Spain Names a Provisional Roster of 15 for Worlds; No Hugo Gonzalez (yet)

The Royal Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN) has announced its provisional roster for pool swimming at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships. The swimming portion of that event will be held from July 23 to 30, 2023.

Among the most notable names absent from last year’s roster is Hugo Gonzalez, who just completed his final NCAA Championship meet for the Cal Golden Bears. He was the only Spanish swimmer to advance out of the heats at last year’s World Championship meet, finishing 11th in the 100 back, 13th in the 200 back, and 12th in the 200 IM.

Spain’s last medals in pool swimming at the World Championships came in 2017, when a peak-form Mireia Belmonte won the 200 fly and finished 2nd in the 400 IM and 1500 free.

So far, 8 swimmers have been selected for individual events – 6 women and 2 men. Athletes already on the roster have the opportunity to swim other trials to add races to their schedules, so long as those races are deemed to not interfere with the primary events for which they are selected.

What’s more, the federation has also declared the lineups for the mixed and women’s 400 medley relays based on the results of the Spring Open Championships last week. In three other relays (men’s 400 free relay, men’s 800 free relay, women’s 800 free relay), the top two finishers from those championships have been named to the team, while the remaining two spots in each relay will come from the upcoming Mare Nostrum stop in Barcelona in May.

That will be a big opportunity for a swimmer like Gonzalez to qualify for the roster, in the 800 free relay for example, and then option in to other vacant spots on the roster.

The men’s 400 medley relay and the women’s 800 free relay are not currently listed as part of the team’s selection plan.

Including relay swimmers who are not otherwise named as individuals already, the roster grows to 6 men and 12 women.

The roster is so far oriented very differently from last year, when Spain sent just 5 men (all of whom swam individuals), 3 women, and just 1 relay – the men’s 400 medley.

Of the swimmers on the roster, two train in the US at Virginia Tech under Spanish-born coach Sergio Lopez: Carles Coll Martin and Carmen Weiler.

Women

Swimmer Year of Birth Club Event Time
Emma Carrasco Cadens 2005 CN Sant Andreu 200 IM 2:12.52
400 IM 4:42.92
Angela Martinez Guillen 2004 KZM Swimming Team 800 free 8:29.08
Paula Otero Fernandez 2004 CN Arteixo 400 free 4:10.50
1500 free 16:16.61
Alba Vazquez Ruiz 2002 CN Churriana 400 IM 4:41.16
Carmen Weiler Sastre 2004 Real Canoe NC 100 back 59.76
Africa Zamorano Saiz 1998 CN Sant Andreu 200 back 2:09.97

Men

Swimmer Year of Birth Club Event Time
Carles Coll Marti 2001 CN Sabadell 200 IM 1:59.27
Carlos Garach Benito 2004 CN Churriana 800 free 7:52.24
1500 free 14:57.23

Complete Relays

Women’s 400 medley – Stroke Swimmer Year Club Time
Back Carmen Weiler Sastre 2004 Real Canoe NC 59.76
Breast Jessica Vall Montero 1988 CN Sant Andreu 1:08.31
Fly Paula Juste Sanchez 2003 CN Lleida 59.24
Free Ainhoa Campabadal Amezcua 2003 CN Sant Andreu 55.71
4:03.02
Mixed 400 medley Swimmer Year Club Time
Back Carmen Weiler Sastre 2004 Real Canoe NC 59.76
Breast Carles Coll Marti 2001 CN Sabadell 1:01.28
Fly Paula Juste Sanchez 2003 CN Lleida 59.24
Free Luis Dominguez Calonge 2003 EM El Olivar 49.01
3:49.29

Incomplete Relays

Men’s 400 free relay:

  • Luiz Dominguez Calogne, EM Olivar – 49.01
  • Sergio De Celis Montalban, CN Sabadell – 49.05

Men’s 800 free relay:

  • Luis Dominguez Calogne, EM Olivar – 1:47.75
  • Cesar Castro Valle, CN Terrassa – 1:47.88

Women’s 800 free relay:

  • Ainhoa Campabadal Amezcua, CN Sant Andreu – 1:59.52
  • Alba Herrero Lazaro, CN Tenis Elche – 2:00.10

 

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Swimm
1 year ago

How many does Ben Titley coach?

Itaca
Reply to  Swimm
1 year ago

From the roster, I think 6 of them (Carrasco, Otero, Juste, Campabadal, Castro and Herrero).

swimnerd
1 year ago

Why can i only count 15 swimmers, while the headline says 18?

nuotofan
Reply to  swimnerd
1 year ago

You’re right: 10 women and 5 men.

Dan
1 year ago

Missing Mireia Belmonte from the roster, how is she doing (retired/still swimming)?
She has been at international meets since 2006/2007 (European/World Jr and above).

Roni
Reply to  Dan
1 year ago

She was entered in the Spanish trials but didn’t compete in the end, she says her main goal are the Games, let’s see if she can comeback again 🤪

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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