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South America: Brazilian Men’s Team Takes A Big Hit Without Gabriel Santos

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Brazilian men have taken a large deficit with the recent decision to suspend sprinter Gabriel Santos right in Gwangju and remove him immediately from the championships. G. Santos was a vital member of the men’s 4x100m free relay. In 2017, he was a member of the silver-medal winning relay that also set the national and South American record of 3:10.34.

Taking his place was Pedro Spajari, who split 48.14 in the final. During the 2017 final, G. Santos led off the relay with a 48.30. However, it was Marcelo Chierighini in 2017 that split the 46.85 to power their relay. This year, Chierighini only swam a 48.10 lead-off. The remaining members of the relay, Bruno Fratus (47.78) and Breno Correia (47.97), had the fastest two splits of the relay. Without G. Santos, the Brazilians faded to sixth place with a time of 3:11.99.

The downfall from G. Santos’ removal followed the Brazilians into the individual events. No country from South America has earned a medal from the first four finals, and the day 2 finals will only feature one opportunity to earn a medal. Brazilian breaststroke stars Felipe Lima and Joao Gomes both missed the top 8 in the 100 breast, with Lima finishing 18th in prelims and Gomes finishing 11th in semifinals.

Tomorrow, Brazilian Nicholas Santos has a great chance at picking up his country’s and South America’s first pool medal of these championships in the 50 fly. N. Santos finished second in the semifinals of the event in a 22.77, just 0.17s off his national and continental record of 22.60.

South American Records Broken:

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Jimbo
5 years ago

In unrelated news. Conderellis walkout song is billy Joel because he likes pianos

Really
5 years ago

Imagine where the Chinese would be without THEIR cheater….

Rafael
5 years ago

I will be very pissed if they drop a 3:10 at pan American

Swimmer
Reply to  Rafael
5 years ago

I expected them to be close to 3.10.00 but was vert disappointed by their times.

Dee
5 years ago

What happened with Correia?

Snarky
5 years ago

Want to compete? Don’t dope. I mean don’t use your brother’s “aftershave”.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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