On the first day of competition at the South American Youth Championships in Valparasio, Chile a young Brazilian team took home nine gold and nine silver medals.
The evening was highlighted by 14 year old Sarah Marques winning the 50 freestyle in a time of 26.69, tying the South American record, which was set in 2009 by Maria Eugeni Graci.
After the race Marques, who recently moved from Sergipe to Curitiba for a more ideal training environment, said that she had been training very well despite the move being a challenge, “No one knows how difficult this whole change, live alone, without my family around,” said Marques.
“I still do not know very many people in the club as well as the selection here, but I’m really enjoying it, everyone is friendly and I am very happy .”
Other Brazilian winners included:
Women’s 400 IM – Manuella Andrade – 5:11.40
Men’s 100 butterfly – Felipe Souza – 58.14
Women’s 200 backstroke – Marina Birth – 2:19.46
Women’s 200 IM – Giovana Dorigon – 2:20.82
Men’s 100 freestyle – Matheus Santana – 51.20
Men’s 200 butterfly – Altamir Luiz Melo – 2:03.66
Women’s 200 freestyle – Gabrielle Roncato – 2:08.32
Men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay – 3:39.57
Women’s 4 x 100 medley relay – 4:19.89
Not such Amazing time for Santana (He has 50.25 from last year already) but he is not on taper already cause his focusing for a relay spot for Worlds (His Coach wants a 49 low for a 16 to 17 ( He is from April) year Old), so he will focus on Maria Lenk