2019 TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION MEET
- Edirne, TUR
- April 3rd-7th, 2019
- Prelims-Finals, Long Course Meters (50m)
- Full Results
The fifth and final day of the 2019 Turkish National Team Selection Meet held witness to the men’s and women’s 400 free, 100 fly, 200 IM, 50 breast, as well as the mixed 400 medley and freestyle relays.
15-year-old Beril Böcekler earned not only her third national title but also her third national record of the meet on day five. The young star won the 400 free in by almost six seconds, clocking a 4:15.75 to lower her former national record by a tenth of a second.
Nida Eliz Üstündaǧ, the national record holder in the 200 fly, took home the national crown in the 100 fly in a time of 1:01.49. Claiming the runner-up spot in the event was Duru Tanir with her 1:02.52 to narrowly out-touch Merve Tuncel, who hit the wall at 1:02.60.
In the women’s 200 IM, 15-16 national age group record holder Doǧa Babacan picked up her first event win of the meet, finishing in a time of 2:20.30. Running second and third were teammates Defne Kurt and Mina Ada Solaker, recording respective times of 2:22.40 and 2:22.50.
While Viktoria Günes’s absence in the 50 breast denied her the breaststroke sweep, 13, 14, and 15-16 national age group record holder in the event Gülşen Beste Samanci took home a comfortable victory with her final time of 32.64. Karya Sekman took second in 33.16.
Yiǧit Aslan, who won the men’s 1500 and 800 freestyles earlier on in the meet, was also denied a sweep of the distance frees in the 400 free by Baturalp Ünlü, the winner of the 200 free last night. Although Aslan had the stronger back-half, Ünlü held on for first, stopping the clock at 3:55.57. Aslan settled for second with a 3:56.09.
Berk Özkul dominated the 100 fly with a swift 53.93, over a second ahead of Emir Şimşek’s second place winning time of 55.09.
Earning his third individual event title of the meet, Metin Aydin established a new national record in the men’s 200 IM with a winning time of 2:00.95 – eliminating Alpkan Örnek’s former record of 2:01.84 from 2016. Örnek finished second in the race, touching the wall at 2:03.57.
Demirkan Demir was a hair off cracking 28 seconds in the men’s 50 breast, but still netted the event win with his final time of 29.05. Following closely behind was Murat Görkem Narman at 29.24.
Elçin Türkmenoǧlu (1:05.86), Nisa Eliz Üstündaǧ (1:00.79), Gülşen Beste Samanci (1:09.10) and Selen Özbilen (56.49) took home the mixed women’s 400 medley relay title (mixed as in from different clubs, rather than sexes) with their final time of 4:12.24.
Metin Aydin (55.87), Berk Özkul (52.96), Berkay Ömer Öǧretir (59.66) and Doğa Çelik (51.27) combined to win the mixed men’s 400 medley in a combined time of 3:39.76.
Author’s Note: We are still waiting on results from the mixed 400 freestyle relays.