Mireia Belmonte Garcia made one last assault on the world rankings, closing 2014 Spanish Long Course Nationals with wins in back-to-back events. After taking down the Spanish record in the 1500 last night, Belmonte Garcia came back tonight to crush her own 400 free meet record in a world-leading 4:03.84, nearly two seconds under her previous mark (4:05.63). Belmonte Garcia has long been known for putting together some pretty impressive meet schedules, and this week was no different. Perhaps even more impressive was her margin of victory over Spanish national record holder Melanie Costa Schmid, who touched in 4:07.24 for a distant second place finish. She’s the first person under 4:04 this season; Katie Ledecky previously held the top spot with her 4:04.46.
Belmonte Garcia came back just over a half hour later to win the 200 IM in 2:11.26, over a second ahead of Beatriz Gomez Cortes (2:12.33), good for ninth in the world this year.
Jessica Vall Montero and Eduardo Solaeche Gomez were the other biggest newsmakers of the day, each taking down records in their respective events. Vall Montero sliced over a second off the meet record in the women’s 200 breaststroke, moving up to sixth in the world rankings (including swims at Japanese Nationals, British Nationals, and the Eindhoven Cup) with her 2:23.96. National record holder Marina Garcia Urzainqui was second in 2:28.65.
Solaeche Gomez, who had a breakout season at the University of Florida this winter, broke his own Spanish record from last summer’s World Championships in the men’s 200 IM with a 1:58.99, jumping to seventh in the world with that swim.
Rafael Muñoz Perez, Marc Sanchez Torrens, and Melquiades Alavarez Caraballo were the other event winners on the men’s side. Muñoz Perez added another 50 butterfly title to his résumé (which includes the world record in this event), finishing in 23.21. Sanchez Torrens won the 400 freestyle in 3:51.52, just ahead of Miguel Duran Navia (3:51.70) and Guillermo Sanchez Gutierrez-Cabello (3:51.93). Alavarez Carabello clocked a 2:12.24 to win the men’s 200 breaststroke by nearly two seconds.
Judit Ignacio Sorribes claimed the last remaining event for the women, touching in at 27.50 to win the 50 butterfly. Maria Sanchez Rodriguez and Carmen Herrero Ansoleaga finished just behind in 27.61 and 27.65, respectively.
