Rasovszky, Paltrinieri and Taddeucci set for European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Championships in Stari Grad

Olympic champions, world medallists and Europe’s brightest young talents will gather in the historic coastal town of Stari Grad next week for the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Championships Stari Grad 2025, with racing set to begin on Wednesday, May 28.

Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky leads the men’s entries as the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 10km, having earned gold in both Paris and Doha last year. The 27-year-old, already a three-time European champion, returns to continental waters with his reputation stronger than ever following a commanding performance in the Seine last summer.

He will be joined by 21-year-old teammate Dávid Betlehem, who won bronze behind him in Paris and took European gold over 5km in Belgrade. A former world junior champion, Betlehem also helped secure European gold for Hungary in the mixed team relay in 2024.

He and Rasovszky will be among the busiest athletes in Stari Grad with entries in all four events.

Their compatriot, 20-year-old Bettina Fabian, is quickly establishing herself as a key part of Hungary’s women’s squad. After earning bronze in the 5km in Belgrade and team bronze at the World Championships in Doha last year, she returns to European competition with a schedule involving the 5km, 10km, 3km knockout and mixed relay.

Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, who has won Olympic and world gold in the pool, remains a stand-out performer in open water. The 30-year-old won European gold in the 10km last year, as well as 800m bronze medals in the pool at both the World Championships and Olympic Games, and brings both experience and speed to a stacked Italian squad.

He will be joined by Ginevra Taddeucci, a two-time European medallist from Belgrade and the sole European podium finisher in the women’s 10km Olympic event last year, when she finished third. She will line up across all three distances, including the exciting and relatively-new 3km knockout event.

France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier adds further world-class pedigree to the men’s field. A bronze medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and three-time medallist from the European Championships in 2024, he has long been a fixture at the top of the sport.

Now 28, he brings tactical nous and marathon experience to the French team, which will also be eyeing the mixed relay podium after winning bronze last year.

Germany’s Lea Boy will again be one of the top names in the women’s competition. A world team champion in 2019 and European silver medallist in 2022, Boy returns for yet another senior championship and remains a dependable force in the longer events – especially given her gold medal at the Ibiza leg of the World Cup series earlier in the year.

She will feature in both the 10km and 3km knockout in Croatia, alongside a German team filled with rising talent in the relay.

The 10km events are likely to provide the most gripping contests of the week, with Olympic champions Rasovszky and Paltrinieri clashing once more, and Olivier and Betlehem adding further world class to the field.

The women’s races promise similar drama, with Fábián, Taddeucci and Boy all boasting recent international medals..

The 3km knockout will offer a fresh, unpredictable and fast-paced alternative to the distance races, while the mixed team relay – where Hungary, Italy and France were the medallists in 2024 – will again be a showcase of both strategy and depth of Europe’s best open water swimmers.

With 85 athletes from more than 20 countries set to line-up on the Croatian island, the Championships – which run from May 28 tot 31 – are set to deliver in a big way.

Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics

The full entry list can be found below:

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