Belmonte Snags 8 Gold Medals At Pardubice Meet In Czech Republic

2018 Pardubice Meeting

• May 25-27, 2018
• Pardubice, Czech Republic
• Long Course (50m)
• Results

Spanish Olympic gold medalist Mireia Belmonte put on a very impressive display this past weekend at the Pardubice Meeting in Pardubice, Czech Republic, going eight-for-eight in event wins. Belmonte also won eight golds recently at the Spanish University Championships.

Below, check out a list of all her victories over the three-day meet:

• 200 freestyle: 2:00.02
• 400 freestyle: 4:11.07
• 800 freestyle: 8:39.31
• 1500 freestyle: 16:12.90
• 100 butterfly: 1:00.84
• 200 butterfly: 2:12.64
• 200 IM: 2:14.67
• 400 IM: 4:40.37

The 100 fly was the only one of those swims that was a season best for the reigning 200 fly Olympic and World champion, but she showed incredible endurance and versatility to beat out some tough competition and win all eight races. Of note, Hungarian Olympian Zsuzsanna Jakabos was among those who challenged Belmonte in a few events, finishing as the runner-up in the 200 free (2:00.97) and 200 IM (2:15.37).

There were four other women who stood out, each earning two wins apiece. Czech swimmers Barbora Seemanova and Simona Baumrtova were dominant forces in the sprint free and back events, with Seemanova taking the 50 (25.78) and 100 free (56.18) and Baumrtova the 50 (28.11) and 100 back (1:00.17). Finland’s Mimosa Jallow actually tied Baumrtova for the win in that 50 back, and also took down the 50 fly in 27.31. Her countrywoman Jenna Laukkanen swept the sprint breaststrokes in times of 31.68 and 1:09.32.

On the men’s side, Spain’s Miguel Duran led the way with three wins in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyles, taking out Norway’s Henrik Christiansen in all three. Duran posted times of 3:52.89, 8:08.08 and 15:24.26 respectively, while the 2016 European silver medalist Christiansen came closest to the Spaniard in the 800 (8:09.27).

2014 European champion Viktor Bromer of Denmark made his mark in the men’s butterfly events, claiming the 100 (53.18) and 200 (1:57.41), while 2016 Olympic finalist in the 400 IM Joan Lluis Pons Ramon swept the medleys in 2:05.13 and 4:24.18.

In the backstroke events, Czech Tomas Franta and Hungarian Gabor Balog alternated wins and 2nd place finishes, with Franta taking the 50 (25.62) and 200 (2:01.11), and Balog edging him out in the 100 (55.28).