Koch takes gold but falls short of world record at European Short Course Swimming Championships

Germany’s Marco Koch took 200m backstroke gold in a championship record time ©Getty Images

Germany’s Marco Koch finished narrowly outside the world record in the men’s 200 metres breaststroke as he took gold on the second day of the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Netyana, Israel.

Koch clocked a superb Championship best time of 2min 00.53sec to clinch the title ahead of Hungarian Olympic champion and world record holder Daniel Gyurta, who had to settle for silver.

Britain’s Andrew Willis did enough to earn bronze.

Koch’s time was just 0.05 seconds adrift of Gyurta’s record and his success came on a successful day for the German swimmers as Paul Biederman claimed gold in the men’s 200m freestyle.

“It was a new German record, normally a time you can be happy with but it’s just 0.05sec shy of the world record, so it’s a little bit disappointing,” he said.

“I think I’ve missed to better it in the last 25 metres.”

Just as it looked as though Biederman would lose out to Belgium’s Pieter Timmers, the German launched a spirited fightback to pip his opponent to the wall in a time of 1:42.68, while Timmers’ team-mate Glenn Surgeloose and Russia’s Viacheslav Andrusenko shared bronze.

Hungarian Katinka Hosszú picked up her second gold medal as she won the 100m backstroke title — Hungary's Katinka Hosszú picked up her second gold medal as she won the 100m backstroke title ©Getty Images

Elsewhere, formidable Hungarian Katinka Hosszú, the women’s overall International Swimming Federation Swimming World Cup champion, secured her second gold of the event, adding the 100m backstroke title to the 400m crown she won yesterday.

She clocked a commanding time of 55.72sec, finishing comfortably in front of Poland’s Alicja Tchorz and Iceland’s Eyglo Gustafsdottir.

Hungary then added another gold medal to their medal tally as Laszlo Cseh powered to victory in the men’s 100m butterfly event, clocking 49.33.

Italian Matteo Rivolta held off the challenge of Nikita Konovalov of Russia to clinch silver.

A third success for the Hungarian contingent came when David Verraszto edged Britain’s Robert Pavoni to gold in the 400m individual medley in a time of 4:02.43.

Gal Nevo secured a rare medal for the host nation as the Israeli took home bronze.

Britain’s Jazmin Carlin, winner of a Commonwealth Games gold medal at Glasgow 2014, continued her excellent run of form in the women’s 800m freestyle event as she sealed the title in 8:11.01.

Boglarka Kapas of Hungary secured silver and Dutchwoman Sharon van Rouwendaal was third.