*David Popovici, relaxed and already golden at these Championships, posted an ominously strong men’s 50m freestyle qualifying time of 22.02 in seeking to add to his 200m freestyle title here. But Ukraine’s 22-year-old Vladyslav Bukhov, who won world gold and European bronze in this event last year, went even faster in the last heat, clocking 21.52.

Three places behind Romania’s Olympic champion is his fellow 20-year-old Diogo Ribeiro, the world 50m and 100m butterfly gold medallist. After the thunder and lightning that arrived here yesterday evening another storm of activity is forecast in the pool tonight…

*Estonia’s 18-year-old Eneli Jefimova, who won the women’s 50m breaststroke last night to earn her first U23 title, is after more gold having qualified fastest in the women’s 100m breaststroke. She clocked 1:07.21 from Lithuania’s Kotryna Teterevkova on 1:08.16 and Sweden’s Olivia Klint Ipsa on 1:08.58. Watch out too for Ireland’s 20-year-old Ellie McCartney, winner of the previous night’s 200m IM, who took fifth place in 1:08.70

*jBelgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk, already champion in the women’s 100m butterfly and 50m backstroke, is set on expanding her collection of gold here. She topped qualifying for tonight’s 100m breaststroke in 1:00.72 from France’s 50m backstroke bronze medallist Zoe Carlos-Broc on 1:01.36 and 200m medley silver medallis Bertille Cousson 1:01.58.

Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics