2021 Stockholm Open Day One: Felix Auboeck Nails 3:44.51 400 FR, Now World #3

2021 Swim Open Stockholm

• April 8-11, 2021
• Eriksdalsbadet, Stockholm, Sweden
• LCM Format (50m)
• Start Times (Local Time): Heats: 9:30 AM, B/C Finals: 4:30 PM, A Finals: 6 PM
• FINA Olympic Qualifying Standards
• Meet Site
• Live Results
• Live Stream (Available for €4.99/Session)

The 2021 Swim Open Stockholm kicked off in host nation Sweden on Thursday, with swimmers from multiple European nations traveling to Stockholm to get jabs at Olympic qualifying standards and season bests. Highlighting the evening was Austrian Felix Auboeck, who improved from a 3:48.04 season best to a 3:44.51 to win the Stockholm final. Placing second in a sub-3:50 effort was Denmark’s Anton Ipsen (3:49.90).

Auboeck shaved 3.53s from his season best set at the 2021 Manchester International Meet this past winter. That time not only ranks 3rd in the world this season but also dips under the FINA Olympic A cut of 3:46.78. Auboeck’s time this evening flirted with his lifetime best and Austrian national record of 3:44.19 from the 2017 World Championships. At the 4 Nations Meet in late July 2020, Auboeck swam a 3:45.00. He then followed up at the 2020 Austrian Championships in August with a 3:45.60.

Winning the women’s 200 free was Czech Barbora Seemanova, stopping the clock at 1:57.76. Seemanova has already swum under the FINA Olympic A cut of 1:57.28 at the 2020 Uzbekistan Open Swimming Championships, where she set her season best of 1:56.96. The rest of the top six swimmers all swam under the B cut of 2:00.80.

Finishing 2-3 for Israel were teen sensation Anastasia Gorbenko (1:58.99) and Andi Murez (1:59.01). Gorbenko’s time was also good enough for a new Israeli national record while Murez is now the 2nd-fastest in Israeli history. Also breaking the 2:00 barrier were Belgian Valentine Dumont (1:59.21) and German Reva Foos (1:59.26). Finishing in sixth place was Julia Hassler at 2:00.56, which set a new Liechtenstein national record.

Into the women’s 50 back, Austrian Caroline Pilhatsch touched out American Linnea Mack by one one-hundredth 28.02 to 28.03. Both swimmers now rank 7th and 8th respectively in the world this season. Pilhatsch holds the Austrian national record at 27.77 from the 2019 World Championships. Mack’s lifetime best also moves her up to 15th all-time in US history. Denmark’s Julie Jensen placed third at 28.15, now 16th in the world. Finland’s Mimosa Jallow placed fourth at 28.17, just 0.01s over her season best of 28.16 from the 2021 Latvian Open, which ranks 17th in the world.

The women’s 1500 free featured Austrian Marlene Kahler setting the national record at 16:21.52, as well as touching out German Lea Boy (16:21.56) by 0.04s. Both swimmers were under the FINA Olympic A cut of 16:32.04.

Combining for a 3:43.22 in the men’s 400 medley relay were Swedish countrymen Gustav Henriksen (57.46), Johannes Skagius (1:01.47), Oskar Hoff (54.73), and Robin Hansson (50.06). For the women’s 400 medley relay, Sweden and Finland were neck-and-neck throughout all four legs of the relay. At the finish, it was Sweden who took the win over Finland 4:03.30 to 4:03.49 by 0.19s.

More Day One Highlights:

• German Marius Kusch won the 50 fly with a 23.58, which ranks within the top-25 times in the world. Placing second was Israeli Meiron Cheruti at 23.62while Swede Oskar Hoff hit third at 23.86. Fellow German Marco Koch won the 200 breast at 2:10.95, finishing a second ahead of Austrian Christopher Rothbauer (2:11.53) and Estonian Martin Allikvee (2:11.56).
• Danish native Emilie Beckmann won the 50 fly in a 25.62, which was just off her World No. 3 season best of 25.50 from the 2020 Rotterdam Qualification Meet. Swedish teammates Louise Hansson (25.84) and Michelle Coleman (26.05) rounded out the top three swimmers.
• Israeli Yakov Toumarkin was the only sub-2:00 time in the men’s 200 back, touching in at 1:59.95. Czech Tomas Ludvik finished in second at 2:00.43 while Czech teammate Jan Cejka took third at 2:00.51.