PARIS, July 30. /TASS/. The 2026 European Aquatics Championships kick off in the French capital of Paris on Friday, July 31.

Russia is competing at the upcoming European Championships for the first time since 2021. Back then, at the tournament hosted by Hungary’s Budapest, the Russians finished at the top of the overall medals’ standings having coined 20 gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals.

This will be the second major tournament for Russian athletes after being cleared to return to the international arena. Last year, they participated in the World Championships in Singapore, where they finished fourth in the teams’ overall standings, but in the top spot among the competing European teams. Russia’s athletes have been cleared to compete at the European tournament in Paris under a neutral status.

The tournament’s program in France includes competitions in Artistic Swimming, Diving, High Diving, Open Water and Swimming. A total of 80 sets of medals are at stake across all competitions. Secretary General of the Russian Aquatics Federation Radmir Gabdullin told TASS earlier that Russian athletes were departing to Paris with high hopes.

"We are travelling there very hungry, very determined, because we've been gone for a long time," Gabdullin stated. "Europe has been missing us."

"Therefore, our minimum expectations are to win at least three gold medals in each discipline," he continued.

"We've got our eyes on the gold so we don't even consider possible silver and bronze medals," Gabdullin noted. "However, considering that we haven't been here for a long time and our national team will be mixed consisting of both adult athletes and juniors, we understand that gold, bronze and silver medals are equally important for us. It is an achievement to travel in full force, despite all the restrictions. We're travelling there to win and show what we're made of."

Russian divers expected to win two golds, three silvers

The first set of medals at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris will be contested on July 31 in the Mixed Team Event with the final slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. Moscow time (11:30 a.m. GMT).

Speaking at a training session that was open to media Head coach of the Russian National Diving Team Alexander Dobroskok told reporters that his country’s athletes are expected to win two gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

The major hopes for winning the medals are pinned on the national team’s Nikita Shleicher, Ruslan Ternovoy, Alexandra Kedrina, Nadezhda Trifonova and Anna Konanykhina. It is worth noting that Schleicher was originally placed on the national team’s roster due to disciplinary problems, but the coaching staff gave the athlete a chance after he had extended apologies.

The team’s roster also lists 14-year-old Miroslav Kiselyov, who won the national championship in May in 10-meter diving. In an interview with TASS, he revealed he believes he's capable of winning the European Championships as well.

"I am happy with my latest results. I will also compete at the European Senior Championships. My mindset is to win just like any other event. I think I can do it," Kiselyov announced earlier.

Russia’s Yegeny Kuznetsov, 36, is the most experienced athlete on the team having won the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London and the gold at the 2017 World Swimming Championships in China.

"Preparations are systematic, we keep practicing with a focus on the technical part," Kuznetsov told TASS. "As for my expectations, I want to perform with honor and win medals for my country. I’m aware that there's some serious competition here. So ours will be a tough event, it'll be a real battle to win."

Russian synchronized swimmers eye sweeping the pedestal

Two sets of medals in synchronized swimming will also be up for grabs on the opening day of the European Championships in France. Technical programs will be held in the women's pairs that begin at 6:00 p.m. Moscow time (3:00 p.m. GMT) and the men's individual competitions at 8:00 p.m. Moscow time (5:00 p.m. GMT). The Russian national team has traditionally been viewed as one of the top squads in world synchronized swimming and before its suspension it was the undisputed favorite at any event it competed at.

The Russian national team is travelling to this high-level competition under the leadership of seven-time Olympic champion Svetlana Romashina, who replaced Tatyana Pokrovskaya in November 2025.

The coaching staff reshuffle also altered the composition of the national team compared to previous years. The most decorated athlete of the national team is two-time world champion Maya Doroshko. Seven-time world champion Alexander Maltsev is skipping the European Championships. He announced in April that he was putting his professional sports career on hold to focus on coaching. Zakhar Trofimov will compete in men's and mixed doubles synchronized team events.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and three-time Olympic Champion Olga Brusnikina told TASS earlier that: "Despite all of the reshuffles, the team is set to reach its highest goals."

"Training went well," Brusnikina said. "In the final week of the training camp, we smoothed out the rough edges, beauty and grace prevailed.

"We will soon be competing at the European Championships, where we have not been for five years. The team has set the highest goals and we want to get on the podium."

"The Spanish national team will be our main rivin the group disciplines. There will be some more people to worry about if we talk about individual events. There is a question also of who will be able to cope with their program more vividly. There are rivals, and this is normal for competitions," Brusnikina added.

Russia expects 20 medals overall from its swimmers

The largest number of 47 medal sets will be awarded at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in the swimming competitions. They will be contested in various events between August 10 and 16 with 44 Russian athletes participating for the national team.

One of the Russian team’s favorites is Yegor Kornev, who set Russian records six times in June competing in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, as well as in the 50-meter butterfly event. His freestyle results are registered among the Top-10 in history. Despite his successes, in an interview with TASS, he found it difficult to brand himself as one of the favorites at the championship in France.

"I don’t know if I stand out as the favorite. There are new guys competing there every time. My task is to come, do my job, preferably improve my results, and leave. We'll see which place I finish at," Kornev stated.

The Russian national team’s roster also lists the current world record holders in the 50-meter backstroke, Kliment Kolesnikov and in the 200-meter breaststroke Yevgenia Chikunova. Among the most experienced athletes in the team are two-time Olympic silver medalist Yulia Yefimova and two-time World Champion Kirill Prigoda. After Efimova qualified for the European Championships, she admitted that she had pondered retiring, but decided to carry on.

Russian National Team Head Coach Andrey Shishin disclosed to journalists earlier that the national squad’s main objective was to win 20 medals overall.

"This is not the first time we are going to international competitions, the World Cup has already been held in Singapore," he stated. "Now, indeed, we've got big plans plans, and the guys are preparing to win about 20 medals. In relay swimming and in individual swimming. Everyone is in good condition, now is the last cycle where athletes reach their peak form."

The 2026 European Aquatics Championships are scheduled to be hosted by the French capital of Paris between July 31 and August 16 at the 5,000-seat capacity Paris Aquatic Center.