2019 Brazil Trophy Night 6: Scheffer Smashes Own S. American 400 FR Record

2019 BRAZIL TROPHY (FORMERLY MARIA LENK)

• April 16th-21st, 2019
• Maria Lenk Aquatic Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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The final day of the 2019 Brazil Trophy, Brazil’s national championships, saw a number of world top five swims and South American records. Pinheiros also showed off its sprint depth as it battled from behind to defend its overall team title.

Men’s 400 free

• Defending champion: Fernando Scheffer, 3:49.06

Fernando Scheffer kicked off the final night by smashing his own South American record in the 400 free. He went 3:47.99, splitting 26.21/28.86/28.77/29.60/28.63/29.23/29.21/28.20, well under his previous best of 3:49.06. Luiz Altamir Melo (Pinheiros) came near the previous record to finish second in 3:49.33. In third was Miguel Valente (Minas), who won the 800 earlier in the meet, going 3:51.08.

Women’s 50 Free

• Defending champion: Lorrane Ferreira, 24.94

Veteran Etiene Medeiros (SESI-SP), known primarily as a perennial world leader in the 50 back, nabbed a win and meet record in the 50 free. She went 24.53, the No. 7 time in the world this year. She recently said she’s focusing more on free training than on backstroke in an attempt to make the 4×100 free Olympic relay team. American Mallory Comerford, representing Minas for the week, took second place in 24.89. In third was defending champion Lorrane Ferreira, of Pinheiros, in 25.30.

Men’s 50 free

• Defending champion: Bruno Fratus, 21.35

Bruno Fratus (Minas) was the only man under :22 in both prelims and finals, ending the day as the world’s leader in this event. He went 21.47 Sunday night.

• Click here to read more about Fratus’ swim.

Pinheiros swimmers finished second through fifth, as well as seventh and eighth. Marcelo Chierighini took second place in 22.05; he set the South American textile 100 free record earlier (47.68) in the meet. In third place was Pedro Spajari in 22.07, in fourth was Gabriel Santos in 22.14, and in fifth was Luiz Borges (son of Brazilian great Gustavo) in 22.21. Pinheiros swimmers went 1, 2, 3, 4 in the 100 free, but with Breno Correia instead of Borges.

The team has a storied sprinting tradition as the former home of Cesar Cielo, current world record holder in the 50 and 100 free – Cielo cut ties with the team earlier this year and did not compete at the Brazil Trophy.

Women’s 200 back

• Defending Champion: Andrea Berrinho, 2:13.20

Curitiba’s Fernanda Goeij won the women’s 200 back in 2:12.69, splitting 31.78/34.31/33.57/33.30. In second was Unisanta’s Andrea Berrinho, the defending champion, in 2:13.03. Taking third was Saturday’s 200 IM winner Ilaria Cusinato (Minas) in 2:13.60. Pinheiro’s Maria Pessanha was the only other swimmer under 2:15, taking fourth in 2:13.81.

Men’s 200 back

• Defending champion: Leonardo de Deus, 1:59.27

Leonardo de Deus defended his 2018 title in the men’s 200 back by well over two seconds, going 1:58.12 (27.65/29/82/30.0/30.65). Brandonn Almeida (Corinthians). who swam one season for the University of South Carolina before heading back to Brazil to train last fall, took second place in 2:00.77. In third place was Gabriel Fantoni (Minas) in 2:01.69.

Women’s 50 breast

• Defending champion: Jhennifer Alves Conceição , 30.64

After breaking her own South American record in the 50 breast by just .01 in prelims, Pinheiros’ Jhennifer Alves Conceição lowered it by .03 more in finals, winning the event in 30.47. She remains No. 4 in the world this year. Macareno Ceballos, representing Flamengo, took second in 31.01. In third was Julia Sebastian, who broke her own South American record in the 100 breast earlier in the meet, in 31.35.

Men’s 50 breast

• Defending champion: Joao Gomes Jr., 26.85

Defending champion Joao Gomes Jr. (Pinheiros) swam a world-leading 26.42 in prelims this morning in the men’s 50 breast, but finished third in finals in 26.80. His teammate Felipe Lima, who was 26.48 this morning, won the event in 26.50. Taking second was Unisanta’s Felipe Silva in 26.75.

Women’s 4×100 medley relay

• Defending champion: Pinheiros

Pinheiros’ team of Maria Pessanha, Jhennifer Alves Conceição, Giovanna Diamente and Larissa Oliveira won the women’s 4×100 free relay in 4:04.49. Minas took second in 4:05.37 and Flamengo was third in 4:07.29.

Men’s 4×100 medley relay

• Defending champion: Minas

The Pinheiros men’s team of Guilherme Guido, Felipe Lima, Pedro Vieira, and Marcelo Chierighini won their 4×100 medley relay in 3:32.98 (54.04/59.06/52.28/47.60). Minas took second in 3:34.97 and Unisanta was third in 3:38.74.

Team Scores

Minas, armed with a number of international swimmers to boost points, built a lofty lead on defending champion Pinheiros early in the meet. Minas still led by nearly 200 points after day four, but Pinheiros had reeled them back to within 25 points after day five. Thanks in part to its sprint prowess on the men’s side, going 1-2-3-4 in the 100 free and 2-3-4-5-7-8 in the 50, and winning every relay, as well as the extra points for Sunday’s South American records in the 50 breast for both genders, Pinheiros came out on top in the end.

1st		PINHEIROS	2,789.00
2nd		MINAS	2,565.50
3rd		CORINTHIANS	998.00
4th		UNISANTA	879.00
5th		FLAMENGO	659.50

Minas’ Mallory Comerford, who broke the Brazil Trophy record in the 100 free, and Pinheiros’ Marcelo Chierighini, who broke the South American textile 100 free record, were given the female and male awards for performance of the meet, respectively. Comerford was the highest-scoring female swimmer of the meet, and Fernando Scheffer the highest-scoring male.