PARIS, July 30. /TASS/. The 2026 European Aquatics Championships kick off in the French capital of Paris on Friday, July 31.
Russia is competing at the upcoming European Championships for the first time since 2021. Back then, at the tournament hosted by Hungary’s Budapest, the Russians finished at the top of the overall medals’ standings having coined 20 gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals.
This will be the second major tournament for Russian athletes after being cleared to return to the international arena. Last year, they participated in the World Championships in Singapore, where they finished fourth in the teams’ overall standings, but in the top spot among the competing European teams. Russia’s athletes have been cleared to compete at the European tournament in Paris under a neutral status.
The tournament’s program in France includes competitions in Artistic Swimming, Diving, High Diving, Open Water and Swimming. A total of 80 sets of medals are at stake across all competitions. Secretary General of the Russian Aquatics Federation Radmir Gabdullin told TASS earlier that Russian athletes were departing to Paris with high hopes.
"We are travelling there very hungry, very determined, because we've been gone for a long time," Gabdullin stated. "Europe has been missing us."
