BUDAPEST - Five new Eruopean titles were awarded on Wednesday at the Alfréd Hajós swimming complex here in Budapest.

Frenchman Sebastien Roult won the first medal of the 3rd day winning the men's 1500 metres freestyle, with the personal best time of 14:55.17.

"I built the race considering that I have a good final sprint, although I was afraid that Pal  was already too far." said Roult.

At second place Pal Joensen of the Faroer Islands. The 2008 Junior European champion led the race from beginning up to 1.4km, finishing in 14:56.90.

"I guess that's the first international medal in any sport for my country, although I am sad to admit that I could leave Faroes, because of lack of facilities."

Third was Italy's Samuel Pizzetti in 14:59.76.

Germany's world champion Paul Beidermann, easily won the 200m freestyle in 1:46.06, ahead of Nikita Lobintsev of Russia second placed in 1:46.51, then Sebastian Verschuren who gave first medal of this Champs to the Netherlands with 1:46.91.

"I swam quite slow, slower than German Nationals [1:45.84] but the gold is very important," said the 24-year-old from Halle, whereas Lobintsev looks ahead and says: "Silver is a great success in sight of the 2012 Olympics."

In the women's 100m breaststroke, Russian Yuliya Efimova won gold in a new Championships record of 1:06.32, 1.4 seconds ahead of Danish Rikke Moeller Pedersen and an astonished Jennie Johanson of Sweden: both touched in 1:07.36, thus no bronze were awarded in this event.

World champion and European record holder Efimova looks in a good shape: "I have prepared very well the Championships, aiming to swim faster; another step torwards London 2012."

This optimstic view is shared by silver medallist Moeller Pedersen who reveales: "I concentrated over the 200m thus my stroke is not tailored for the half distance. Anyways, the 100 were a good training in sight of next race."

Francesca Halsall of Great Britain took the gold medal in the women's 100m freestyle with a final time of 53.58 seconds.

Second was Aliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus with 53.82 and third Femke Heemskerk of the Nettherlands, finishing in 54.12.

Finally, Hungary's first gold medal came from Laszlo Cseh in the men's 200m individual medley at 1:57.73 (a new competition record for this event) edging Austrian Markus Rogan into second place at 1:58.03. The bronze medal went to Joe Rebuck of Great Britain at 1:59.46.

In other highlights, Camille Muffat of France, was the fastest qualifier into tomorrow night’s women's 200m individual medley final, as she recorded the new Championships record time of 2:10.92.

Compatriot Camille Lacourt set a new Championships record for the men's 50m backstroke, being the best semifinalist in 24.30, just 0.26sec. more than the world mark set by Liam Tancock, who was second in 25s in today's semi-final.

With 3 gold, 4 silver and one bronze medals, France still tops the medal tally ahead of Great Britain with 7 medals, two of them gold.

NOTE: two silver and no bronze medals were awarded in the women’s 100m breatstroke.