Koch and Rapsys set 2018 fastest times at Flanders Cup, Belgium

by Daniela Kapser 12

January 20th, 2018 Europe, International, News

2018 Flanders Swimming Cup


Danas Rapsys dominated the field in the men’s 200m freestyle with a new meet record, he was clocked at 1:45,30. He was more than six seconds faster than second place finisher Lorenz Weiremans (BEL) with a time of 1:51,55 and Netherland’s Ben Schwietert (1:51,56).

The Urkainian set the fastest time in the world in the fresh 2018 FINA world ranking and also a new personal best time with an improvement of 0,43 seconds. His perfomance is worth 907 FINA points and puts him in a good positon to earn some extra prize money.

Simona Baumrtova (CZE) earned the top spot for the A-final with a time of  28,57 in the women’s 50m backstroke. She bettered her prelims perfomance and took the win in 28,46. Silver went to Netherland’s Kira Toussaint in 29,00 and her teammate Tessa Vermeulen won the bronze medal in 29,20.

Gytis Stankevisius (LTU) started on lane 4 in the final and took the win in 56,14 ahead of Tomas Franta (CZE, 56,19) and Brodie Williams (GBR, 56,38).

Hungary’s Liliana Szilagyi bettered Katinka Hosszu’s meet record in the 200m butterfly, posting a 2:09,21. She was followed by Zsuzsanna Jakabos in 2:11,97 and Helena Bach (DEN) in 2:15,92.

Marco Koch (Germany) was the only man under 2:10 in the 200m breaststroke, he clocked a time of 2:09,74, good for 938 FINA points, the highest score on this first competition day. Netherland’s Arno Kamminga came in second in 2:13,50 in front of Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU, 2:15,37). Koch now ranks first in the 2018 world ranking with his performance.  

Fanny Lecluyse (BEL) came out on top in the women’s 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:08,01. Germany’s Anna Elendt (born 2001) set again a new personal best time in 1:09,31, her second swim under 1:10. Taiana Belonogoff (GBR) was clocked with the third fastest time in 1:09,50.

David Verraszto (HUN) set the pace in the men’s 200m IM and grabbed the win in 2:03,45. Belgium’s Emmanuel Vanluchene made it to the wall with the second fastest time in 2:04,62 followed by Hungarian Mark Mszaros (2:04,63).

With a new meet record and a time of 53,74, it was Ranomi Kromowidjojo who was victorious in the 100m freestyle. She is the fastest European swimmer now in the 2018 season so far and it will be interesting what Sarah Sjöström can show next week at the Euro Meet. Femke Heemskerk (NED) finished second in 54,03 and Germany’s Reva Foos came in third in 55,57.

The ranking in the men’s 400m freestyle race was the same as in prelims: Belgium’s Louis Croenen finished first in 3:56,65. Alin Artimon (ROU) touched second in 3:57,37 and  Noah Martens (BEL) finished third in 3:59,16.

Zsuszanna Jakabos took the win in the 40om IM, posting a 4:50,04. The Hungarian was followed by Daisy Anderson (GBR, 4:52,74) and Sophia Wilson (GBR, 4:54,56).

 

Danas Rapsys also won the men’s 100m butterfly. He was the only man under 53 seconds with his time of 52,81. Mathys Gosen (NED) finished second in 53,42 and Deividas Margevicius (LTU) came in with the third fastest time (54,12).

The top time in the women’s 200m backstroke was set by Simona Baumrtova (CZE) in 2:14,14 ahead of Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN, 2:15,91) and Kira Toussaint (NED, 2:16,64)

Another new meet record went to Shinri Shioura in the men’s 50m freestyle. The Japanese conviced in a winning time of 22,04. Tonight, Brazil’s Bruno Fratus didn’t have a chance, he finished second in 22,30 ahead of Nyls Korstanje (NED) in 22,38.

Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) notched the win the women’s 50m butterfly. She was clocked at 25,82, this is the 2nd fastest time in this young 2018 season so far. Kimberly Buys (BEL) reached the wall with the second fastest time (26,55) ahead of Elinore de Jong (NED, 26,77).

Arno Kamminga (NED) was the winner in the last race of the evening, the 50m breaststroke. He showed a fast perfomance with a time of 27,40. As in the morning heats, he was followed by  Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU, 27,78) and Basten Carts (BEL, 27,88).

 

Prize money:

Individual events:

  • 1st: €250 (~USD$306)
  • 2nd: €100 (~USD$122)
  • 3rd: €50 (~USD$61)

Overall FINA points:

  • 1st: €2000  (~USD$2446)
  • 2nd: €1500 (~USD$1835)
  • 3rd: €1000 (~USD$1223)
  • 4th: €500 (~USD$612)
  • 5th: €250 (~USD$306)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jérémy
6 years ago

Bonnet swam 53.7 in Geneva too

Jmanswimfan
6 years ago

1:45.30 at this time of the year, wow.

Tammy Touchpad Error
6 years ago

Whats going on with the font and writing on this article? We want to see top 3 finishers above or below each event like has been done in the past. This is a nightmare to read.

Swimmer
Reply to  Tammy Touchpad Error
6 years ago

It’s not that bad. People are quick to complain on here when we’re getting amazing coverage of all kinds of events globally FOR FREE. Personally I appreciate Swimswam’s hard work – it can’t be easy covering the number of events you do and it lets me be a swimnerd with minimal effort. I think I’ll manage to cope if the fonts aren’t all exactly the same throughout 🙂

Emanuele
6 years ago

The FINA points calculus must be adjusted, a good ideas wuold be considerer only the last 4 years results and then create a coefficent. Especially in the men’s sector there are 5-6 WR (200, 800 free, 200 fly, 200back, 400medley) that invalidated all the system…
A 1.45.3 in 200free results is clearly a better performance than a 2.09.74 in 200breast. With these times in Budapest Rapsys wuold have been 5th overall, Koch wuold have been out of the final…

bobo gigi
6 years ago

Very fast time from Rapsys in January. 1.40.85 in short course a few weeks ago. Something under 1.45 next summer is very likely to happen. How far under 1.45?
I’m waiting for a long time that the men’s 200 free wakes up.
Remember 2012 when a guy swam 1.43.15….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD7-tKW7Qpo

N P
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

Yeah, it seems like the world is still miles away from that.
Since London 2012, only 3 men have been under 1:45 (Yannick 1:44.20, Sun Yang 1:44.39, and Danila Izotov 1:44.87).

Only 4 men have ever been under 1:44:
Biedermann 1:42.00
Phelps 1:42.96
Yannick 1:43.14
Izotov 1:43.90

When Thorpe went 1:44.06 in 2001… well, that time still would win most major competitions since (all except Melbourne, Beijing, Rome, and London). I thought once Phelps kicked open the sub-1:44 door in 2007 that more people would have joined him under that barrier.

Swimmer
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

Best textile swim I have ever seen

Sqimgod
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

1:40.85 is faster than lochtes 1:41.0 and lochte went a 1:44.44.

Dee
6 years ago

Really classy from Rapsys, but not particularly surprising after Euro SC – He has been fast in January before (at this very meet) so lets see how much faster he can go.

nuotofan
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

I knew that Rapsys was in a totally different swimming dimension after his wins at Wug last August and at EuroSC in December, but 1.45.35 in LC in January…, what a time!
Previous meet record was Guy’s 1.46.91 (Jan. 2016), rightly seen as a good swim.
Rapsys has been more than a second and a half faster than Guy, 2015 World Champion with 1.45.14.
Men’s 200 free is moving.

PNW
6 years ago

Rapsys is Lithuanian right? He is referred to as Ukrainian in the second paragraph