Israeli Swimming Team Concludes European Championships with Strong Results but No Medals

The Israeli national swimming team wrapped up the European Swimming Championships in Paris on August 16, 2026, with notable achievements, reaching 13 semifinals and 5 finals, surpassing their initial goals of 8-12 semifinals and 5-7 finals. Despite this success, the team did not secure any medals, finishing once in fifth place and four times in seventh place in the finals.

A standout performer was Tomer Shuster from Maccabi Rishon LeZion, who made a late breakthrough in backstroke events. Shuster set two new Israeli records in the 50m and 100m backstroke, reached his first European final, and finished fifth in the 50m backstroke, just 0.33 seconds shy of a podium finish. He also qualified for the 2027 World Championships in both distances. Shuster reflected on his journey, emphasizing the mental and physical challenges overcome to reach this level.

Among the women, Tom Miniss from Maccabi Haifa impressed by breaking her personal best in the 100m backstroke three times during the competition and qualifying for the 2027 World Championships. She also advanced to the semifinals in the 200m backstroke. Miniss highlighted the critical role of mental preparation in her performance. Additionally, Denis Loktev set a new Israeli record in the 200m freestyle during the 4x200m freestyle relay final, and Eitan Ben Shtrit advanced to the semifinals in the 200m individual medley.

Overall, the team set four new Israeli records: three individual (two by Shuster and one by Loktev) and one relay record by the women's 4x100m medley team, which included Miniss, Anastasia Gorbenko, Lea Polonsky, and Daria Golovaty. Out of 18 swimmers, 10 have already met the Israeli qualifying standards for the 2027 World Championships in Budapest, allowing them to focus on preparation rather than qualification moving forward.

Professional Swimming Association director Yaakov Tomerkin praised the team’s depth and potential but noted the unprecedented number of near misses, with five instances as first reserves for finals and five as reserves for semifinals. Anastasia Gorbenko, part of the team, expressed disappointment in some of her performances but remains committed to improving toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.