At this past weekend’s Brazilian Junior and Senior Championships, which is sort of a last-chance qualifying meet for the Junior and Senior World Championships, 15-year old Felipe Ribeiro, in a time trial, swam a 51.23 in a 100 long course meters freestyle time trial. That makes him the fastest Brazilian (or South American) sprinter at that age, beating the time swum about 7 years ago by Renner Lima in 51.55.
Ribeiro’s story is a very interesting one. He’s now the fastest 14-year old (52.2) and 15-year old records, out of a country that is renowned for the male sprinters it produces (including World Record holder Cesar Cielo.)
Ribeiro both trains, and actually lives with, Brazil’s reigning junior superstar sprinter, Matheus Santana. Santana, who holds the 16-year olds National Record, is dating Ribeiro’s sister, and thus Santana has come to live with the Riberos. This could make for a very interesting rivalry as the two continue to move into Brazil’s senio ranks.
They will compete together on a 400 free relay as part of a loaded roster of 32 that heads to Dubai for the Junior World Championships this summer. That includes 21 boys and 11 girls. That’s a huge roster, and encouraging for a Brazilian team that has struggled with depth in recent years, especially on the women’s side.
Girls (11)
50m free – Fernanda Delgado, ATN Tubarão/SC (26s07) / Julia Nilton, Círculo Militar/CE (26s21)
100m free – Giovanna Diamante, Sesi/SP (56s95) / Natalia de Luccas, Corinthians/SP (57s02)
100m backstroke – Natalia de Luccas (1m02s47)
100m fly – Thais Xavier, Fluminense/RJ (1m01s72) / Giovanna Diamante (1m01s78)
200m fly – Mariana Serrano Souza, Sesi/SP (2m17s92) / Giovanna Diamante (2m18s67)
Boys (21)
50m free – Guilherme Ocampo, Corinthians/SP (22s99) / Jackson Cândido Santos, Unisanta/SP (23s07)
100m free – Matheus Santana, Unisanta/SP (50s25) / Pedro Spajari, Pinheiros/SP (50s97)
200m free – Luiz Altamir Melo, Flamengo/RJ (1m50s71) / Diego Stelzer, Corinthians/SP (1m52s00)
400m free – Luiz Altamir Melo (3m55s74) / Brandonn Almeida, Corinthians/SP (3m57s20)
1500m free – Brandonn Almeida (15m31s52)
100m backstroke – Vitor Guaraldo, Pinheiros/SP (56s08) / Gustavo Louzada, Grêmio Náutico União/RS (56s63)
200m backstroke – Luiz Souza Vieira, Pinheiros/SP (2m03s04) / Gustavo Louzada (2m03s56)
100m fly – Pedro Vieira, Corinthians/SP (53s97) / Henrique Painhas, Clube Curitibano/PR (54s86)
200m fly- Luiz Altamir Melo (2m01s54) / Matheus Isidro, Corinthians/SP (2m02s21)
100m breaststroke – Pedro Cardona, Pinheiros/SP (1m02s45) / Felipe Monni, Pinheiros/SP (1m03s22)
200m breaststroke – Arthur Pedroso, Corinthians/SP (2m18s90) / Gabriel Freitas, Pinheiros/SP (2m19s13)
400m medley – Brandonn Almeida (4m25s93)
Relays for Junior Worlds
4x100m free M = Matheus Santana (50s25) / Pedro Spajari (50s97) / Felipe Ribeiro de Souza, (51s23) / Gabriel Santos, Pinheiros/SP (51s32)
4x100m frelivre F = Giovana Diamante (56s95) / Natalia de Luccas (57s02) / Andressa Cholodovski Lima, Minas Tênis/MG (57s23) / Luana Ribeiro, Fluminense/RJ (57s57)
4x200m free M = Luiz Altamir Melo (1m50s71) / Diego Stelzer (1m52s00) / Bruno Gurian, Corinthians/SP (1m52s25) / João Pedro Cervone, Paineiras/SP (1m52s64)
4x200m free F = Andressa Cholodovski (2m03s76) / Viviane Jungblut, Grêmio Náutico União/RS (2m04s43) / Nathalia Almeida, Flamengo/RJ (2m04s95) / Natalia de Luccas (2m05s33)
4x100m medley M = Vitor Guaraldo (56s08) / Pedro Cardona (1m02s45) / Pedro Vieira (53s97) / Matheus Santana (50s25)
4x100m medley F = Natalia de Luccas (1m02s47) / Giovanna Dorigon, Clube Curitibano/PR (m12s21) / Thais Xavier (1m01s72) / Giovanna Diamante (56s95)
Santana actually is the fastest 50 freestyler of all juniors, with a 22.72 from last year Rio de Janeiro State Champs. but that competition was not valid for Junior Worlds..