Thomas Ceccon won the bronze medal in the men’s 200-metre backstroke at the 2026 European Swimming Championships on Wednesday [4].
The performance establishes a new national benchmark for Italy and reinforces Ceccon's standing among the elite backstroke swimmers in Europe.
Competing in Paris, France, Ceccon clocked a time of 1:53.96 [1]. This mark officially sets a new Italian record for the event [2]. The race was won by Hungary's Hubert Kos, who took the gold medal with a time of 1:53.08 [3].
Greece's Apostolos Siskos secured the silver medal, finishing the race in 1:53.81 [3]. The narrow margins between the top three finishers highlight the competitive nature of the final, with less than one second separating the gold and bronze medalists.
Following the event, Ceccon reflected on his performance. He said, "non valevo qello delle qualificazioni," suggesting he did not feel he matched the form of his qualifying heat.
Despite his own assessment, the result remains a historic achievement for Italian swimming. The 2026 championships continue to showcase the rising speed of the European field, particularly in the backstroke disciplines where times are consistently dropping.
“Thomas Ceccon clocked a time of 1:53.96, setting a new Italian record.”
Ceccon's new national record demonstrates Italy's continued competitiveness in sprint and middle-distance backstroke. By lowering the Italian record during a major championship final, Ceccon provides a critical performance marker for the national team as they evaluate their standing against top European rivals like Hungary and Greece.
