The European Under 23 (or "U-23") Swimming Championships (50 m) is a biennial swimming competition for European swimmers organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation and held over three days.[1] The competitor age range is from 19 to 23, and the event is designed to be a development event to aid the transition from junior to senior competition.[2] The inaugural edition in 2023 was awarded to Dublin, Ireland.[3]
Competition in the Under-23 championships will be held across three days, much shorter than a traditional continental championships which usually last a week. A special Skins event will be held for freestyle sprinters, as the event proved popular in the International Swimming League. Certain standard relays will not be held.[4]
In addition to European nations, the Under 23 Championship rules allow non-European guest nations to be invited to increase competitiveness, at a maximum of one per continent. Swimmers from these nations will be able to win 'commemorative' medals reflecting their position in the physical race as if it was a standard non-championship meet, while the top three European swimmers will receive the championship gold, silver and bronze. As such, some events will award two silver medals, for example, one for a guest who finished second in a final, and one for the second placed European swimmer in the same race. The European swimmer is always taken to be competing in the European Championships, so does not win the lower medal they might receive in the virtual 'open' meet.
In the first edition, United States, Zimbabwe and South Africa accepted invitations to the championships.
The Championships will be scheduled every two years, immediately after or before the World Aquatics Championships. From 2025, no one eligible for junior competition may compete in the Championships.
After the 2023 championships :