The 2026 European Swimming Championships Mixed 4x100 Free Relay Final was a thrilling race, with the Neutral Athletes B team setting a new championship record. The race saw a disqualification and a battle for gold, with the Dutch and Italian teams also in the mix. The French team's disqualification was a shock, as Maxime Grousset's early start left them out of the race.
The Neutral Athletes B team's victory was a testament to their strength and depth, with Egor Kornev leading the way with a 47.05 leadoff split, just 0.13 seconds off the Russian record he set in the individual event. Luca Hoek Le Guenedal, Carlos D'Ambrosio, and Sean Niewold also swam strong, with D'Ambrosio just three-tenths off his individual final time. The Italian team finished in third, with Thomas Ceccon and Ivan Girev also contributing strong splits.
The Dutch team, led by Marrit Steenbergen, was close behind, with Steenbergen splitting 50.74, just 0.13 seconds under her all-time split and nearly a full second under her flat start best. The battle for gold was intense, with Kira Manokhina and Milou van Wijk also in the mix. Manokhina held on with a 53.02 split, while van Wijk won individual silver in 52.71.
The Italian team's third-place finish was a strong showing, with Sara Curtis splitting 51.79, the 26th-fastest split in history. Curtis was nine-tenths under her Italian record and half a second faster than her previous anchor leg. The Czech team set a new national record with their fifth-place finish, while Spain and Sweden also had strong performances.
The race was a showcase of the depth and talent in European swimming, with many swimmers setting personal bests and breaking records. The disqualification of the French team was a shock, but it only added to the excitement and drama of the race. The Neutral Athletes B team's victory was a testament to their strength and depth, and the race will be remembered as a classic in European swimming history.
