The medals arrived on the last day, like a delayed but deserved award after so many good performances. As a merit acquired after so many records, as a debt settled, as a right acquired after so many relevant actions. One of silver and one of bronze. Silver from Hugo González in the 200 medley and bronze from Laura Cabanes in the 200 butterfly.
There was no gold, the metal that establishes true hierarchies. And that is a thorn in the heart of Spanish swimming. But, after the drought of metals in the elusive humidity of the waters, they feel very good because they are agonizingly late, almost posthumous.
Hugo was already champion of 200 medley in Budapest 2021 and in short course in Lublin 2025. He would have won gold again if Hubert Kos had not existed in a high-flying event. Hugo only leaned in the last 10 meters, in which the Hungarian held him with a mark (1:54.24) that snatched the Championships record from the Spaniard and placed its holder in fourth place in history. Hugo was superior to himself. He placed himself, with 1:54.44, in sixth place in that history and broke the Spanish record. He revalidates his Budapest2021 European title. It is the same being better. It's better to be the same.
Laura Cabanes is not, at least not yet, at 20 years old, Mireia Belmonte. But he reminded us. It helped us remember her. Mireia was Olympic champion of those 200 butterfly in Rio2016. And world championship in Budapest2017. And European in Berlin2014. Laura fought until the end and only lost her head (2:07.21) against the British Keanna MacInnes (2:05.90) and the Danish Helena Bach (2:06.14). Laura is not Mireia, at least not yet, we say. But, although his bronze crown is not as valuable as Mireia's gold ones, he somehow receives with it a form of inheritance.
Laura finished off her performance by being part of the 4x100 styles quartet that, also with Irene Ciércoles, Alba Vázquez and María Daza, finished in eighth position with a Spanish record (4:00.25) and not so far from Great Britain, Italy and Russia. The same quartet had also improved it in the morning's semifinals (4:01.32).
The men did even better on the same test. Without a record, although only four hundredths away, with his 3:32.15. Luca Hoek, splendid again, did his front crawl leg in less than 47 seconds (46.85). He was equaled only by Kornev, who contributed the most to Russia's victory (3:28.67), in a close fight with Italy (3:28.76) and France (3:29.03). Léon Marchand was on the team after winning the 400 freestyle with a national record (3:43.14).
For many people, the 50 freestyle acquired symbolic importance with the triumph of the Ukrainian Nikita Sheremet (21.13, seventh mark in history) over the Russian Egor Kornev (21.37). It is impossible not to think about the war, especially since the Russians have come to Paris as neutrals, dressed in a black tracksuit devoid of insignia, and they have not heard their anthem, silenced, or contemplated their flag, banned.
