Jefimova misses 100m breaststroke podium by fraction of a second at Euro Champs

Estonian swimmer Eneli Jefimova placed fourth in the women's 100m breaststroke final at the European Championships in Paris, finishing just five hundredths of a second away from a medal.

The 21-year-old, who won gold in the same event in Belgrade two years ago, clocked 1:05.94 in Wednesday evening's final — 0.16 seconds slower than her semifinal swim, which had set a new Estonian national record.

Jefimova said she felt good throughout the race. She was fifth at the halfway mark before moving up to fourth by the finish. She noted feeling an extra surge of energy heading into the final 25 metres, but said the finish itself did not go as planned.

She added that she had felt calmer than in previous years despite leaving the event without a medal. Describing it as part of a process, she pointed out this was the fourth time she had swum around 1:05, calling it a strong time — the other competitors were simply faster on the day.

Britain's Angharad Evans took gold, setting a championship record of 1:04.87.

Other Estonians eliminated in heats

Earlier on Wednesday, no other Estonian swimmers advanced past the morning heats. In the men's 100m butterfly, Kregor Zirk and Alex Ahtiainen finished 32nd and 29th respectively, missing the semifinal cutoff. In the women's 50m backstroke, Maari Randväli and Margaret Markvardt placed 32nd and 39th, well short of qualifying. In the men's 200m breaststroke, Christopher Palvadre and Ralf Roose finished 36th and 41st.