Swimming: Poland's double European celebration

Otylia Jedrejczak, of Poland set the fifth world record of the European Championships yesterday, eclipsing the women's 200 metres butterfly mark with a time of 2 minutes 5.78 seconds.

On the final day of competition, she beat the time of 2:05.81 set by Australia's Susan O'Neill at Australia's Olympic trials in May of 2000.

"When I came here, I knew I was in top form, but I never even dreamed of being capable of such an incredible time," said Jedrejczak.

Her time was also one of eight European records set at the renovated Landsberger Allee Arena, Europe's largest complex. The biggest surprise came when Russia's Alexander Popov and Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, two of the sport's biggest names, finished fifth and sixth in the men's 50m freestyle.

Poland's Bartosz Kizier-owski won his first international gold medal in 22.18sec, edging Italy's Lorenzo Vismara in 22.26 and Ukraine's Oleksandr Volynets in 22.31.

Van den Hoogeband, a double gold medal winner in Sydney, finished fourth in 22.34. Popov was a place back with the Russian world recordholder clocking just 22.35 – his worst time since 1991.

Yana Klochkova of Ukraine was the only swimmer to win three individual golds, holding off 16-year-old Hungarian Eva Risztov in a thrilling women's 400m freestyle race.

Risztov, who raced the 200m butterfly just 30 minutes earlier, made a charge at Klochkova after the final turn and got beaten on the touch, finishing 0.14sec behind the Ukrainian's time of 4:07.10. The up-and-coming Risztov finished with four silvers at the competition and said: "I'm disappointed I didn't win here."

The hosts Germany led the medals table, taking first place with 15 golds and 36 overall, with Russia second with 11 and 26. The Germans dominated the women's relay events, lowering their own European mark in the 4x100m medley by more than a second to 4min 1:54sec.

Franziska van Almsick swam freestyle during the European record, giving her five golds – three in relays – to be the competition's leading swimmer. The 24-year-old German is also the most successful woman ever at the European Championships, with 18 golds and three silvers.

"It was a perfect finish for me," said Van Almsick, who also broke her own eight-year-old world record in the 200 metre freestyle on Saturday.