Guilherme Costa Leads The Olympic-Qualifying Charge On Day 1 Of Brazilian Championships

2024 BRAZILIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Monday, May 6th – Saturday, May 11th
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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The 2024 Brazilian Swimming Championships kicked off last night from Rio with swimmers vying for slots on the nation’s roster for this summer’s Olympic Games.

As we reported in February, six swimmers have already hit CBDA Olympic qualification times and will likely represent Brazil in Paris. Their spots will be guaranteed unless two other Brazilian swimmers nail cuts in the same events this week.

The swimmers in this grouping include Beatriz Dizotti, Gabrielle Roncatto, Maria Fernanda Costa, Kayky Mota, Guilherme Costa, and Gui Caribe.

Costa and Roncotto raced in the women’s 400m free on day one of this competition with the pair finishing 1-2.

Costa stopped the clock in 4:06.11 to take the gold, clearing the 4:07.90 QT needed for Paris. Roncatto touched well behind in 4:09.00 while Leticia Ramao rounded out the podium in 4:10.64.

Costa has already been as fast as 4:02.86 this season, the South American continental record she established en route to placing 4th in the 4free at this year’s World Championships. Roncatto was 5th in that Doha race, nailing 4:04.18. Since no one beat these women’s performances here, they have both most likely sealed the spots on the Brazilian Olympic roster.

Post-race, Costa said “I felt well. It’s not my best, but I’m really glad I did the qualification time again. Women’s swimming has evolved a lot and that makes me very happy.”

Roncatto said, “I expected to do a little better. I also wanted to swim below the qualification time, but that’s what Mafe [coach] said: respect the process, respect the training phases and focus on representing Brazil in the best way possible in Paris.”

The men’s 400m free saw Guilherme Costa get it done for gold, producing an effort of 3:46.90.

That gave him a healthy advantage over Stephan Steverink who was next to the wall in 3:47.48 as the only other sub-3:50 swimmer. Eduardo Moraes was the bronze medalist in 3:51.51.

The top trio missed the Olympic Qualification Time of 3:46.78; however, Costa already achieved the mark by hitting 3:44.22 as he placed 4th in the event in Doha.

“I would have liked to have swum a little better. In the morning I felt good. I’m in a very strong training phase for the Olympic Games. That’s where I have to swim fast,” Costa said.

Quotes courtesy of CBDA.

Additional Winners

• No man dipped under the 1:00 threshold in the 100m breaststroke as Caio Pumputis got to the wall first in 1:00.81. At 38 years of age, Joao Gomes Junior can still get it in gear, snagging silver in 1:01.03. Raphael Windmuller captured bronze in 1:01.34.
• Although 2 women were in the 59-zone in the prelims, no one was able to break the minute barrier when it came to the 100m fly final. Daynara Paula led the charge in 1:00.00 while Celine Bispo clocked 1:00.06 and Beatriz Bezerra logged 1:00.14 for silver and bronze, respectively.

Brazilian Olympic Qualifiers Through Day 1

• Maria Fernanda Costa – women’s 400m free (World Championships)
• Gabrielle Roncatto – women’s 400m free (World Championships)
• Guilherme Costa – men’s 400m free (World Championships)