2018 Flanders Swimming Cup
- Saturday, January 20 – Sunday, January 21
- Flanders, Belgium (UTC+1)
- LC (50m pool)
- Meet site
- Heat sheets & program
- Live results
International talents Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Marco Koch, Bruno Fratus and Liliana Szilagyi are among the notable names set to compete for big prize money this weekend at the Flanders Cup in Belgium.
There will be prize money for the top 3 in each individual event, plus bigger bonuses for the top 5 overall swimmers in each gender based on FINA points in their best swim.
Individual events:
- 1st: €250 (~USD$306)
- 2nd: €100 (~USD$122)
- 3rd: €50 (~USD$61)
Overall FINA points:
- 1st: €2000 (~USD$2446)
- 2nd: €1500 (~USD$1835)
- 3rd: €1000 (~USD$1223)
- 4th: €500 (~USD$612)
- 5th: €250 (~USD$306)
Danas Rapsys cruised to the fastest time in the morning heats in 1:49,86. The Lithuanian won this event at the 2017 European SC Championships last December. Rapsys best time are 1:45,75 in a 50m pool.
Also in the final tonight are Stan Pijnenburg (NED), Ben Schwietert (NED), Kyle Stolk (NED), Lorenz Weiremans (BEL), Valentin Borisvljevice (BEL), Maarten Brzoskowski (NED), Jamie O’Connor (GBR).
Simona Baumrtova (CZE) earned the top spot for finals tonight, she was clocked at 28,57 in the women’s 50m backstroke. Second fastest was Netherland’s Kira Toussaint in 29,09. Toussaint won the silver medal at the 2017 European SC Championships in the 100m backstroke.
All finalists: Baumrtova, Toussaint, Tessa Vermeulen (NED), Ekaterina Avramova (TUR), Tamara von Vliet (NED), Indra Vandenbussche (BEL), Anna Maine (GBR), Valerie van Roon (NED).
Gytis Stankevisius (LTU) came in first in the men’s 100 m backstroke in 56,51. Also qualified for the final are: Sjobbe Luyten (BEL), Tomas Franta (CZE), Rokas Juozelskis (LTU), James Mcfadzen (GBR), Brodie Williams (GBR), Jach Schillinglaw (GBR), David Verraszto (HUN).
Liliana Szilagyi punched her ticket for the final with the fastest time in the women’s 200m butterfly, posting a 2:13,80. Another Hungarian, Zsuzsanna Jakabos, set the second fastest time in 2:16,32.
Another six finalists in the 200m butterfly: Helena Bach (DEN), Isabel Jones (GBR), Lucy Thornton (GBR), Valentine Dumont (BEL), Daisy Anderson (GBR), tied on the 8th place: Monique Olivier (LUX) and Fleur Lewis (GBR).
Netherland’s Arno Kamminga made it into the men’s 200m breaststroke final with the fastest time (2:12,55), followed by Germany’s Marco Koch in 2:14,66 and Hungary’s David Verraszto in 2:18,81. Additional finalists: Callum Smart (GBR), Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU), Yaron Gerber (GBR), John Britton (GBR), Denisz Der (HUN).
Fanny Lecluyse (BEL) came out on top in the women’s 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:08,30, followed by Germany’s youngster Anna Elendt (born 2001) who set a new personal best time in 1:09,65, her first swim under 1:10. Tonight’s final are completed by: Tes Schouten (NED), Taiana Belonogoff (GBR), Dalma Sebestyen (HUN), Megan Morrison (GBR), Fleur Vermeiren (NED), Sophia Wilson (GBR).
David Verraszto (HUN) posted the fastest prelims time in the men’s 200m IM in 2:05,48. The next seven fastest swimmers are: James McFadzen (GBR), Mark Mszaros (HUN), Kyle Stolk (NED), Emmanuel Vanluchene (BEL), Lander Mulkers (BEL), Jose Paulo Lopes (POR), Alexandre Marourt (BEL).
With Femke Heemskerk (NED) and Ranomi Kromowidjojo two big names competed in the 100m freestyle: Heemskerk set the fastest time in 54,50, followed by Kromowidjojo in 54,70. Also Reva Foos (GER), Kim Busch (NED), Kimberly Buys (NED), Marjolein Delno (NED), Emily Crane (GBR) and Beth Aitchison (GBR) made it into the final.
Belgium’s Louis Croenen finished first in the men’s 400m freestyle in 4:00,60. Also qualified for the final are Alin Artimon (ROU), Noah Martens (BEL), David Verraszto (HUN), Kieran Bird (GBR), Roberto Gomes (POR), Mikkel Gadgaard (DEN), Maarten Brzoskowski (NED).
Zsuszanna Jakabos made it into the top 8 with the fastest time in the 400 IM (4:55,29). The Hungarian was followed by Daisy Anderson (GBR), Helena Bach (DEN), Sophia Wilson (GBR), Caitlin McKay (GBR), Ines Rocha (POR), Ana Sousa (POR), Ellie Cowan (GRB).
Danas Rapsys took the top seed in the men’s 100m butterfly, posting a 53,87. These seven athletes also made it into the final: Dries Vangoetsenhoven (BEL), Deividas Margevicius (LTU), Mathys Gosen (NED), Sebastien de Meulenmeester (NED), Jacob Peters (GBR), Bence Biczo (HUN), Kevin Wallbank (GBR).
The top time in the women’s 200m backstroke was set by Simona Baumrtova (CZE) in 2:15,10 ahead of Alexandra Waller (GBR) in 2:15,39. Next six fastest swimmers for tonight’s final are: Kira Toussaint (NED), Tessa Vermeulen (NED), Dorottya Dobos (HUN), Anna Maine (GBR), Femke Heemskerk (NED), Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN).
Japan’s Shinri Shioura showed a solid perfomance in the 50m freestyle in 22,35 for the top seed in tonight’s final. The FINA World Rankings 2018 are led by Michael Andrew (USA) in the 50m freestyle so far (22,04, Austin Pro Swim). With also Bruno Fratus (silver 50m free at the 2017 World Championships) and Andrii Govorov (silver 50m free, 2016 European Championships) in the final, it could be one of the most thrilling races tonight.
Tonight’s finalists: Nyls Korstanje (NED), Bruno Fratus (BRA), Maxim Lobanovszkij (HUN), Jesse Puts (NED), Thom de Boer (NED), Andrii Govorov (UKR), Krisztian Takacz (HUN).
In the women’s 50m butterfly, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) will take lane 4 tonight, after her 26,09 swim this morning. This is the 3rd fastest time in this young 2018 season so far. Also in tonight’s final: Kimberly Buys (NED), Kim Busch (NED), Liliana Szilagyi (HUN), Kinge Zandringa (NED), Emma Harvey (GBR), Monika Olle (HUN), Ana Guedes (POR).
Arno Kamminga (NED) took the top spot in the 50m breastroke (27,57), followed by Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU), Basten Carts (BEL), Lewis CliffordStevenson (GBR), Mark Meszaros (HUN), Callum Smart (GBR), Denisz Der (HUN), Joel Thompson (GBR).
Hungary’s David Verraszto made it into four finals but scratched the 100m backstroke, he will swim the 200m breaststroke, 200m IM and 400m freestyle.
Order of events tonight:
| Women | 800m Freestyle | Fastest Heat |
| Men | 200m Freestyle | Final |
| Women | 50m Backstroke | Final |
| Men | 100m Backstroke | Final |
| Women | 200m Butterfly | Final |
| Men | 200m Breaststroke | Final |
| Women | 100m Breaststroke | Final |
| Men | 200m Medley | Final |
| Women | 100m Freestyle | Final |
| Men | 400m Freestyle | Final |
| Women | 400m Medley | Final |
| Men | 100m Butterfly | Final |
| Women | 200m Backstroke | Final |
| Men | 50m Freestyle | Final |
| Women | 50m Butterfly | Final |
| Men | 50m Breaststroke | Final |
Pretty stunning 1.45.35 (50.88/54.47) from Danas Rapsys in finals. Fastest January time ever?
He has been fast in January before though, so I don’t know how much more he’ll improve, but that is very impressive.
Two years ago, Marco Koch went a 2:07.6 in january and looked like the future of the 200 breast. Now he’s going a 2:14, what happened to him?
Marco Koch changed his training during 2017, he added more strength training. The German Swimming Federation set a new concept, called “Kraftkonzept” – “Strength concept” and Marco said that he lost a little bit his ability to glide … but he and his coach think that the results of this concept and their changes will be visible this summer (in a good or bad way). Koch won the silver medal at the 2017 European SC Championships in 2:01,52. We will see what he can swim tonight in Belgium!