Biedermann secures Europe 400m swim title

22 May 2012, 6:54 am   -   Source: AAP

The European swimming championships in Hungary began with a tribute to Norwegian world champion Alexander Dale Oen who died on April 30.

German swimming star Paul Biedermann ended years of frustration by finally being crowned European 400 metres freestyle champion here on Monday.

The proceedings had been marked by a moving tribute to Norway's 200m breaststroke world champion Alexander Dale Oen, who died of unknown causes on April 30 and who would have been 27 on Monday.

Biedermann, 25 the 2009 world champion and world record holder in the 400m freestyle, drew a blank in terms of titles at last year's world championships - having to be content with bronze in both the 200 and 400m freestyle - so he was delighted to lay down a marker just two months away from the Olympics.

However, his time of 3min 47.84sec was outside the qualifying time for the Olympics set by his federation.

While he made the time for the 200m at the national trials last week he has only made the 400m at the Olympics because the federation have selected him on the basis of his bronze medal at last year's worlds.

"I started too slowly," said Biedermann.

"I must work some more on this point. I am really happy to have the European title but unfortunately once again I didn't get the required Olympic qualifying time.

"Now I'm going to have to probably accept the ticket offered by the federation," he added.

The other men's final the 4x100m freestyle relay saw the French quartet win the title for only the second time and first in 50 years.

There was joy for the home crowd too as another world champion from 2009 Hungary's Katinka Hosszu who led home a Hungarian 1-2 in the women's 400m medley - Zsuzsanna Jakabos taking silver.

"I only had two or three days rest before the championship," she said.

"The 400m medley is an event that really pushes you to the limit."

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