D’Artagnan Dias contributed to this report.
Brazil is hosting the Jose Finkel Trophy this week, a short course meters meet to determine its national team for the 2014 Short Course World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
In addition to individual honors, athletes are competing for hotly-contested team points, and a group of big-name international athletes have made their way to Brazil to compete as essentially honorary members of their host clubs, one of the big traditions in Brazilian swimming.
Monday was the first day of competition, with 7 events taking place.
Women’s 200 Freestyle
Dutch swimmer Femke Heemskerk (Fiat/Minas) didn’t let anyone in the field get close to her wining time of 1:52:46, getting extra points for her team because her time is lower than South American Record. That record currentlys stands at 1:56.43 from Tatiana Lemos in 2009. The runner up (Larissa Oliveira from Pinheiros in 1:56.54) and third place (Jessica Cavalheiro from SESI in 1:56.79) were also very close to the South American record.
Men’s 200 Freestyle
João De Lucca (Pinheiros) had the race in control from the beginning, and won in 1:43.43. That’s actually a tick slower than he went in the morning – De Lucca broke the meet record with a 1:43.19 during the preliminary heats.
In finals, though, he held off a strong charge from Nicolas Oliveira (Fiat/Minas), who finished in 1:43.74. Both De Lucca and Oliveira make the team for the World Championships based on their times.
Gustavo Godoy (Corinthians) was the third-place finisher a ways back at 1:45.39.
Women’s 100 Backstroke
After breaking the South American record in prelims, Etiene Medeiros (SESI) was also a bit off her morning swim in the finals session, but still picked up a big win. Opening in a strong 27.7 in the first 50, Medeiros went on to win in 57.76. Her new continental record from the morning swim was 57.53.
Natalia De Luccas (Corinthians) and Andrea Berrino (Unisanta) tied for second with twin 1:00.15s.
Men’s 100 Backstroke
Pinheiros teammates swept the top three spots in the men’s backstroke, with Guilherme Guido leading the way in a 50.49 that qualifies him for the Worlds team. Guido rolled to the win on the strength of a fast 24.22 leadoff split.
Henrique Handa Machado took second with a 51.81 and Fabio Santi wound up third with a 52.40 to give Pinheiros the sweep.
Women’s 1500 Freestyle
Ecuador’s Samantha Arevalos, competing for Fluminense, was the big winner of the day’s longest race, going 16:13.35 to win the 1500.
Bruna Primati (SESI) put up the fastest time of the morning heats, and it held up as the second-best time overall in 16:23.35. Amanda Delgado (Corinthians) wound up third overall with a big drop from her previous best. She went 16:33.59 (her old PR was 17:20.41), and apparently enjoyed the swim so much she didn’t want it to end. Delgado miscounted and continued swimming after officially finishing the 1500. Her teammates quickly stopped her, though, and we’re told she was all smiles afterward thanks to her big swim and in spite of the count miscue.
Men’s 4×50 Free Relay
Minas won in 1:25.29 with a huge split in its second leg. World record-holder Cesar Cielo came from second place to build almost a full body-length lead over the next-best squad, and all that happened within just 50 meters. Cielo split a blazing 20.57, and said after the race that he focused on a “safe” relay exchange. If that doesn’t get you excited for his individual 50 free later in the meet, I don’t know what will.
Cielo elected to skip the Pan Pacific Championships this summer to focus on his short course swimming in preparation for Worlds. Based on this swim, that gamble might be paying off.
Pinheiros finished second in 1:26.09, getting the fastest lead-off leg of the field from Bruno Fratus in 21.70. Botafogo took third place overall in 1:26.89.
Women’s 4×50 Free Relay
Minas won in 1:38.04 with a great second leg from Femke Heemskerk. Heemskerk split 23.68, and once again the Netherlands swimmer helped her teamearn bonus points, as their time was well faster than the South American record of 1:40.12 set by Pinheiros.
With Heemskerk on the squad, Minas isn’t eligible to break that record, but second-place SESI also managed to topple it, going 1:39.85.
Pinheiros wound up third at 1:40.42, nearly getting under the record themselves.
Team Scores (Before B finals)
100 IM Time Trials
A few swimmers also competed in a time trial 100 IM in order to make the World Championship team. On the men’s side, Thiago Pereira (SESI) won in 52.45, with the Worlds qualifying cut standing at 53.14. Second-place Thiago Simon (Corinthians) will join him at Worlds after going 53.07.
For the women, Clarissa Maria Rodrigues won the event, going 1:04.79, but did not make the Worlds cut of 59.68.
Alternate title, based on picture: “Cielo blasts giant relay spit”