Belmonte Returns to Action Winning the 1500 Free at Spanish Champs

After taking time away from competition to address a shoulder injury Mireia Belmonte returned to action today at the Spanish Short Course Championships winning the women’s 1500 freestyle in a time of 15:46.64. This is the same meet where she broke the world record posting a 15:19.74 in 2014.

Belmonte’s time today puts her in the second place position in the world rankings behind Australian Jessica Ashwood who recorded a 15:43.83 just two days ago.

Konrad Czerniak of Poland was the only athlete to put up a time that ranked in the world’s top five. Czerniak took the men’s 100 butterfly in a time of 51.04 tying him with Russian Nikolay Skvortsov with fourth fastest time in the world. Aschwin Wildeboer finished second in a time of 52.68 collecting his third silver of the day.

Miguel Ortiz had a good day winning two individual events in the first timed final session. Ortiz first took the men’s 100 IM in a time of 53.68 and followed that up with a win the 50 backstroke recording a time of 23.77. Wildeboer finished second in both events posting a 54.78 in the 100 IM and a 24.15 in the 50 backstroke.

Judit Ignacio won the women’s 100 butterfly in a time of 58.32 breaking her own meet record of 58.62 and just missing Belmonte’s Spanish record of 58.24.

There were two Spanish age group records set during the first session of the day. 17 year old Africa Zamorano took the women’s 100 IM in a time of 1:01.74 while 16 year old Cesar Castro posted a time of 1:47.85 collecting the bronze.

Other winners included:

• Men’s 200 freestyle – Victor Manuel Martin – 1:44.98
• Women’s 50 backstroke – Mercedes Peris – 27.53
• Women’s 200 freestyle – Melanie Costa – 1:55.66
• Men’s 50 breaststroke – Bruno Ortiz – 27.19
• Women’s 50 breaststroke – Jessica Vall – 31.31