2018 Spanish Spring Open Day 2: Hugo Gonzalez Breaks Spanish Record

2018 SPANISH SPRING OPEN (CAMPEONATO DE ESPAÑA OPEN DE PRIMAVERA)

• Saturday, April 7th – Wednesday, April 11th
• Aquatic Center of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Prelims start at 3:30am ET, Finals at 11:30am ET (9:30am/5:30pm in Spain)

Just weeks after concluding a stellar freshmen campaign at Auburn, Hugo Gonzalez broke the Spanish National Record in the 200 IM, and automatically qualified to Spain’s European Championships team. He broke the record in prelims, throwing down an impressive 1:58.03 to shave over half a second off the previous record of 1:58.80. Additionally, his prelims performance marked a sizeable 1.88 second drop from his previous best of 1:59.91.

Gonzalez nearly duplicated that swim in the semifinals, posting a 1:58.05. He was slightly slower on the front half in the semis, posting splits of 25.15 and 30.04, compared to 24.99 and 29.80 in his prelims swim. Gonzalez also became the 2nd person to automatically qualify to Spain team for the European Championships, going over 2 seconds under the qualifying time in both prelims and semifinals.

Mireia Belmonte had won another 2 events on Day 2, taking the 400 free in a 4:07.55. That time was good for the win by 5.31 seconds, and marked Belmonte’s 2nd automatic qualification to the Euros team, as both her finals time and prelims time (4:09.90) were under the qualifying standards. Also in that field was 16 year old Ester Marillo Lopez, who came in 4th with a 4:13.60, but broke the Spanish Junior Record of 4:14.11.

Belmonte also claimed victory in the 200 fly not long after her 400 free win, posting a 2:07.09 to establish herself as the only swimmer in the field to break 2:10. Despite having swum a 400 free roughly 25 minutes earlier, Belmonte still managed to descend her last 3 50s, posting splits of 29.54, 32.85, 32.42, and 32.28 respectively. Belmonte achieved the Euros qualifying standard in prelims, but fell short of the semifinals standard last night. However, according to Spain’s qualifying criteria, if automatic qualifiers fail to fill the maximum entry cap of 4 for a given event, those who achieved one of the standards will be given a spot. As the only swimmer in the field to achieve one of the qualifying standards, Belmonte is guaranteed as spot on the roster in the 200 fly.

Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Balandin, one of the only foreign swimmers competing in the meet, took the men’s 200 breast in a new Spanish Open Record of 2:09.31. With that swim, Balandin became the first swimmer to break 2:10 in the 200 breast on Spanish soil. That time also ties for 9th in the world this year. He won the event by 3.4 seconds over Spain’s Joan Ballester, who went 2:12.73.

In another very close race between Africa Zamorano and Cristina Garcia, Zamorano came out on top again, posting a 2:09.61 to Garcia’s 2:09.95. Garcia was gaining ground very quickly in the final stretch of the race, posting a 32.35 on the final 50, compared to Zamorano’s 33.04. Zamorano’s time registers as a new Spanish Open Record, while Garcia set a new Spanish Junior Record.

Jessica Vall became the 3rd swimmer to automatically qualify to the European Champs team through the 2nd day of the meet, coming in under the qualifying standards in both her prelims and semifinals swims of the 200 breast. Vall, who holds Spain’s National Record in the event (2:22.56) from the London Olympics, posted a 2:25.10 in prelims, and 2:24.81 in semis, both of which were well under the cuts. Marina Garcia also swam under the cuts in both her prelims and semis of the 200 breast, marking her as the 4th swimmer to automatically qualify to the team. Garcia posted a 2:25.81 in prelims, and 2:25.38 in semis, finishing just behind Vall both times.

Ferran Julia came in 7th in the men’s 1500 free, but broke the Spanish Junior Record of 15:33.91, posting a 15:30.37. Miguel Duran won the event with a 15:11.96, taking 1st by 5 seconds, and shaving 8 seconds of his previous best of 15:19.71.