Israeli Swimmer Anastasia Gorbunko Disappointed at European Championships, Eyes 2028 Olympics

Israeli Olympic swimmer Anastasia Gorbunko concluded the European Championships on August 17, 2026, without winning any individual medals, falling short of expectations for herself and her coaching team. In her strongest event, the 200-meter individual medley, where she was the reigning European champion, Gorbunko finished seventh and was unable to defend her title. In other finals she reached, she also did not place among the top contenders, prompting calls for a change in her training approach.

Reflecting on the competition, Gorbunko expressed disappointment but remained optimistic about her future, stating, "I had high expectations for myself, and I am definitely disappointed with some of my performances. However, I understand this is part of the journey, and I will continue to work hard to reach my peak and do my best. Thanks to everyone who supported me from afar."

Sports commentator Guy Barnea analyzed her performance, noting that Gorbunko had completed a full season swimming in the U.S. collegiate system at the University of Louisville, focusing on short-course yards pools rather than long-course meters, which impacted her times and performance in European long-course events. Barnea highlighted that the training emphasis on yards pools did not translate well to the long-course format used in international championships, and that Gorbunko lacked strong training rivals at her college, as she was the top swimmer there.

Barnea also mentioned that Gorbunko supplemented her training with camps alongside coach Tom Rushton and Israeli teammates, but the overall program did not yield the desired results. He suggested that continuing the same training plan would be risky and that the European Championships should serve as a warning to adjust her preparation ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Gorbunko and her team now face the challenge of revising her training strategy to improve her competitiveness on the international stage in the coming years.