D’Artagnan Dias contributed to this report.
In Brazil, the Jose Finkel Trophy is continuing, serving as Brazil’s short course nationals and its selection meet for the Short Course World Championships in Doha, Qatar this winter.
Day 5 was all about the relays, with two giant splits propelling relays to new meet records, plus a Netherlands record for Femke Heemskerk and another Worlds bid for Thiago Simon and Nicholas Dos Santos.
Courtesy of SwimSwam’s South American correspondent D’Artagnan Dias, here’s a rundown of day 5:
In the women’s 200IM, everyone was the same pace in the first 50 meters until Frederike “Femke” Heemskerk (Fiat/Minas) turned on her jets and ran away from the field in a new CR and Netherlands record of 2:07.91. She earns extra points for Minas because her swim is lower than the South American record, a 2:09.03 from Joanna Maranhão in 2009). Gabriele Roncatto (Pinheiros) was second in 2:12.52 with Florência Perotti (GNU) in third (2:13.35).
In the men’s 200IM, 400IM winner Thiago Simon (Corinthians) opened strong (24.76) and was never bothered the rest of the way by a field that fell far behind his wake. Even fading a bit in the free leg (Simon closed with a 28.78), he was OK, as his breast leg was far superior to the field (32.40 against 33:83 from his nearest competitor). Simon won in 1:54.53 , earning his fourth world champs cut. Henrique Rodrigues (Pinheiros) was a very happy second with 1:56.11, coming off of shoulder surgery and only two months training to assure himself a spot in Doha. Fernando Da Silva (Fiat/Minas) got third with a 1:56.57.
In the women’s 50 fly, Daynara De Paula (SESI) won in 26:07 putting Daiene Dias (Botafogo) in second with a 26:38 and Daniele Paoli (Pinheiros) third in 26.66.
The men’s 50 fly was a tight race. Cesar Cielo (Fiat/Minas) and Nicholas Dos Santos (Unisanta) made even breakouts after the start, but a much better underwater following the turn put Dos Santos well ahead of Cielo. Cielo exploded closing at the end, but ran out of pool and Dos Santos won in 22:43 against 22:46 from Cielo. Glauber Silva (ICB) was third in 22:88.The cut was 22:85, but Cielo said he will probably not swim this race at Worlds because it falls too close to his 50 free.
In the women’s 400 free, Carolina Bilich was the rabbit, jumping out to a large lead and making the field chase her early on. She turned at 59.50 at the 100 and 2:02.60 at the 200 and maintained her lead until the 300-mark. Her speed went donwhill from there and she faded to fourth place in 4:11.62. Two SESI teamates (Jessica Cavalheiro and Bruna Primati) were swimming a close race in lanes 5 and 4, and when Bilich faded, the two stepped ahead of the rest and Cavalheiro won in 4:07.98 with Primati in second with a 4:08.41. Manuella Lyrio (Minas) was third in 4:09.68.
In the men’s 400 free, the field stayed close over the first 100 meters, with most swimmers in the 54-range. Around 200 meters, things suddenly became a one man race with Miguel Leite Valente (Fiat/Minas) pulling away further with each turn to win with a new meet record (3:44.43). Two of Valente’s teammates got second (Marcos Ferrari in 3:46.61) and third (Lucas Kanieski in 3:47.58).
In the 4×100 free relay, it was the same end to the story for each gender.
On the women’s side, it was a close race with five teams (Pinheiros, SESI, GNU, Corinthians and Minas) trading blows till 300meters when Minas’s recurring relay weapon Femke Heemskerk split a ridiculous 51.34 after jumping in the pool over two seconds behind Pinheiros(2:44.05 to 2:46.19). Heemskerk’s huge split delivered Minas a victory by almost two seconds with a new CR of 3:37.53. Pinheiros took second with a 3:39.32 and SESI third in 3:39.49.
For the men, Pinheiros opened a lead with João De Lucca’s 47.39, with Minas, Botafogo and Corinthians running behind. Around 200meters, Nicolas Oliveira put Minas ahead, but Bruno Fratus split a 47.13 against the 48.01 from Fernando da Silva to put Pinheiros 0.6 ahead of Minas. But when Cesar Cielo jumped in the pool the scene changed. Drastically. Cielo split 21.51 to his feet and closed in 23.99, adding up to a fantastic 45.50 to make Minas the winners in a new CR of 3:08.24. Pinheiros was second with a 3:09.22, and Unisanta was third in 3:12 flat.
51.3! 45.5! Woooaah, bring on short course worlds already