Finnish Swimming Record Smashed After 30 Years

A Finnish swimming record that stood for three decades has finally been broken. Twenty-year-old Ajjub Ezzat shattered Jani Sievinen's long-standing national record in the 200-meter backstroke at the European Championships in Paris.

Ezzat touched the wall in 2:00.32 on Tuesday, shaving 0.38 seconds off Sievinen's previous best. This achievement comes after Ezzat also set a new Finnish record in the 100-meter backstroke earlier this year, in March, with a time of 55.48 seconds.

Jani Sievinen's records in the 200m and 400m individual medleys remain intact, as they are the last long-course records he holds. The durability of Sievinen's records is notable, especially considering advancements in swimming technology, such as full-body swimsuits introduced in the late 2000s, which provided extra buoyancy, particularly in backstroke events.

Despite Ezzat's historic swim, he did not qualify for the semifinals, placing 30th overall. The slowest time to make the semifinals was 1:58.21. Among other Finnish competitors, only 19-year-old Aliisa Soini advanced, securing a semifinal spot in the 50-meter butterfly with a personal best of 26.32 seconds. She was the sole Finn competing in the evening finals.