Spain Names 9 Swimmers for 2022 World Championships

The Royal Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN) has announced a 9-swimmer team for the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.

The meet will be held in Budapest, Hungary, with the swimming portion running from June 18-25.

Selections were made primarily based on April’s Spanish Championships, though there was a line in the criteria that allowed team directors to choose additional athletes “for the benefit of the national team.” To automatically qualify, swimmers had to hit the FINA “A” standard at the Spanish Championships.

Spain didn’t have to parse any situations with more than two swimmers under the “A” standard.

The selection lists swimmers by events where they have hit the qualifying criteria per the Spanish selection. It also says that athletes might be given the opportunity to swim additional races, so long as it doesn’t impact their ability in the primary events listed below.

Spanish Team for the 2022 World Championships:

• Paula Fernandez, CN Arteixo – 800 free
• Jessica Vall Montero, CN Sant Andreu – 50 breast
• Angela Martinez Guillen, KZM Swimming Team – 800 free/1500 free
• Carlos Garach Benito, CN Churriana – 1500 free
• Joan Lluis Pons Ramon, CN Sant Andreu – 400 IM
• Hugo Gonzalez, Madrid NC/Cal – 200 IM
• Men’s 400 medley relay
  • Hugo Gonzalez, Madrid NC/Cal
  • Carles Coll Marti, CN Sabadell/Virginia Tech
  • Alberto Lozano Mateos, CE Mediterrani
  • Serbio De Celis Montalban, CN Sabadell

Included on the roster is Hugo Gonzalez, who just completed his last season of NCAA collegiate eligibility for the Cal Golden Bears in the United States. He is now the fastest-ever man in the 400 yard IM, though he hasn’t swum that race much internationally in recent years, focusing instead on the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.

Notably absent from the roster is Mireia Belmonte, who has struggled with injury over the last few years, but who still managed to place 4th at the Tokyo Olympic Games in the 400 IM. She is one of a number of Spanish blue-bloods who are not on this roster. In fact, only three members of the country’s Tokyo Olympics Team will swim at Worlds: Jessica Vall, Hugo Gonzalez, and Joan Lluis Pons.

That means a very young and inexperienced team for the Spaniards, though that is in theme with the status of the Spanish Federation: Ben Titley has begun his work informally as the head coach at the Sant Cugat NTC in Spain, and will formally take up that position later this year. Given the success that Canada saw after Titley’s arrival, big things could be on the horizon for Spain in the future.

Spain did not win any medals in swimming at the 2019 World Championships. In 2017, Belmonte took gold in the 200 fly, silver in the 1500 free, and silver in the 400 IM.

Preliminary Roster for the European Championships

Spain also released a preliminary roster for the European Championships, though they declared that more swimmers could be added after the Mediterannean Games in early July.

Swimming at the European Championships will take place from August 11-17, 2022 in the Foro Italico.

Spain has confirmed two men’s relays and a mixed relay for the European Championships, but have not yet confirmed any women’s relays.

This meet will represent the first international selection for Carmen Weiler. The Spaniard who trains at the Nexus International School in Singapore, is Spain’s brightest young talent on the women’s side in several years, and in 2020 swam 54.98 in the 100 free at only 16 – a big barrier for Spanish swimmers.

Spain won three medals, one of each color, at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships. All three of those were taken by Hugo Gonzalez, including a gold in the 200 IM.

Women’s Roster

• Ainhoa Campabadal, CN Sant Andreu – 200 free/400 free
• Carla Hurtado, CN Tenis Elche – 100 fly
• Angela Martinez Guillen, KZM Swimming Team – 800/1500 free
• Lidon Munoz, CN Sant Andreu – 50/100 free
• Paula Otero, CN Arteixo – 800 free
• Julia Pujadas, CN Sant Andreu – 200 fly
• Jessica Vall, CN Sant Andreu – 50/100/200 breast
• Alba Vazquez, CN Churriana – 200 IM/400 IM
• Carmen Weiler, Real Canoe – 50/200 back, 100 free
• Africa Zamorano, CN Sant Andreu – 100/200 back

Men’s Roster

• Carles Coll Marti, CN Sabadell/Virginia Tech – 100/200 breast, 200 IM
• Sergio De Celis, CN Sabadell – 100 free
• Luis Dominguez, EM El Olivar – 100/200 free
• Carlos Garach, CN Churriana – 400/800/1500 free
• Nicolas Garcia, CD Gredos San Diego – 200 back
• Arbidel Gonzalez, CN Santa Olaya – 200 fly
• Hugo Gonzalez, Madrid NC – 200 IM
• Alberto Lozano, CE Mediterrani – 100 fly
• Diego Mira Albaladejo, CN Sabadell – 100/200 back
• Mario Molla Yanes, CN Terrassa – 100 fly
• Joan Lluis Pons, CN Sant Andreu – 200 fly/400 IM
• Juan Segura, Madrid NC – 50 free

Relays

• Men’s 400 medley relay
  • Hugon Gonzalez, Madrid NC/Cal
  • Carles Coll Marti, CN Sabadell/Virginia Tech
  • Alberto Lozano, CE Mediterrani
  • Sergio De Celis, CN Sabadell
• Men’s 400 free relay
  • Sergio De Celis, CN Sabadell
  • Luis Dominguez, EM El Olivar
  • Carles Coll Marti, CN Sabadell/Virginia Tech
  • Mario Molla, CN Terrassa
• Mixed 400 medley relay
  • Hugo Gonzalez, Madrid NC/Cal
  • Jessica Vall Montero, CN Sant Andreu
  • Alberto Lozano, CE Mediterrani
  • Carmen Weiler, Real Canoe NC