Apostolos Christou added another major title to his remarkable swimming career, defending his European crown in the men’s 100-meter backstroke with a dramatic victory in Paris.
The Greek Olympic silver medalist touched the wall in 52.27 seconds, edging Italy’s Thomas Ceccon by just one-hundredth of a second in one of the closest races of the championship. Russia’s Pavel Samusenko finished third in 52.57.
For Christou, the victory marked another major success in a career that has established him as one of Greece’s most accomplished swimmers. He had previously won the European 100-meter backstroke title in Belgrade in 2024 and returned to retain his crown in a thrilling finish.
The Paris victory also carried special significance for the 29-year-old Greek swimmer. Two years earlier, in the French capital, Christou achieved the biggest Olympic success of his career when he won the silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
🥇 Mυθικός Απόστολος Χρήστου στην κορυφή της Ευρώπης.
🔝 Κατέκτησε το χρυσό μετάλλιο στο Ευρωπαϊκό Πρωτάθλημα κολύμβησης στα 100 ύπτιο.
👑 Είναι back to back Πρωταθλητής Ευρώπης 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/UeG6xnhbgQ— Ηellenic Olympic Committee (@HellenicOlympic) August 16, 2026
A victory by the narrowest of margins
Christou’s latest gold came in an exceptionally tight race against Ceccon, one of the leading backstroke swimmers of his generation.
Separated by only 0.01 seconds at the finish, Christou’s 52.27 was enough to secure the European title ahead of the Italian, underlining his ability to perform in high-pressure championship races.
The result adds another individual European gold medal to Christou’s collection. He has also won European titles in the 50-meter backstroke, making him one of the most successful Greek swimmers in the history of the continental championships.
Another chapter in an extraordinary career
Christou has been a central figure in Greek swimming for more than a decade, but his career reached a new level in Paris in 2024 when he became an Olympic medalist.
His silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke was one of Greece’s standout moments at the Olympic Games. Now, back in the French capital, Christou has once again found himself on top of the podium.
The narrow victory over Ceccon adds another significant chapter to his career and confirms that the Greek swimmer remains among Europe’s elite in the backstroke events.
Related: Chatting with Greek Olympian swimmer Apostolos Christou
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
