Russian men won two of the titles on offer with Arkady Vyatchanin claiming gold in the 100 metres backstroke while 2001 world champion Roman Sludnov won the 100m breaststroke dethroning two-time champion Oleg Lisogor of the Ukraine, who had to make do with the bronze.

There was a first for Norway as well as Alexander Dale Oen took the silver behind Sludnov to become the first swimmer from his country to take a medal at a major long course championships.

However Lisogor's compatriot Sergiy Breus made up for his failure by defending his 50m butterfly title with the only non eastern European gold going to Therese Alshammar as the soon to be 29-year-old veteran led a Swedish 1-2 in the women's 50m butterfly.

Vyatchanin's victory came as something of a surprise as the new European record holder Helge Meeuw was unable to transform that into championship winning form as he sloped in in only seventh place and local hero Laszlo Cseh failed to defend his title successfully finishing in sixth.

However the world and European champion at the 400m medley bounced back just before the storm hit by qualifying for the final of the 200m medley.

Another swimmer to storm back after an opening disappointment was France's female swimming star Laure Manaudou.