MADRID, Spain -- Alexander Popov won the gold medal in the
50-meter freestyle Sunday, the final day of the European swimming
championships.
The Russian world-record holder swam in lane eight after barely
qualifying for the final, but still won in 22.32 seconds. Popov
wasn't near his world record of 21.64 in 2000.
"If I were happy with my swimming, I'd say it was time to give
up," he said.
The 32-year-old Popov hinted that the Athens Olympics in August
might be his finale.
"I started my career in Athens in 1991 and it will be a
complete circle to finish it there," he said.
Stefan Nystrand of Sweden won the silver in 22.42 and Lorenzo
Vismara of Italy took the bronze in 22.45.
Poland's Otylia Jedrzejczak, the champion in 2000 and 2002, was
timed in 2:06.47 in the women's 200-meter butterfly, slightly above
her world mark of 2:05.78 set two years ago.
"I swam my first 100 meters with a longer stroke which meant I
could swim the second 100 faster," Jedrzejczak said. "It's my
third gold so I am very happy and hope it is a good omen for
Athens."
Italy's Paola Cavallino won silver with 2:09.27 and Denmark's
Mette Jacobsen was third at 2:09.43.
Ilona Hlavackova, of the Czech Republic, won the 50-meter
backstroke in 29.00. Spain's Nina Zhivanevskaya, champion in 2000
and 2002, claimed second with 29.03 and Italy's Alessandra Cappa
was third in 29.28.
Sweden's Therese Alshammar won the women's 50-meter freestyle
for the third consecutive championship with a time of 25.12.
Belarusian Sviatlana Khakhlova earned the silver in 25.20 and
Germany's Sandra Voelker won the bronze with 25:24.
France's Laure Manaudou beat two-time champion Yana Klochkova of
Ukraine to take the women's 400-meter freestyle in 4:07.90.
Romania's Camelia Potec was second at 4:09.31 and Klochkova was
third in 4:10.53.
Manaudou, 17, won the 100-meter backstroke earlier.