2016 Maria Lenk Trophy: Day 2 Finals Real-Time Recap

2016 MARIA LENK TROPHY OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, April 15th – Wednesday, April 20th
• Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Prelims 9:30am local/8:30am EDT; Finals 5:30pm local/4:30pm EDT
• Brazilian Olympic Selection Criteria
• Maria Lenk Start List
• Meet Schedule
• Real-Time Results
• Qualifiers after Day 1

There were no newly minted FINA ‘A’ qualification standards achieved by Brazilian hopefuls this morning, but the stage is set for a number of athletes to obtain a roster position, and between two athletes the chances of lowering South American Records are high.

In the women’s 100m back, Etiene Medeiros was unable to break the minute barrier and approach her Brazilian National Record of 59.61, but a 1:00.00 (29.14/20.86) established a new Maria Lenk Championship Record all the same.

Nicolas Oliveira cranked out the world’s 15th fastest 200m free with a 1:46.97 in prelims, pushing South American record-holder Joao de Lucca (1:47.77) to the runner-up position going into tonight. de Lucca’s SA Record of 1:46.42 could be in danger if Oliveira’s effort in finals surpasses his morning swim.

The Brazilians have some catching up to do in the women’s 100m breast. Argentine athlete Macarena Ceballos clocked 1:08.73 this morning and is .35 quicker than her nearest competitor, Jhennifer Alves.

As Brazil’s best chance of scoring in the 100m backstroke at the Olympics, Guilherme Guido came scarily close this morning to matching his South American record and 6th world-ranked standard of 53.09 with a 53.10. The next native athlete to contend for the other roster position is Henrique Rodrigues. The FINA ‘A’ cut stands at 54.36 so he’ll need a boosted swim to lower his 54.70 from prelims.

Lastly, Brazilian record-holder Manuella Lyrio played it a bit safe in the women’s 400m free, touching in at 4:16.89, she’ll enter the final behind top-seed and international guest Chinatsu Sato of Japan’s 4:15.99.

WOMEN’S 100 METER BACK – FINALS

• Brazilian Record: Etiene Medeiros, 59.61, 2015
• FINA ‘A’ Qualification Standard: 1:00.25
• ‘A’ Qualifiers from Brazil Open: N/A

1. Etiene Medeiros, SESI-SP, 1:00.11
2. Katarina Listopadova, Slovakia, 1:00.67*
3. Natalia De Luccas, Corinthians, 1:01.11
4. Maria Pessanha, Marina BC/RJ, 1:02.63

* – Denotes international swimmers

Brazilian record-holder Etiene Medeiros opened the race with 28.63, leading with Natalia De Lucca’s 29.41 and Katarina Listopadova’s 29.83 right behind her going into the turn. Medeiros’ challengers put up a bigger fight than this morning, only allowing her to finish in 1:00.11. Slovakia’s Listopadova edged De Lucca for the second place position, 1:00.67 versus 1:01.11.

CR Flamengo’s Julia De Miranda, swimming in the outside lane, clocked a 30.94 on the opening 50 meters of the B final. She loss that lead, however, as Isabella Silva of Corinthians, who was racing in the opposite outside lane, charged home to take the consolations in 1:03.79.

MEN’S 200 METER FREE – FINALS

• Brazilian Record: Joao de Lucca, 1:46.42, 2015
• FINA ‘A’ Qualification Standard: 1:47.91
• ‘A’ Qualifiers from Brazil Open: Nicolas Oliveira (1:47.09), Joao De Lucaa (1:47.81)

1. Joao de Lucca, Pinheiros, 1:47.65
2. Federico Grabich, Argentina, 1:47.92*
3. Nicolas Oliveira, Fiat/Minas, 1:48.17
4. Luis Melo, CR Flamengo, 1:48.29

* – Denotes international swimmers

What could have been a potential Brazilian record-breaking swim quickly became just a race for placement. Federico Grabich of Argentina jumped off the blocks to lead the first quarter of the race in 25.02, but was over taken by Brazil’s record-holder Joao de Lucca by the 100 wall in 52.63. de Lucca charged home in 1:47.65 for the 200m free title as compared to Grabich’s 1:47.92 for a runner-up position. Top-seed Nicolas Oliveira had a disappointing swim, he wasn’t able to keep pace with either swimmer and finished in third-place with a sobering 1:48.17.

Inspired by the championship final’s unfortunate results, Fernando Scheffer of GNU sprinted his race quicker than anyone, including the championship finalists. Out in 25.10 and flipping at the 100 wall in 51.89, he was faster than De Lucca, but wasn’t able to hold on the last quarter of the race. CR Flamengo’s Luis Melo closed a bit better to win the consolation final in 1:48.29 over Scheffer’s 1:50.27.

Of note, Andre Pereira from GNU recorded a personal best of 1:48.72 and earned a slot along with Melo in the Brazilian 800m free relay.

WOMEN’S 100 METER BREAST – FINALS

• Brazilian Record: Tatiana Sakemi, 1:07.67, 2009
• FINA ‘A’ Qualification Standard: 1:07.85
• ‘A’ Qualifiers from Brazil Open: N/A

1. Macarena Ceballos, Argentina, 1:08.03*
2. Jhennifer Alves, Pinheiros, 1:08.31
3. Julia Sebastian, Unisanta, 1:08.85
4. Ana Carvalho, Pinheiros, 1:09.31

* – Denotes international swimmers

Out to avenge her second-place finish this morning to a non-Brazilian, Jhennifer Alves cleared the field on the opening lap with 31.61, quicker than her prelims Argentine nemesis, Macarena Ceballos (32.51). There were others out quicker than Ceballos as well including Ana Carvalho (31.95) and Renata Sander (32.34), however, the Argentine swimmer closed the race better than anyone to finish in 1:08.03, .70 quicker than prelims. Alves vastly improved upon her prelims race as well as she finished out in 1:08.31 with Julia Sebastian dropping under 1:09 for a 1:08.85.

There was a tight race in the B final with Carolyne De Souza and Pamela Souza twinning it at the 50 turn in 33.29. The respective Pinheiros and Corinthains club members duked it out the last 15 meters, but it would be De Souza in 1:10.25 to Souza’s 1:10.74. Both ladies dropped considerably off their morning swims.

MEN’S 100 METER BACK – FINALS

• Brazilian Record: Guilherme Guido, 53.09, 2015
• FINA ‘A’ Qualification Standard: 53.36
• ‘A’ Qualifiers from Brazil Open: Guilherme Guido (53.09)

1. Guilherme Guido, Pinheiros, 53.25
2. Henrique Rodrigues, Pinheiros, 54.41
3. Vitor Guaraldo, Pinheiros, 54.63

After nearly tying his Brazilian National Record this morning by .01, Guilherme Guido registered a 50 split of 25.80, .38 faster than his nearest competitor, Vitor Guaraldo (26.18). Guido’s finals swim wasn’t as exciting as the morning edition though the Pinheiros club member turned a 53.25 to take the 100 back Maria Lenk Trophy title. Henrique Rodriques might have taken it out a tad slower than Guaraldo, but hurtled home faster to earn second-place with an improved-from-prelims-time of 54.41. Guaraldo touched in for third-place at 54.63, another improved prelims swim.

WOMEN’S 400 METER FREE – FINALS

• Brazilian Record: Manuella Lyrio, 4:09.96, 2015
• FINA ‘A’ Qualification Standard: 4:09.08
• ‘A’ Qualifiers from Brazil Open: N/A

1. Manuella Lyrio, Pinheiros, 4:09.48
2. Katarina Listopadova, Slovakia, 4:14.02*
3. Viviane Eichelberger, GNU, 4:15.58
4. Bruna Primati , SESI-SP, 4:15.65

* – Denotes international swimmers

Manuella Lyrio entered tonight’s with a rather unsuspecting 4:16.89 behind Japan’s Chinatsu Sato. Tonight’s would be a different story entirely as she smashed her own Brazilian National Record by nearly a half a second to win it all in 4:09.48. Sadly though, the swim fell short of a FINA ‘A’ qualification standard and an Olympic position, but she was on pace throughout the swim. Lyrio opened the first 100 meters in 1:00.75, then 2:03.70 at the halfway mark, and holding an average of 31-mids, Lyrio closed the last 100 meters with 31.78/31.81 splits. She swam uncontested, keeping the Slovakian Listopadova (4:14.02) by nearly five seconds.

Sato would finish in fourth-place with 4:16.36 while Jessica Moretti of Corinthians locked up the B final with 4:21.84.

Team Standings through Prova/Event 10

1. Pinheiros – 711.00
2. Corinthians – 315.00
3. SESI-SP – 233.00
4. Fiat/Minas – 228.00
5. Unisanta – 171.00
6. GNU – 156.00
7. CR Flamengo/RJ – 128.00
8. Fluminense FC/RJ – 35.00
9. Centro Olympico – 27.00
10. Marina BC/RJ – 25.00