Luca Hoek le Guenedal Swims Under Spanish National Record Leading off Mixed 4×100 Free Relay

2025 European Junior Championships

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Luca Hoek le Guenedal led off Spain’s Championship Record breaking mixed 4×100 freestyle relay in a blistering 48.14, which is under Spain’s National Record time.

MIXED 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• World Junior Record: 3:25.92, United States (2019)
• European Junior Record: 3:27.35, Russia (2020)
• European Record: 3:21.81, Netherlands (2017)
• Championship Record: 3:28.34, Italy (2024) 
• 2024 European Junior Champion: Italy, 3:28.34

GOLD – Spain, 3:27.69
SILVER – Great Britain, 3:29.06
BRONZE – Italy, 3:29.37

Hoek le Guenedal was out hot, coming in almost two seconds ahead of the rest of the field, as one of only two athletes under 50 seconds on the first 100, splitting 22.74/25.40 to touch in 48.14.

This time is under the Spanish National Record time of 48.34 that was set by Sergio de Celis last February, but it is unclear if it will actually be counted as such. He set the time leading off a mixed relay, which doesn’t always make it eligible for national records, it is up to the discretion of the country. World Aquatics does not recognize these times for World Records or World Junior Records, so many countries follow their lead when it comes to National Records as well.

This was a new best time for the 17-year-old by by three tenths of a second from the 48.44 he went in June, and it marks more than a second drop this year from his previous best of 49.36 from this meet last year.

Hoek le Guenedal’s time is also under the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut, which stands at 48.34, though he is outside the qualifying period.

Spain has been looking for a new male star since 2009 when butterflyer Rafael Munoz and backstroker Aschwin Wildeboer retired in 2009. Hugo Gonzalez has been making waves for Spain, winning a gold and silver medal in the backstroke events at the 2024 World Championships, but he missed qualification times for this year’s championships. Hoek le Guenedal could be the answer to their search, if he continues to develop at this speed.

He will have a few more chances to get the National Record if Spain isn’t going to count this time as he is entered in the 100 freestyle on Saturday. He will also be competing in the 50 freestyle. He already swam the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay for the team, anchoring in 50.13 in the preliminaries, where the team finished 9th overall, missing the final.

Hoek le Guenedal reportedly trains a few times a week with Ben Titley, who  took over as the head coach at Spain’s National Training Center in Sant Cugat after heping rebuild Canada’s elite swimming. He is still listed as competing for his club team swim team C.N. Sitges.

Championship Record Relay

Hoek le Guenedal was not the only strong swimmer on Spain’s relay.

The Spanish team followed up an upset by the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay yesterday with another upset today, beating the British team by a second-and-a-half and shattering last year’s Championship Record in the event. Their time was also only three tenths off the European Junior Record time of 3:27.35 set by Russia back in 2020.

Spain employed a M/M/F/F strategy, which was echoed in the rest of the field. Hoek le Guenedal handed off the lead to Dario Berdiel Latorre, who split 49.98 on the 2nd leg, which is almost half a second faster than his lifetime best of 50.43.

Irene Ciercoles Galve swam 3rd, coming in at 55.40 to maintain the lead over Great Britain. Anchor Maria Daza Garcia had the fastest female split in the field, swimming 54.17 to bring the team home under record pace.

Split Comparison