Majchrzak Nails 1:47.3 200 Free While Wilk Collects 2nd Polish Record

2019 POLISH NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, May 15th – Sunday, May 19th
• Olsztyn, Poland
• LCM
• Polish Selection Criteria for 2019 World Championships
• Polish Selection Criteria for 2019 Universiade
• Start List
• SwimSwam Meet Preview
• Day 1 Recap
• Live Results
• Live Stream

The 2nd day of the Polish National Swimming Championships got underway tonight in Olsztyn, with another national record biting the dust and more World Championships cuts getting collected.

First in the women’s 200m freestyle, however, just one woman made it under the 2:00 mark represented by 19-year-old Aleksandra Polanska. The Raszyn swimmer raced her way to the top of the podium in 1:59.59, her first venture under the barrier. Previous to this meet Polanksa’s personal best rested at the 2:01.22 clocked last month at the Grand Prix Puchar Polski.

Behind her tonight was 18-year-old Dominika Kossakowska, who earned silver in 2:01.00, while 16-year-old Marta Klimek rounded out the top 3 in 2:01.17. Klimek produced a European Junior Championships-worthy effort, but the senior women fell short of the Worlds qualifying mark of 1:58.66.

Reigning Polish National Record holder in the men’s 200m free event, Kacper Majchrzak, led a charge of 5 men all under the 1:50 mark tonight in the final. Splitting 51.55/55.77, 27-year-old Majchrzak put up a time of 1:47.32 for gold in his fastest time in a year. His time tonight beat out the 1:47.64 he logged in Glasgow last year at the European Championships, a time which rendered him 9th and out of the final.

Majchrzak’s national standard is represented by the 1:46.19 he threw down for silver behind Lithuania’s Danas Rapšys at the 2017 World University Games. With his outing this evening, Majchrzak should qualify for his spot on the Polish World Championships roster, dipping under the 1:47.40 qualification time, albeit barely.

The women’s 50m back event also saw a World Championships qualifying effort, courtesy of Alicja Tchorz. The 27-year-old veteran followed up her 50m freestyle silver from last night with a gold in this sprint back event, stopping the clock in a time of 28.06. That’s not too terribly off the 27.72 National Record Tchorz produced in Glasgow last year in the semi-finals of the event. She would wind up 4th in the 50m back at those European Championships in a slightly slower 27.74.

Klaudia Nazieblo took silver tonight in 28.89, while Zuzanna Herasimowicz, 17, collected bronze in the other sub-29 second outing of the field in 28.93, good enough to qualify for the European Junior Championships.

In relay action, Katarzyna Wilk made more history, clinching the Polish National REcord in the women’s 100m freestyle with her 54.22 lead-off.  Although relay lead-offs aren’t applicable for World Championships consideration times, per the Polish selection criteria, her performance bodes well for her individual event. Look for a separate post on her achievement.

Additional Winners:

• 24-year-old Rafal Bugdol snagged teh men’s 50m back gold in a time of 25.42, his career-best by .07.
• The women’s 100m breast saw 2 competitors get under 1:09, led by Weronika Hallmann‘s winning effort of 1:08.75. Next in line was Alexandra Iwanowska, who touched .2 later in 1:08.95.
• Jan Kalusowski hit 1:01.40 for the men’s 100m breaststroke tonight for the win.