The 30th International Golden Bear meet started today in Zagreb, Croatia. This is the 2nd of 2 meets to qualify for Croatia’s World Championships team. The two day meet for the men started with the 100 free, 50 breast, 400 I.M., 100 back, 200 fly, 400 free, 200 breast, and 50 fly. The women kicked off the weekend with the 200 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, 50 back, 200 I.M., 50 free, 200 back, and 800 free. Day 1 highlights:
Men’s Highlights
Men’s 100 free
Odyssefs Meladinis won the men’s 100 free in a time of 50.00. Ivan Levaj and Mario Todorović rounded out the top 3 behind him. Separated by just .03, Levaj took 2nd in 50.61. Todorović, who spent time training at Bolles with Sergio Lopez, was 3rd in 50.64.
Men’s 200 Breast
In the men’s 200 breast, champion Panagiotis Samilidis swum his way to a sub-2:15, solidifying the win in 2:14.91. Bartlomiej Roguski was 2nd in 2:16.73. Coming into the wall 3rd, Lachezar Shumkov swum a 2:17.11.
Men’s 50 fly
Mario Todorović tore through the water to come up with a 1st place finish in the men’s 50 fly. He finished in 24.10. Not far behind was Dinko Jukić, who swam a 24.38 for 2nd. Andreas Vazaios rounded out the top 3, also cracking 25 in a time of 24.77.
Women’s Highlights
Women’s 200 free
Kamila Kunka won the women’s 200 free. She took it out fast at the 100 and held on for the gold in 2:02.22. Polish Olympian and USC Trojan Kasia Wilk was 2nd in a time of 2:05.04, while Teresa Baerens was 3rd in 2:05.12.
Women’s 100 Breast
In the women’s 100 breast, Ana Radić cracked the 1:10 barrier, winning in a time of 1:09.96. Behind her, 2nd and 3rd place finishers Sztandera Dominika and Alina Zmushka both finished in the 1:11 range. Dominka outswam Zmushka for silver, 1:11.19 to 1:11.86.
Women’s 200 I.M.
Ana Radić took another first place finish in the women’s 200 I.M. Her time of 2:17.74 blew away the competition. Teresa Baerens was 2nd in 2:20.06, while Paulina Uryga finished 3rd at 2:22.85.
Women’s 50 Free
Aliaksandra Herasimenia struck the wall first, cracking the 25 barrier with a quick time of 24.98. Theodora Drakou put up a solid performance for 2nd in 25.59. Sanja Jovanović was 3rd in 26.15.
Women’s 800 Free
Kamila Kunka was the lone woman to swim under 9 minutes in this event. She touched the wall at 8:59.63. She was well ahead of 2nd place finisher Anna Metzler, who came in at 9:26.91. Dajana Schlegel was 3rd in 9:30.26.
Top 3 Finishers by Event:
Men’s 100 free
Odyssefs Meladinis 50.00, Ivan Levaj 50.61, Mario Todorović 50.64
Women’s 200 free
Kamila Kunka 2:02.22, Kasia Wilk 2:05.04, Teresa Baerens 2:05.12
Men’s 50 Breast
Michal Zawadka 28.10, Gabor Financsek 28.27, Matej Kuchar 28.29
Women’s 100 Breast
Ana Radić 1:09.96, Sztandera Dominika, 1:11.19 Alina Zmushka 1:11.86
Men’s 400 I.M.
Maciej Sobczyk 4:36.55, Kristofer Rogić 4:45.33, Stefan Brnad 4:47.47
Women’s 100 fly
Arianna Letrari 1:02.37, Katja Hajdinjak 1:02.97, Nastassia Karakouskaya 1:04.46
Men’s 100 back
Balog Gabor 55.57, Marko Krce Rabar 57.72, Teo Kolonić 58.12
Women’s 50 back
Theodora Drakou 28.46, Sanja Jovanović 29.06, Svitlana Khakhlova 29.18
Men’s 200 fly
Andreas Vazaios 2:00.19, Marcin Opalski 2:02.73, Dominik Ciezkowski 2:02.91
Women’s 200 I.M.
Ana Radić 2:17.74, Teresa Baerens 2:20.06, Paulina Uryga 2:22.85
Men’s 400 Free
Sven Arnar Saemundsso 4:04.20, Žan Pogačar 4:05.31, Marin Ercegović 4:10.67
Women’s 50 Free
Aliaksandra Herasimenia 24.98, Theodora Drakou 25.59, Sanja Jovanović 26.15
Men’s 200 Breast
Panagiotis Samilidis 2:14.91 Bartlomiej Roguski 2:16.73 Lachezar Shumkov 2:17.11
Women’s 200 back
Dajana Schlegel 2:21.49 Marta Leković 2:26.14 Melina Schlegel 2:29.54
Men’s 50 fly
Mario Todorović 24.10, Dinko Jukić 24.38, Andreas Vazaios 24.77
Women’s 800 Free
Kamila Kunka 8:59.63, Anna Metzler 9:26.91, Dajana Schlegel 9:30.26