2022 Jose Finkel Day 4: Scheffer Clocks South American Record 1:41.32 SCM 200 FR

2022 Jose Finkel Trophy

• September 13-17, 2022
• Santos Dumont Aquatic Complex, Recife, BRA
• SCM (25m)
• Start Lists
• Live Results

Staying true to the first three days of the meet, day four of the 2022 Jose Finkel Trophy in Recife saw a South American Record go down. Each of the now four continental records that have gone down so far have been broken by a different swimmer. Tonight, it was Fernando Scheffer‘s turn to make history.

Scheffer had a near miss in the men’s 400 free final on the first night of the meet, breaking the Jose Finkel meet record, but touching just off the South American Record. He left no doubt tonight, tearing to a new personal best of 1:41.32 to win the men’s 200 free by a huge margin. He swam an exceptional race, splitting 49.10 on the first 100, then came home in 52.22. He also blew away the South American and Brazilian Records, which were both held at 1:41.85 from Joao de Lucca at the 2014 SC World Champs. Scheffer, who already holds the South American Record in the LCM 200 free, now holds the continental record in both courses in the event.

In one of the most anticipated swims of the meet, 42-year-old Nicholas Santos won the men’s 50 fly handily, swimming a 22.24. He came in 0.65 seconds ahead of runner-up Vini Lanza. Though he was half a second off his personal best of 21.75, which also stands as the South American Record in the event, Santos did hit the Brazil’s qualifying standard (22.35) for the SC World Championships in December. Notably, Santos is the defending world champion in the event, having won gold at the 2021 SC World Champs at the age of 41.

17-year-old Stephanie Balduccini won the women’s 200 free in 1:55.02, setting a new 17-18 Brazilian National Age Group Record in the event. It was a photo-finish between Balduccini and Giovanna Diamante, who finished second in 1:55.05. Balduccini was out in 55.99 on the first 100 to Diamante’s 56.61, but Diamante was able to close that gap through the back half of the race.

Etiene Medeiros took the women’s 50 fly in 25.67, narrowly missing the Brazilian and South American Records, which are held at 25.54 by Daynara Paula from 2014. Coincidentally, Paula was in the field in tonight’s final, finishing third in 25.94.

Canadian Bailey Andison won the women’s 400 IM in 4:35.33, while Brandonn Almeida took the men’s 400 IM in 4:06.63.

Alexia Assuncao, who won the women’s 200 back earlier in the meet, took the 100 back tonight in 59.76, beating Julia Goes by 0.14 seconds. Gabriel Fantoni completed his sweep of the men’s backstroke events, winning the 100 back tonight in 50.36.