Spanish Swimmers Set Up Exciting Battles Heading Into Night 2 Of LC Champs

2021 SPANISH LONG COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 24, 2021 – Sunday, March 28, 2021
• Sabadell, Spain
• Olympic Qualification Event
• LCM (50M)
• Results Page

Day 2 of the 2021 Spanish Long Course Championships got underway this morning with the men’s and women’s 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 fly, and 50 breast.

The meet serves as Spain’s second Olympic selection meet and those athletes who finish in the top two and get under the FINA ‘A’ cut will earn consideration for the team.

Last night Jimena Perez became the first swimmer of the meet to secure a spot on the team as she won the 800 free in an 8:33.17, just under the cut of 8:33.36. That makes Perez the 6th swimmer to qualify for the 2021 Spanish Olympic squad.

SPANISH OLYMPIC TEAM

1. Mireia Belmonte – 800m/1500m free
2. Hugo Gonzalez – 100m back, 200m IM
3. Jessica Vall – 200m breast
4. Africa Zamorano – 200m back
5. Nicolas Garcia – 200m back
6. Jimena Perez – 800m free *NEW*

In Thursday morning’s prelim session, Joan Lluis Pons Ramon and Alex Castejon Ramirez have set themselves up nicely for a 400 IM battle in tonight’s final as the two swam just 0.62 seconds apart in the prelims. Pons Ramon was a 4:21.22 to earn top seed into tonight’s final while Castejon Ramirez came in with a 4:21.84.

The two will need to be a bit quicker tonight, however, to ensure their spot on the Olympic squad. The FINA ‘A’ cut, representing Spain’s selection criteria sits at a 4:15.84.

Another battle set to occur tonight will be Paula Juste Sanchez against Africa Zamorano Sanz in the women’s 200 freestyle. Sanchez secured the top seed this morning with a 2:02.39 but Zamorano wasn’t far off, hitting a 2:02.86. While Zamorano has already qualified to swim the 200 back in Tokyo, she has a shot here to add a second event if she can qualify in the 200 free. The time to swim for Olympic qualification tonight will be a 1:57.28.

While only two swimming got under 2:03, a solid 5-woman contingent was not too far off and will look to infiltrate the top 2 tonight. Seeded 3rd through 6th, respectively in tonight’s final will be Marina Garcia (2:03.00), Ainhoa Campabadal (2:03.22), Alba Herrero (2:03.35), and Paula Otero Fernández (2:03.93).

The prelim swimmers this morning certainly made sure it would be an exciting finals session as Miguel Duran and Francisco Arévale Rubio swam only 0.06 seconds apart in the men’s 200 freestyle prelim. The duo got within 3 seconds of the Olympic selection time of 1:47.02 and will be looking to get under that mark tonight. Behind them, Mario Molla Yanes (1:50.11), Cesar Castro Valle (1:50.23), Ferran Julia Tous (1:50.34), and Sergio de Celis Montalbán (1:50.82) are all in striking distance of a top 2 finish as well.

Other Top Seeds:

• Alba Vazquez Ruiz swam the quickest women’s 400 IM of the morning with a 4:45.44
• In the men’s 100 fly, Konrad Cerniak will go in as top seed in tonight’s final with a 53.09
• The women’s 100 fly prelims were led by Carla Hurtado Sirera‘s 1:01.15
• Jessica Vall has the top 50 breast time this morning with a 32.15
• In the men’s 50 breast, Gonzalo Carazo Barbero‘s 28.62 was the top time in the field