ANTWERP, Dec 15: Triple Olympic champion Inge de Bruijn added another gold to her collection as more records fell on the second day of the European short-course championships on Friday.

De Bruijn was made to work hard for victory in the 100 metres freestyle, while Germany’s Thomas Rupprath set a new world best in the 100 metres butterfly ahead of former world record holder Lars Frolander of Sweden.

Germany’s Anne Poleska broke her European record in the 200 metres breaststroke and Czech Ilona Hlavackova also lowered her European mark for the 100 metres backstroke.

De Bruijn led from the start and set a championship record in 52.65. Slovakia’s Martina Moravcova came back strongly on the final length to take silver in 52.97 ahead of Swede Johanna Sjoeberg, third in 53.01.

Defending champion Rupprath, who was marginally ahead at the 50m mark, collected his gold in 50.26, more than a second faster than his swim in Valencia last year.

Frolander had to settle for silver in 50.58, while Britain’s James Hickman was third in 51.32.

In the women’s 200 metres breaststroke, Poleska lowered her European mark by almost a second, taking gold in a time of 2:21.93.

Second after the first 100 metres, the German forged ahead in the latter stages to finish clear of Austria’s Mirna Jukic (2:22.26).

Sweden’s Emma Igelstrom, defending champion and winner of the 50 metres breaststroke in world record time on Thursday, took third in 2:23.36.

“I was hoping to break it and I’m very happy with this record,” Poleska said after the medal ceremony.

“I didn’t feel too well at the start, but after 100 metres I became stronger.”

Hlavackova’s performance was the most dominant of the day as she defended her 100-metre backstroke title in 57.75.

The Czech finished more than a 1 1/2 seconds clear of second-place Sarah Price of Britain (59.46), while Germany’s Janine Pietsch (59.79) took bronze.

In the 50 metres butterfly, Sweden’s sprint specialist Therese Alshammar took gold in 25.73, leading home compatriot Anna-Karin Kammerling (25.88)

Flavia Rigamonti collected the first gold of the day as she set a championship record in the 800 metres.

The Swiss was pushed hard for the first half of the race by Slovakia’s promising Anja Carnan, but pulled clear after 500 metres before finishing in 8:17.20.

Carnan (8:20.31) took silver while Russia’s Irina Oufimitseava (8:23.28) was third.

Italy’s Alessio Boggiatto retained his title in the 400 metres medley as he lowered the championship record with a time of 4:06.99.

Robin Francis broke the British record as he secured silver in 4:08.49 while Sweden’s Jacob Carstensen, bronze medallist in the 400 metres freestyle on Thursday, was third in 4:08.58.

A fantastic turn into the final length helped the Ukraine’s Oleg Lisogor take gold in the 100 metres breaststroke ahead of the fast-closing James Gibson of Britain.

Lisogor finished in a time of 59.02, Gibson in 59.23 while Czech Daniel Malek was third in 59.51.—Reuters

Medals table

Gold Silver Bronze

Germany 4 3 2

Sweden 4 2 3

Ukraine 2 1 -

Italy 2 - 1

Slovenia 1 1 2

Netherlands 1 1 1

Croatia 1 1 -

Czech Republic 1 - 1

Poland 1 - -

Switzerland 1 - -

Britain - 4 2

Denmark - 1 2

Austria - 1 1

Israel - 1 -

Finland - 1 -

Slovakia - 1 -

Russia - - 2

France - - 1