1743: That's it for Monday's action. Tuesday is not the busiest day for Britain given Liam Tancock hasn't made the 100m backstroke final, but the day's last race, the women's 200m backstroke final featuring both Lizzie Simmonds and Gemma Spofforth, promises to be a corker. There's also the chance to see Britain's own teenage prodigy, Achieng Ajulu-Bushell, in the women's 100m breaststroke semis.

We'll be back with live text commentary and live video from 1600 BST. In the meantime, let me know what you made of day one on 606 - particularly that Hannah Miley gold - and read our day-by-day guide for more info on what's coming up this week.

From The Wobbly Block on Twitter: "You have to admire the German team and their Bond villain style outfits. They deserve a medal for that alone."

This from a team who bill themselves as "the internet's leading (and only) swimming satire website". That strikes me as a tough gig.

1731: Technically, given four women get medals in the relays, there are five British women taking home medals from the first day of the European Championships. That's not a bad tally at all. Less successful for the men, though, particularly Liam Tancock failing to make it through his 100m backstroke semi-final.

1727: I genuinely will make him eat a hat by tomorrow. Come back on Tuesday for more swimming and a photo.

1726: Well, that's bad news for BBC commentator Andy Jameson. "I'll eat my hat if the French don't win," he says. The French do not win - Russia hold on to earn European men's 4x100m freestyle relay gold, with Britain posing no threat to hats anywhere, back in eighth. Now then. Where do I find a hat in here?

1723: For those of you wondering why I'm so bashful in my use of British up/down arrows here, I've had a look in the cupboard and it appears the athletics mob used the lot. I've got more on order, they'll be here by Tuesday.

For those of you who don't know what on earth I'm on about and would just like to know about swimming, the French are struggling to make their mark at the halfway point, with Russia just ahead.

1721: This is Monday's last race, and it's the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. France are the favourites, starring teen sensation Yannick Agnel once again, while the British team, on the outside in lane eight, features Simon Burnett, Grant Turner, Liam Tancock and Ross Davenport.

1718: Sweden and Britain enter the last leg of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay separated by just two hundredths of a second. Jo Jackson seems to pace herself through the first 50m, then doesn't quite get the turn as Germany come from nowhere. They take the gold, with Britain nosing out Sweden for silver. GB will definitely take that.

1716: Britain's 4x100m freestyle women are more than a second ahead of Hungary at the halfway point. Jo Jackson to come at the end.

From Ross in Edinburgh via text on 81111: "What a swim by Hannah Miley. She recently won Scottish Universities Sport Athlete of the year, and she deserves that win for all her hard work!"

1714: Nearly relay time. The Dutch, traditionally strong in the women's 4x100m, are heavily depleted so GB have a chance. Watch for Sweden though, their swimmers have already looked strong earlier in this session. By the way, if you use Twitter can I recommend Karen Pickering as an excellent choice to follow. She's poolside for BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

1710: Hannah Miley sweeps back her hair and holds up her European gold medal as her medal ceremony takes place after that earlier, superb 400m IM swim. Probably more than she expected and an excellent start to the week for Britain.

1705: The men's 50m fly semi-finals, devoid of Britons, end with Spain's Rafael Munoz Perez the fastest qualifier. Full results and timings from each session are available on the website of timekeeper Omega. Now, in an opening finals session which has flown by, we have only the two 4x100m freestyle relays to go.

1700: Contrasting opinions on whether swimming's records should be reset now that the ultra-fast suits have been banned:

From OAPTatter on Twitter: "Seems harsh to take away world records when they needed so much hard work to achieve. In tennis, Roddick's fastest serve stands without controversy despite bigger improvements in carbon fibre tennis rackets."

From Jamie Donovan on Twitter: "It's a minefield. If you invalidate the records made in them, do you then go further and invalidate medals?"

From Alice Ward on Twitter: "Definitely reset the records! Seems crazy to be aiming for a time that was only possible due to a suit."

1656: Spofforth, in the lane Simmonds has just vacated, catches Germany's Jenny Mensing on the final turn and cruises to victory in a time of 2:11.25, in a slightly slower semi than Simmonds'. Both the Brits will be in Tuesday's final - Simmonds was second-fastest overall, with Spofforth just behind her.

1652: Lizzie Simmonds, sixth in this event at the Olympics in Beijing two years ago, surges into the lead in her 200m backstroke semi, but ends up second behind Spain's Duane Da Rocha Marce. She'll still comfortably progress to the final. Spofforth next.

1648: Britain's Kris Gilchrist is fifth in his 100m breaststroke semi-final, and it isn't enough to reach the final. Norway's Alexander Dale Oen is the only man to go under 60 seconds in the semis. Now onto the women's 200m backstroke semis - GB's Lizzie Simmonds is in the first one, alongside Ireland's Melanie Nocher, and Gemma Spofforth is in the second.

From Dan in Northwich via text on 81111: "What is it with the French? Their athletes stepped up last week and now their swimmers! Is it that they lost the Olympics to us and so they want to spoil our 2012 party by pinching our medals?"

French and British teams will clash in both the men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relays, which are Monday's other two medal races.

1641: Miley's time was 4:33.09, more than three seconds ahead of Hosszu's 4:36.43. Very impressive.

1639: What a swim from Hannah Miley to win 400m individual medley gold for Britain, becoming the European champion. Hungary's Katinka Hosszu roared into the lead in front of her home fans, but Miley hauled her back stroke by stroke, then opened up a two-second gap in the freestyle section to record what was, ultimately, a comfortable win. So much for lack of preparation.

From Rebecca Adlington on Twitter: "In Budapest for Europeans! Excited to see everyone. Team GB did well this morning, excited for finals tonight! Will be cheerleader!"

1628: Coming up next is the women's 400m IM (individual medley) final. Expect Scottish star Hannah Miley, who turned 21 on Sunday, to end up locked in a battle at the front alongside Hungarian home favourite Katinka Hosszu, who's the same age. That assumes the lack of preparation doesn't affect Miley as it did Tancock, of course.

From RugbyRugbyRugby on 606: "Are they not going to reset the records to those prior to the now-illegal suits? Seems a bit ridiculous not to, given the advantage they gave."

1622: GB's Liam Tancock is down in fourth as another Frenchman, Camille Lacourt, posts a spectacular 52.58 - a sight closer to that ultra-fast world record and executed in phenomenal style, especially considering this is only a semi-final. Tancock fails to reach the final, placing ninth with only eight going through, which is a huge disappointment for the reigning world champion. Perhaps evidence to back up the GB swimmers' claim that their Commonwealths preparation will interfere with their performances in Hungary this week.

1619: Jeremy Stravius of France wins the first men's 100m back semi in a time of 53.47. The world record, set in an ultra-fast suit last year by America's Aaron Peirsol, is 51.94. Hard to see that being beaten for some time, as Liam Tancock gets ready for his semi-final.

1616: Swedish duo Therese Alshammar and Sarah Sjoestroem qualify fastest from the women's 50m fly semi-finals, which don't feature Britain's Fran Halsall, who dropped out of the event in order to move her concentration elsewhere. But coming up are the men's 100m backstroke semis, which will feature GB's Liam Tancock in the second race.

1613: On the issue of the ultra-fast suits, or lack thereof, word from our own expert Adrian Moorhouse is that you're highly unlikely to find your swimming less interesting as a result. "If you're a swimming nut and you compare the times then yes, there is a difference," he says. "But it's still going to be the same swimmers going for the same medals. The suit change probably won't make any difference to who the favourites are in each race."

From MarktheHorn on 606: "Bit of a shame a lot of the world records probably won't be beaten now as most were created via the banned 'super suits'."

Indeed. If you're waiting for the first world record to be broken this week, you will probably be waiting a long time. This is the first major meet featuring British swimmers since the ultra-fast bodysuits which dominated the sport after the Beijing Games were banned.

They have been illegal since January this year, and that will be reflected in the times posted here. The fellow whose job it is to put the letters "WR" up on the screen is in for a quiet week.

1609: By the way, if you're waiting for the first world record to be broken this week, you will probably be waiting a long time. This is the first major meet featuring British swimmers since the ultra-fast bodysuits which dominated the sport after the Beijing Games were banned. They have been illegal since January this year, and that will be reflected in the times posted here. The fellow whose job it is to put the letters "WR" up on the screen is in for a quiet week.

1606: Before this race, BBC commentator Adrian Moorhouse told me Robbie Renwick is "a fighter", but he appears to know he's losing the battle fairly early in proceedings. Instead, it's French star Yannick Agnel, just 18 years old, who leads for most of the race and holds off world champion Paul Biedermann to win. An upset in the first final of the European Championships and Agnel, already the European junior champion, is a name to watch for 2012.

1602: And we're already into our first race. Robbie Renwick is about to go for Britain in the men's 400m freestyle final, but it'll be tough for him to get past the likes of Paul Biedermann of Germany.

1600: There is live video coverage of the Euros on the red button and this website throughout the week, as well as coverage on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra. Find out more on BBC Sport's swimming coverage page and check out our day-by-day guide for more detail on each day's action, compiled by our swimming statistician Jonathan Murt.

1555: As for Monday's action, the British interest begins with Robbie Renwick in the opening event, the men's 400m freestyle final. Lizzie Simmonds and Gemma Spofforth are in semi-final action in the women's 200m backstroke, Kris Gilchrist goes in the men's 100m breaststroke semi, and Liam Tancock is in the men's 100m backstroke semi. Hannah Miley has a shot at women's 400m individual medley gold in between those semis, before the men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relays which end the day.

1550: Certainly, the top Brits have a view on how they're expecting to do in Hungary. The majority would echo Rebecca Adlington's sentiments - she told the BBC: "The main focus this year is the Commonwealth Games so the Europeans are going to be tough. There are so many great swimmers in my events who will be fully rested."

1546: Hello, everybody. Britain's swimmers are some of the finest in the world but, with the Commonwealth Games on the horizon, they arrive in Hungary for this year's European Championships without the rest and preparation they would normally expect for a competition this big.

Against better-prepared European colleagues who don't have the Commonwealths to worry about, can the Brits still win medals?