Serbian swimmers open European Championships in Paris

Three Serbian swimmers competed on the opening day of the European Championships in Paris. None advanced from the morning heats into the next round.

Strahinja Maslo raced in the individual medley, while Nemanja Maksic and Uros Zivanovic entered sprint events. More Serbian swimmers join the programme on day two.

Maslo finished twentieth in the individual medley

Strahinja Maslo competed in the 400-metre individual medley. The event requires every swimmer to complete butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle sections. Maslo finished in 4:27.41 and placed twentieth overall. The time did not move him into the final stage of the event. Maslo completed butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle during the same race. His 4:27.41 result placed him twentieth in the qualification standings. Maslo completed his first race at the championship and received an official placing. The four stroke sections also produced separate split times for the team.

Nemanja Maksic raced in the 50-metre butterfly and finished in 24.23 seconds. He placed fifty-fourth in a large sprint field. The 50-metre butterfly uses one length of the competition pool. Maksic completed that length in 24.23 seconds and placed fifty-fourth. Maksic remained outside the semifinal positions. His race still provided a measured comparison with swimmers from across Europe. The official result records his start and finish inside one measured time. That time remained outside the semifinal places in Paris.

Luka Zivanovic swam the 100-metre breaststroke

A Serbian swimmer competes in butterfly while wearing the national cap.

Uros Zivanovic represented Serbia in the 100-metre breaststroke. He completed the distance in 1:02.26 and placed fifty-fifth. Zivanovic completed two pool lengths using breaststroke. His recorded time of 1:02.26 placed him fifty-fifth overall. Zivanovic did not reach the next round. The result gives him a clear championship time for later comparison during the season. His race completed Serbia's three-man programme on the opening morning. The team then turned toward a busier second day in Paris.

Nina Stanisavljevic is entered in the 50-metre butterfly. Her event opens another sprint opportunity for the Serbian group. Velimir Stjepanovic, Nikola Acin and Dusan Cvetkov are scheduled for the 100-metre freestyle. Three entries give Serbia several direct comparisons in one discipline. Martina Bukvic competes in the 100-metre breaststroke. Nikola Simic is listed for the 800-metre freestyle, which requires a completely different pace. The expanded programme spreads attention across sprint, middle-distance and endurance races. Each swimmer still has an individual qualifying target.

Each Serbian swimmer received an official time and placing

Maslo placed twentieth in the 400-metre individual medley. Maksic finished fifty-fourth in the butterfly sprint, while Zivanovic placed fifty-fifth in breaststroke. None of the three swimmers reached the next round. Their times remain separate because the three races used different distances and swimming techniques. Maslo completed four strokes across his medley. Maksic raced one length, while Zivanovic covered two lengths in breaststroke. The opening morning therefore produced three distinct Serbian results. The next programme begins with different swimmers and events.

Nina Stanisavljevic enters the 50-metre butterfly. Martina Bukvic competes in the 100-metre breaststroke later in the programme. Velimir Stjepanovic, Nikola Acin and Dusan Cvetkov are listed together in the 100-metre freestyle. Nikola Simic enters the 800-metre freestyle. Those events add sprint and distance races after the opening morning. Each swimmer receives a separate place and time in the official results. Serbia therefore continues with a larger group on day two. The first three swimmers have completed their opening appearances in Paris.

Each result belongs to a different swimming event

Maslo's 4:27.41 medley time cannot be compared directly with either sprint result. The distances and required strokes are different. Maksic completed the butterfly sprint in 24.23 seconds. Zivanovic recorded 1:02.26 across the longer breaststroke race.

Their places came from separate qualification fields. The number of competitors and progression rules also differed between events. Together, the three results form Serbia's opening-day record. None produced a semifinal or final place.

The opening races gave Serbia's swimmers experience in the Paris pool

The opening swimmers completed registration, warm-up and competition in Paris. Their teammates now know the route from the call room to the pool. Day two contains different races and qualification groups. Results from the first morning do not carry into those events.

Stjepanovic, Acin and Cvetkov enter the same freestyle distance. Their recorded times will allow a direct comparison within the Serbian team. Simic's 800-metre race requires a different pace. It extends Serbia's programme from one-length sprints to a longer distance event.