Meilutytė Snatches Dramatic European Gold in 50m Breaststroke

Lithuanian swimmer Rūta Meilutytė secured a dramatic victory in the 50m breaststroke at the European Championships in Paris on Sunday, clinching her 11th career European medal. The 29-year-old athlete finished the race in 29.93 seconds, narrowly beating Italy's Benedetta Pilato by a mere 0.01 seconds.

Meilutytė expressed surprise and immense joy at her win, admitting she initially thought Pilato had touched the wall first. "The biggest surprise and joy. Strange. It is both important and unimportant. I am very happy to have fulfilled the process. Lots of happiness. Wow, it was very fun," she told LRT after the race. "I didn't expect it because it seemed like B. Pilato had already touched the wall, we were very close. Very cool. You have to enjoy it while it lasts – because it passes and disappears. Fun, joyful, a lot of work has been put in."

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The biggest surprise and joy. Strange. It is both important and unimportant. I am very happy to have fulfilled the process. Lots of happiness. Wow, it was very fun. I didn't expect it because it seemed like B. Pilato had already touched the wall, we were very close. Very cool. You have to enjoy it while it lasts – because it passes and disappears. Fun, joyful, a lot of work has been put in.

Her performance in the final followed a third-place finish in the semifinals with a time of 30.05 seconds. Meilutytė felt strong from the initial stages, confident in her ability to deliver a good performance. "I felt good from the first stage – I knew it would be good. I felt good and the goal was to fulfill that swim," she stated.

This gold medal is Lithuania's second at the championships, following a silver medal won by Tomas Navikonis in the 200m freestyle. Meilutytė's achievement adds to her already impressive record in European competitions. The championships conclude on Sunday.

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I felt good from the first stage – I knew it would be good. I felt good and the goal was to fulfill that swim.