L-R: Emma Peters; Joao Carneiro; Jacques Schmitz; Bob Sauber; Yann Van Den Bossche; Credit: ©FLNS

Five young swimmers have travelled to Kazan in Russia to represent Luxembourg at the European Junior Swimming Championships, taking place from Wednesday to Sunday this week.

This competition will see 523 athletes from 42 nations compete for titles, medals and best times at the Kazan Aquatics Palace. Among them, a five-member selection of the Luxembourg Swimming Association (FLNS) will be participating.

Following a successful test of form last weekend in front of a home crowd at the summer championships at the Coque, junior swimmers Emma Peters, Yann Van Den Bossche, Joao Carneiro, Jacques Schmitz and Bob Sauber set out on Monday for the trip to Kazan. After the first practice sessions on Tuesday, the quintet will be competing today, the first day of the competition. Jacques Schmitz will be competing in the 400m freestyle event, followed by Emma Peters in the 100m freestyle, Bob Sauber in the 100m backstroke and Yann Van Den Bossche and Joao Carneiro in the 200m breaststroke events.

Over the 50, 100 and 200 metre circuits, the top sixteen swimmers of the heats (maximum two per nation) will reach the semi-finals, with the top eight swimmers qualifying for the finals. Over the 400 freestyle and medley events, there are only heats and finals, with the fastest race over the 800m and 1500m freestyle events being held as the final.

Throughout the competition, Emma Peters will compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle and 50m butterfly events, Joao Carneiro will participate in the 200m breaststroke, 100m and 200m butterfly and 400m medley events and Bob Sauber will compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke events. For their parts, Jacques Schmitz is set to compete in the 200m and 400m freestyle and 400m medley events and Yann Van Den Bossche will take part in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events.