanen was 25th and Lahtinen 35th in the combined results.
In the backstroke, France was the fastest Analia Pigreewhose time was 27.53.