South America Day 5 Recap: Thiago Pereira and the 200 IM Focus

National Records:

• Brazil – Men’s 200 back – Leonardo De Deus: 1:57.00

While the medal table for the South Americans still sits empty, Thiago Pereira had an outstanding performance in the semifinals of the men’s 200 IM tonight, even finishing ahead of Kosuke Hagino, the man who many feel could be the only force to dethrone the Michael Phelps/Ryan Lochte duo from the top two slots.

Pereira has been a major force on the world stage for as long as many of us can remember (if you all, like me, are 23 years old). Pereira swam his first Olympics back in 2004, finishing fifth in the 200 IM. In 2012, Pereira was the Olympic silver medalist in the 400 IM, and he took silver in the 200 IM at last year’s World Championships in Kazan (1:56.65).

However, going into the Brazil Open, Brazil’s first of two Olympic qualifiers, back in December, it looked like Pereira may have been on the decline. He entered only one event: the 200 IM, foregoing his usual 400 IM, breaststroke, and backstroke events. He made the Olympic team, but finished second behind his countryman Henrique Rodrigues, clocking a respectable 1:58.32.

Soon, news broke that Pereira wasn’t tapered for the meet and would be focusing on the Maria Lenk Trophy, the second Olympic qualifier, in April instead. The expectation was that Pereira would take on more events there.

Instead, Pereira kept his focus narrow, and came into the Olympics with just one event: the 200 IM. This seemed like a strange move for such a versatile swimmer.

However, while some swimmers may see a one-event  focus as a weakness, Pereira has been able to throw all of his efforts and preparation in one meticulously-planned direction. At the age of 30, Pereira has taken on a bold strategy of throwing all his efforts into the very event that is dominated by the two most decorated male Olympians of all time.

And tonight, we saw that effort pay off with a beautiful 1:57.11 swim. He led Phelps and Lochte through the first part of the race and was still able to hold off Hagino from the first semi.

Tomorrow, Pereira will take on the behemoth Americans along with the upstart 21-year-old from Japan. Perhaps his secret edge will be the focus that comes from training day in and day out for a single event.

In other day five news for the Brazilians, Etiene Medeiros finished at the bottom of the women’s 100 free semifinal with 54.59. In semifinals of the men’s 200 back, Leonardo De Deus, who set a Brazilian record this morning finished up 13th, and his teammate Henrique Rodrigues just missed the final of the 200 IM, finishing 9th with 1:59.23. Meanwhile, Marcelo Chierighini finished at the bottom of the Olympic final of the men’s 100 freestyle with 48.41.