BUDAPEST - The European championships proceeds with a new European and two meet records broken on second day of competition.

France's Camille Lacourt broke the European record in the men's 100m backstroke. He proved he is once again in top form after he set twice the meeting record in the heats and semi-finals yesterday in 53.27 and 52.58 seconds respectively.

He won the race in 52.11 turning in a time of 25.43 seconds.

"I do not realize what happened to me and after the preliminaries I thought I could win this race, but didn't think to a European record," said the French swimmer.

Silver went to compatriot Jeremy Stravious in 53.44 and bronze medallist is Liam Tancock of Great Britain who said: "It is brilliant because I am not fully ready for this competition focusing the Commonwealth Games."

Previously, Rafael Munoz Perez gave first medal to Spain winning the 50m butterfly in 23.17, just 2/100 behind his season's best set yesterday.

France's Bousquet was second in 23.41 and Evgeny Korotyshkin third in 23.43.

In other highlights, Dale Oen of Norway won the men's 100m European breaststroke title in a new meeting record time of 59.20.

"Before the Europeans my goal was to swim this event under 1 minute, then after yesterda's semi-finals I decided to improve that time," Said Oen.

Hugues Duboscq took another silver for France in 1:00.15 while Italy's Fabio Scozzoli took  an unespected bronze medal in 1:00.41: "This is my day, since at the short-course Europeans I took a 4th place twice," Scozzoli said. "Certainly Dale was favourite and Duboscq was faster than me, then I realized that the only medal available was the bronze."

Yuliya Efimova qualified first for tomorrow's 100m breaststroke final in a new Championships record of 1:06.80.

Whereas, other winners Tuesday included Therese Alshammar in the women's 50 metres butterfly as she led once again this race finishing in 25.63 ahead of Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark (25.69) and Melanie Henique of France (26.09).

Britain's Elizabeth Simmonds won the 200m backstroke title dominating the race and touching in 2:07.04. Second place for fellow-countrywoman Gemma Spofforth in 2:08.25 and third with 2:10.46 is Duana Da Rocha Marce of Spain.

France is on top of medal tally with seven medals ahead of Britain's team.