Among the 16 Brazilian swimmers named to the nation’s Pan Pacific Championships squad was World Championships medalist Bruno Fratus, the 29-year-old veteran who has had a red-hot summer. While competing at the Mare Nostrum series, Fratus surpassed countryman Cesar Cielo for the title of most sub-22 50m freestyle swims.
However, the Brazilian swimming federation has announced that Fratus has been removed from the Pan Pacs roster due to a shoulder injury. The veteran sprinter is suffering from inflammation in 2 tendons on the left shoulder, confirmed after his series of racing this summer. Per the CBDA doctor, Gustavo Maglioca, Fratus has been in recovery mode the past few weeks and won’t be in form by the time Tokyo comes around.
Replacing Fratus will be Iago Moussalem, the two-time Brazilian junior national champion who competes stateside for the Miami (OH) Redhawks. Additionally, former Auburn head coach Brett Hawke will also be replaced as a result of Fratus’ roster departure. Hawke is Fratus’ primary coach. Andre Luiz Ferreira will now be joining the coaching staff.
The stage was set for a potential showdown among Fratus, Japanese record holder Katsumi Nakamura and America’s world championship star Caeleb Dressel to take place in Tokyo in the battle for the sprint crown.
The official CBDA bulletin can be found here.
Have you ever heard of Ippei Watanabe and Daiya Seto?
Also Koseki.. and the Jpn women which can probably grab golds such as Ikee, Ohashi.. also the canadias (Ruck Olekskiak)
Yea all of these swimmers were there last year at worlds plus the Europeans and full Asian squads and the US as a whole destroyed everyone else. Just because you can name some good swimmers who will compete from several countries doesn’t mean the US isn’t going to overwhelming dominate this meet.
U are right – only the Japanese now can distill trouble to Team Usa in a number of races …..
I think Scheffer and Costa might cause some potential trouble for US on 200, 800 and 1500 free. Spajari is improving fastly I would not be surprised by a 47 mid by him.
Maelstrom
This year fratus was number 5 there were 2 new guys on the relay
Spajari went 47,95 on trials
Gabriel who was on budapeste 47,98
Chiereghini
Marco Macedo (20 yrs old) went 48,4 but it is still open what he can do or if that was a one time swim
That’s not going to compete when Dressel goes sub 47
Dressel I will guess around 46.7 flat start
Haas and Pieroni will likely also be 47 flat starts. Probably 47 low split from Haas and 47 mid from Pieroni
Adrian will be 47 low as he always is.
And if any of the 3 outside Dressel misfire, you have guus like Conger, Apple, Ress, Held who can all do 47 splits.
Pieroni, Haas and can definitelly swim under 47… Dressel will just anchor this relay with a 47.0 buterfly since he’s a God among man and all other mortals are not worthy of his godly, unbeatable, flawless, magical, supreme freestyle… Maybe swim the whole 400 by himself??
Dude, come down to earth would you??
What on earth are you on about. Pieroni and Haas have made huge improvements and I’m predicting minor lcm improvements for them. The rest of the swimmers I’m not even predicting improvements. Sorry if getting dominated by the US hurts your feelings.
That’s awful. Dude has been swimming fast all year and was coming off a great World Championships from last year. I was looking forward to Dressel vs Fratus part 2 (and before everyone says it wouldn’t even be close, it was close last year so…). Hope he has a speedy and complete recovery.
How does this bode for Brazil’s 4x100fr? Can their number 5 do a split similar to that of Fratus?
Oh my goodness, I almost forget about the free relay! I’m not sure if anyone could challenge the us in relays this season
Overrated? He’s the 2017 silver medalist in the 50
Sucks for Brett Hawke .. no free trip to Japan as well
Sadly, you are very wrong.