After a three year absence, the ETU European Aquathlon Championships returned to the calendar in style with a thrilling competition in Cologne.

Over 120 athletes competed across the Elite, U23, Junior and Age Group categories in and around the Rhein river and the German city.

It proved to be a sensational week for Tereza Zimovjanova (CZE) as she followed up her debut win at the ETU Junior European Cup in Brno last weekend with another podium topping race here to become European Aquathlon Champion.

It was no mean feat either, as Zimovjanova just pipped Hannah Kitchen (GBR) by five seconds to gold but also finished ahead of reigning World Aquathlon Champion, Irina Abysova (RUS), who could only manage third place.

In the Elite Men’s race, there was double joy for Ukraine as Oleksiy Syutkin and Dmytro Malyar claimed a one-two. Pedro Mendes (POR) completed the podium.

Poland completed a remarkable clean sweep in the Women’s U23 category as Magdalena Mielnik led home Agata Litwin and Magdalena Wisniewska. Jiri Kalus (CZE) claimed another gold medal for the Czech Federation with victory in the Men’s U23 ahead of Russia’s Maxim Subbotin and Vyacheslav Pimenov.

There was more success for Poland as they enjoyed further gold medals in the Junior events thanks to Aleksandra Sikora and Jacek Krawczyk.

Sikora is the new European Junior Aquathlon Champion with Valentyna Molchanets (UKR) second and Justyna Krawczyk, Jacek’s sister, third.

Jacek held off the fight from Michal Oliwa (POL) and Milan Tomin (SRB) to win the Junior Men’s race.

A full list of all results from the ETU European Aquathlon Championships are available here.