Marrit Steenbergen Delivers a Stunning European Record Sweep in Lublin – 200m IM in 2:01.83
2025 European Short Course Championships
- Dates: December 2–7, 2025
- Venue: Lublin, Poland
- Pool: SCM (25 meters)
- Meet hub: https://europeanaquatics.org/swimming-short-course-lublin-2025/
- Psych sheets: https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/EntryList202511251343.pdf
- Live results: https://www.omegatiming.com/2025/european-aquatics-short-course-swimming-championships-live-results
- Live recap links:
- Prelims: Day 1 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-short-course-championships-day-one-prelims-live-recap/
- Prelims: Day 2 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-2-prelims-live-recap/
- Prelims: Day 3 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-3-prelims-live-recap/
- Prelims: Day 4 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-4-prelims-live-recap/
- Prelims: Day 5 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-5-prelims-live-recap/
- Finals: Day 1 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-1-finals-live-recap/
- Finals: Day 2 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-2-finals-live-recap/
- Finals: Day 3 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-3-finals-live-recap/
- Finals: Day 4 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-4-finals-live-recap/
- Finals: Day 5 https://swimswam.com/2025-european-sc-championships-day-5-finals-live-recap/
Event highlight:
In the women’s 200m individual medley final, Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands surged to the top, blazing to a time of 2:01.83 to claim gold and set a new European record. Her performance eclipsed the previous European mark by 0.03 seconds, a record long held by Katinka Hosszu since the 2014 Short Course World Championships.
Steenbergen’s victory margin over the field was nearly three seconds, signaling a dominant display. Ireland’s Ellen Walshe earned silver with 2:04.78, while Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko captured bronze in 2:05.32. Steenbergen’s mark also places her as the second-fastest performer all-time in the event, trailing only Kate Douglass’s World Record of 2:01.63.
Before this meet, Steenbergen’s personal best in this event stood at 2:04.94, set at the 2022 World Championships (SC). Her current 2:01.83 is a leap of over three seconds, propelling her into historical company for the 200 IM short course discipline.
Record breakdown:
- Steenbergen’s new European record: 2:01.83
- Hosszu’s previous European record: 2:01.86 (set in 2014)
- Steenbergen’s prior personal best: 2:04.94 (2022 SC Worlds)
Split times for Steenbergen:
- 26.90, 30.06, 35.79, 29.08
Race context:
Steenbergen started strong, hitting the 25m mark ahead by nearly two tenths of a second and never relinquished the lead, extending her advantage through each segment to finish well clear of the rest of the field.
Other top results:
- 2nd: Ellen Walshe (Ireland) – 2:04.78 (nearly matching her Irish record from the World Cup circuit)
- 3rd: Anastasia Gorbenko (Israel) – 2:05.32 (slightly off her national record pace)
Context in the all-time list:
- Kate Douglass’s World Record stands at 2:01.63 (2024)
- Steenbergen’s 2:01.83 elevates her to the No. 2 position on the all-time list in this event
- The trio of performances in this race solidifies Steenbergen’s status as a major standout of the meet, already setting European marks in other events this week.
Upcoming program:
Steenbergen is scheduled to swim the 100m freestyle later in the same session, continuing her pursuit of multiple medals and more records this championship.
Notes:
- The competition is part of the 2025 European Short Course Championships in Lublin, hosted in a 25-meter pool and featuring a full slate of events across both prelims and finals.
- Official live results and event pages provide ongoing updates through the final day.
Would readers see this performance as a turning point for Steenbergen in short course racing, or do you expect similar eruptions from rivals in the remaining events? Share thoughts in the comments on whether this marks a new era for Dutch sprint-IM depth or if another nation could challenge this momentum next season.
