Ceccon 'world No. 1' with 100m back win

ROME • Thomas Ceccon is proud of becoming the "world No. 1" after winning the men's 100 metres backstroke on the last day of swimming at the European Championships on Wednesday, claiming his third gold of the event.

The Italian, 21, continued his country's strong performance in Rome by finishing in 51.21 seconds, just 0.03sec ahead of Greece's Apostolos Christou.

World champion at the discipline, Ceccon has also won the 50m butterfly and was in the winning team for the 4x100m freestyle in the Italian capital. He took silver in the 50m back.

Italy have 12 golds from 34 medals overall, topping the standings.

"I wanted to pace myself and then finish faster but I ended up starting off quickly and finishing it that way. And now I'm really the world No. 1," said Ceccon, who is also the first Italian man to win the 100m back at the European Championships.

Christou, who had won bronze at three straight European Championships from 2016 to 2020, felt it was a "good and close race".

"I knew I had to give it all... I felt Ceccon was charging from behind so I tried to push extremely hard," the 25-year-old said.

"Ceccon did better over the last three metres so I'm not disappointed to lose by 0.03 seconds."

Britain's Ben Proud claimed the 50m freestyle in 21.58sec to follow up on his gold at the Budapest World Championships in June.

The 27-year-old, who also won the 50m fly at the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, pipped Italian Leonardo Deplano by only 0.02sec on his way to victory.

His latest win is further proof of his return to form after a devastating fifth place in the 50m free at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

"This is a great achievement... After the Olympics, it took me a while to face my demons and realise I needed to make some changes," he said.

"I had three goals - Worlds, Commonwealth, Europeans - and now it all really feels surreal."

World champion Ruta Meilutyte claimed the women's 50m breaststroke, denying another Italian, world-record holder Benedetta Pilato, with her 29.59sec.

The 25-year-old former Olympic champion returned to competition in December after being banned for two years for missing three doping tests.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE