Sao Paulo has a commanding lead in the points standings after the first night of competition at the Chico Piscina Trophy in Brazil. The team’s point total of 149 is almost double second place Minas Gerais who collected 78 points.
The Chico Piscina Trophy is an international competition which includes Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. There are two age divisions; children (athletes born in 2001 and 2002) and youth (athletes born in 1999 and 2000).
The most exciting race of the evening occurred in the youth female 400 freestyle where Maria Heitmann and Rafaela Raurich battled for the gold. At the 300 meter mark Heitmann led by two one-hundredths of a second, but out swam Raurich by over a second in the final 100 meters to win the event in a time of 4:16.86.
Raurich finished second in a time of 4:17.91.
Both girls destroyed the competition record of 4:19.90.
The male youth 50 freestyle was also a thrilling race between Enzo Sasho and Gabriel Cardeves. Sasho took the event in a time of 23.86 followed by Cardeves who hit the wall in a time of 23.95.
Four Sao Paulo athletes earn gold on Thursday night. In the female childern 400 freestyle Maria Sumida dominated the competition winning the event in a time of 4:25.02 six seconds ahead of the field.
In the male children 400 freestyle Murilo Sortori took the event in a time of 4:08.19 three seconds ahead of the next competitor.
Caio Dumputis won the male youth 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:04.13 while Clarissa Rodrigues took the female youth 50 freestyle in a time of 26.68.
There were two foreign athletes, both from Argentina, who won events. Kevin Diaz won the male children 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:07.37 while Rolandi Malena took the female youth 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:09.12.
Full results can be found here.