European U-23 Swimming Championships
The European Under-23 (U-23) Swimming Championships (50 m) are held every two years and run over three days. They are for European swimmers aged 19 to 23 and are designed to help athletes move from junior to senior competition. The event is organized by European Aquatics.
The first edition took place in 2023 in Dublin, Ireland. The championships are shorter than the usual continental championships, which typically last a week. A special Skins event for freestyle sprinters is included, a format that proved popular in the International Swimming League. Some standard relays are not included.
The rules allow up to one non-European guest nation per continent to join in order to boost competitiveness. Swimmers from guest nations can win “commemorative” medals that reflect their final place as if it were a normal non-championship meet, while the top three European swimmers receive the official championship gold, silver, and bronze. In some events, two silvers may be awarded—one for the guest swimmer who finished second and one for the European swimmer who finished second in the same race. The European swimmer is always considered as competing in the European Championships, so they do not also win the lower medal they might receive in the hypothetical open meet.
In the first edition, invitations were accepted by the United States, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. For the second edition in Samorin, Slovakia, no non-European nations were invited.
The Championships are held every two years, scheduled immediately after or before the World Aquatics Championships. From 2025, no swimmer eligible for junior competition may compete in the U-23 Championships. In 2025, the U-23 and Junior Championships will be held back-to-back at the same venue.
After the 2025 championships:
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:17 (CET).