South America: Home-Country Brazilians Put Up a Show for Audience

2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Swimming: August 6-13
• Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
• Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
• SwimSwam previews 
• Day 1 Schedule & Results
• Live Stream (NBC)

National/Continental Records:

• Brazilian and South American record: Felipe Franca Silva, 100 breast: 59.01
• Colombian record: Jorge Valdes, 100 breast: 59.93

The Brazilian athletes made a strong home-country showing at day one of the 2016 Rio Olympics, including a South American record from Felipe Franca Silva this morning in the 100 breast. Especially this morning, it was clear to see that the hometown crowd had a profound effect on the Brazilian group.

To thunderous applause, Franca swam 59.01 100 breast this morning for a new South American and Brazilian record, winning heat 5 and securing his place in the semifinals. Also making semis was Joao Gomes. 

The two finished back-to-back tonight, with Gomes coming in sixth with 59.35 and Silva coming in seventh in 59.40. The breaststroking duo who will take on the final of the men’s 100 tomorrow to fight over the South American and Brazilian records and maybe land a place on the medal stand.

On the women’s side, a pair of Brazilians took the hometown cheering to heart and made semifinals of the women’s 100 fly this morning. Tonight, Daiene Marcal made her way to an overall 14th place with 58.52 in the women’s 100 fly and her countrywoman Daynara de Paula finished 16th with 58.65.

Also in the top 16 of her event was Brazilian Joanna Maranhao, who finished her signature 400 IM with an overall 15th in 4:38.33. Her time this morning was just off her Brazilian record of 4:38.07 from the 2015 Pan Am Games.

The other national record this morning came from Jorge Mario Murillo Valdes, who dropped over half a second from his entry time to clock a Colombian national record 59.93 this morning. He made semifinals of the men’s 100 breast after coming in seeded 25th.

Valdes ended up 16th tonight with 1:00.81.