2023 LITHUANIAN OPEN SC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 14th – December 16th
- Druskininkai, Lithuania
- SCM (25m)
- Results
The 2023 Lithuanian Short Course Championships took place earlier this week, giving age groupers a chance to go up against the likes of Olympians to the tune of Danas Rapsys.
28-year-old Rapsys demonstrated his versatility, taking on multiple ‘off’ events outside of his typical 200m/400m freestyle specialties.
The Olympian found himself atop the podium an impressive five times, reaping gold across the 100m freestyle (47.34), the 100m fly (51.74), 100m IM (52.92) and 200m IM (1:54.42). The 100m IM checked in as his fastest-ever, overtaking his previous personal best of 53.39 from 2017.
Rapsys was also a member of the national record-setting mixed 4x100m medley relay this week. The team Šiauliai Swimming Center “Delfinas” (SDELF) set a new Lithuanian Record of 3:52.51, with swimmers Emilija Pociūtė, Guoda Tručinskaitė, Ainis Želionis, and Rapsys comprising the squad.
Splits included the following:
- Emilija, Pociūtė – 1:00.67
- Guoda Tručinskaitė – 1:09.96
- Ainis Želionis – 55.07
- Danas Rapšys – 46.81
Rapsys is coming off a successful European Short Course Championships where he collected a trio of medals – bronze in the 200m free (1:41.16), silver in the 400m free (3:37.80) and bronze in the 200m IM. (1:53.49).
On the elite women’s front, Ugne Siautkulyte established a new senior national record en route to winning gold in the 1500m freestyle.
Siautkulyte stopped the clock at a time of 17:32.97 to crush the previous Lithuanian standard of 17:41.48 Erika Pasakinskaite put on the books last year.
12-year-old Vilius Keršys of Kaunas Swimming School (KPM) set records in multiple events to make his mark on these championships. He produced several Lithuanian Age Group Records as follows:
- 400m free – 4:16.38
- 800m free – 8:59.37
- 1500m free – 16:56.98
- 200m fly – 2:16.53
- 400m IM – 4:48.03
Additional Notes
- Martynas Bernotas (KPM) set a record of 8:43.28 for the 14-year-olds in the 800m free.
- Emilija Pociūtė set age records for 14-year-old girls in the 50m back (28.02), 100m back (1:00.63) and 200m back (2:12.41).
- Guoda Tručinskaitė of SDELF set a record of 4:51.35 in the girls’ 400m IM for the 16-year-olds.
