XIV International Swimming Meet “22. APRIL”
- April 29-30, 2023
- Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Long Course Meters (50m)
- Meet Results
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s best swimmers descended on Banja Luka, the country’s second-largest city, for the 14th International Swimming Meet.
Substantial among the results was a new National Record in the men’s 200 fly from 20-year-old Jovan Lekic. He won the race by almost four seconds, and broke his own record of 2:01.23 set almost exactly two years ago at the 2021 Turkish Championships.
Splits Comparison:
| Old Record | New Record | |
| April 2021 | April 2023 | |
| 50m | 27.66 | 26.69 |
| 100m | 31.08 (58.74) | 30.82 (57.51) |
| 150m | 31.60 (1:30.34) | 31.26 (1:28.77) |
| 200m | 30.89 (2:01.23) | 31.60 (2:00.37) |
| 2:01.23 | 2:00.37 |
Lekic also swam 1:48.54 in the 200 free, which just missed his own national record of 1:48.46 set in July 2021 at the European Junior Championships. Like his 200 fly record, Lekic was aggressive in the front half of the 200 free. On Sunday, he split 52.31-56.23, whereas in his personal best he split 53.33-55.13.
That 1:48.46 was actually done at the European Junior Championships two years ago where he tested positive for a banned substance and received a suspension. He was originally given a two year suspension, but that was reduced on appeal. In spite of the test, BIH still recognizes the swim as the national record.
Lekic is scheduled to attend LSU in fall 2023. He also finished 2nd in the 50 free (24.01) and 3rd in the 50 fly (25.30), which were both also very close to his personal bests.
The country’s top female swimmer, 17-year-old Lana Pudar, swept the butterfly events over two days. She won the 50 fly in 27.05, the 100 fly in 58.32, and the 200 fly in 2:10.30.
The three-time European Junior Champion, who won the 50 and 200 fly in 2022 and the 100 fly in 2021, is the defending European Champion (open age) in the 200 fly.
Other Highlight Results:
- Slovenia’s Janja Segel won the 200 free in 1:58.75. She was part of a deep group of swimmers from other Balkan nations that also included Croatian Ana Blazevic (2:27.29 – 200 breast) and Serbian Anja Crevar (4:47.31 – 400 IM). Blazevic’s 200 breast ties her personal best from last year’s European Championships.
- Adi Mesetovic won the 100 free in 50.62, missing his personal best by two-tenths.
There were a deep group of Slovenian swimmers at this meet, but Ana Blazevic is Croatian and Ajna Crevar is Serbian.
Ana Blazevic is from Croatia and Anja Crevar is from Serbia.