Cielo Scratches 100 Free For Tonight, Still Hasn’t Made Olympic Team

2016 MARIA LENK TROPHY OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

According to OUL, reigning 100 freestyle world record holder Cesar Cielo has scratched the final of the event tonight at Maria Lenk Championships, the second of two Olympic qualifying meets for the Brazilians.

This morning, Cielo swam 48.97 in prelims, coming in sixth place, well behind first place Marcelo Chierighini (48.20). Given that a total of six swimmers have already come in ahead of Cielo’s time, Cielo would have had to make a big improvement tonight to make a relay slot.

Cielo still has not earned his spot on the Brazilian Olympic team; he bowed out of the Brazil Open, the first Olympic qualifier, early after failing to make the 100 free final. His final chance at the Olympic team will come on Wednesday, when he takes on the 50 free. Cielo comes into the event seeded second with 21.84. At the Brazil Open, Bruno Fratus swam 21.50, Italo Duarte went 22.08, and Chierighini and Matheus de Santana each went 22.17.

According to UL, Cielo is not concerned by his performance today.

“I came with the expectation of trying to swim the 100 in 48 seconds and came out a 48.97,” he said, roughly translated. “It is within what we were expecting. I did not train for this event. To tell the truth, we feel even a little anxious about the strategy because I did not come to compete in the 100 meter freestyle, but it was good. As far as possible, I swam a good race. Now I’m thinking of the 50m freestyle, which is the main focus of the season.”

He is confident his performance on Wednesday will be good enough.

“My finish has returned to what it was before,” said Cielo. “I have more confidence in the first few meters. My goal for Wednesday (in the 50m free) is to swim a 21. I think it’s enough. If not, then that’s out of my control. But I think about it I can secure a place… I’m feeling very well. I’m ready to swim well, and now it’s time to prove it. God willing, I will get this job done.”

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ERVINFORTHEWIN
8 years ago

He seems to me that he is done .

Hank
8 years ago

48.9 at a 100 translates to a 22 low in the 50. With Fratus swimming so poorly perhaps Cielo will qualify.

Irish Ringer
8 years ago

Stick a fork in Cielo…he’s done.

What now?
8 years ago

Cesar Cielo has told his closest friends he will retire if doesn’t make the Olympic team tomorrow at the 50 free.

Luigi
8 years ago

He says now this was the plan all alomg, but it wasnt the original plan

bobo gigi
8 years ago

Chris, Cielo holds both sprint world records only because of magical suits.

Steve-O Nolan
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Yup. He just put on the suit and that was it.

From the way everyone hates the rubber suits you’d assume they were like those bikes w/ little motors in ’em cyclists keep getting caught with.

Irish Ringer
Reply to  Steve-O Nolan
8 years ago

I don’t think they are saying some of these super suit specialists like Cielo and Biedermann are without talent, but they were much better comparatively speaking with the suits as opposed to without.

swimmer 2
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

*Chris, Cielo holds both sprint world records only because of magical suits and performance enhancing drugs

Fixed that for you, Bobo

Team Rwanda
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Everyone else was in a super suit at the time. He still managed to get faster than them

London Calling
Reply to  Team Rwanda
8 years ago

No one ever said he was the only one in rubber suit.

If you actually took the time to read comments carefully, you’d have understood that everyone simply responded to Chris who implied in his response to Mike in Dallas that Cielo is not yet done because he still holds WRs.

Chris
8 years ago

He still has the world record in both events.. and I don’t think they will be devoured soon. Also, the fans below should stop complaining about sprint specialists, if you think Cielo is a slacker then I’d love to see you get in a practice with him.

London Calling
Reply to  Chris
8 years ago

Biedermann still has the world record in both middle distance events…and I don’t think both will be devoured soon.

AUSwam
8 years ago

Was anyone a little disappointed with Grabich’s time? I know he still has the finals swim and I’m not familiar with Argentina’s selection criteria but 49.3 seems like a world away from his 48.1 at pan-ams

Rafael
Reply to  AUSwam
8 years ago

We will see tonight, of the last 3 100 free he was the slowers and it seems everbody just followed him.

Or Gabrich is the 2016 version of Hanser Garcia

Rafael
Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

last 3 100 free heat..

About Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht grew up in Kansas and spent most of her childhood trying to convince coaches to let her swim backstroke in freestyle sets. She took her passion to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and swam at NAIA Nationals all four years. After graduating in 2015, she moved to …

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