Portuguese swimmer Camila Rebelo turned European champion this Tuesday, June 18. The athlete gained the 200 meters backstroke closing on the European Water Championships, Belgrade, with a time of two.08.95 minutes, a brand new nationwide file.
Camila Rebelo, who had swum the gap in 2.11.42 minutes within the qualifiers and in 2.10.73 within the semi-finals, began to dominate the race within the final 50 meters and completed with a brand new historic most, beating a file beforehand held by her (2.09.54).
“I’ve no phrases. After I got here right here, my ambition can be to achieve a semi-final, a closing, as a result of I’m not at my peak kind, to take advantage of a European championship Get right here and set a nationwide file, setting a private file, doing beneath the minimal for the Olympics, being European champion, I’ve no phrases”, she mentioned, visibly moved, in statements with the Lusa company.
“It provides me extra need to work on what I’m doing to achieve the Video games in one of the simplest ways attainable”, he mentioned. In Paris 2024, Camila Rebelo is aware of that “there can be much more individuals”, however she admitted that she is extra desirous to “work to be in the very best form”. The athlete is the one Portuguese athlete with minimal {qualifications} for the Olympic Video games in Belgrade, a alternative that was right.
“Even when it had been misplaced, I wish to attempt to compete in huge occasions. I feel there are sometimes occasions when the season is lacking huge competitions. Benefiting from the European Championship, in a yr that was already the World Cup, I feel it was good”, he admitted.
Having, in 2023, been fifth within the European Championships in the identical distance, wherein she holds the qualification mark for the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games, the 21-year-old Portuguese left two Hungarians behind, with Dora Molnar (2.09,02) in second place and Eszter Szabo Feltothy (2.09,21) in third place.
That is the very best ever consequence by a Portuguese swimmer within the European swimming championships.