Special thanks to our Brazlian correspondents Caio Leal and D’Artagnan Dias. Caio writes a great Portugese-Language swimming blog at http://simplesmenteesporte.wordpress.com/.
Brazil’s World Championship Trials are not as formal as many of the others that we’ve seen the past few weeks (Japan, Australia, South Africa, etc.). The swimmers have 3 different meets at which to achieve qualifying standards set by the Brazilian Federation (CBDA), that are significantly faster than the A-cuts set by FINA. The three meets are last year’s Pan Pacs, this week’s Trial for the World Championships, and the Maria Lenk Trophy that will take place at the beginning of May. The latter of these is where many swimmers are expected to post their best times.
The lofty standards to which the CBDA are holding their athletes has stirred up a bit of controversy as to whether these lofty standards will encourage fast swimming or hinder the growth of the sport at an elite level. None-the-less, the show is proceeding, and there were some great swims on the first day of this meet.
The big show at any Brazilian meet is sprinter Cesar Cielo, and he was no disappointment in his first event: the 100 free. He took a big win in 48.66, which ties him for 7th-fastest swim in the world this year. Besides Cielo, big Brazilian meets like this have become a fertile scouting ground for future World-Class sprinters, and the runner-up in this race is a name to watch: Bruno Fratus. He’s only 21, but in this meet posted a 49.40 that is his textile career-best. This time puts him in the top-30 times in the World, but still leaves him far away from Brazil’s automatic qualifying mark. He might be a prime example of a young swimmer who would benefit from the experience of participating in a World Championship meet, even if he isn’t going to win a medal. Luckily, he will probably qualify later in the meet in the 50, his best event.
On the women’s side of the meet, Fabiola Molina proved that she is still in phenomenal shape, despite being just shy of her 36th birthday. She won the women’s 50 backstroke in 28.40, which ranks her 12th in the world in 2011.
The best battle of the day was the women’s 200 fly between Joanna Maranhao and Portugese swimmer Sara Oliveira. The two were nearly even at the halfway mark, but Oliveira, who’s the Portugese National Record holder in the 50 and 100 flys, fell off the pace a little on the way back. Maranhao won in 2:13.35, with Oliveira finishing 2nd in 2:13.70.
Other event winners:
Short Course specialist and 2010 Rio World Cup Champ Leonardo de Deus in the men’s 200 fly: 1:59.56.
Guilherme Guido in a top-25 time in the men’s 50 back: 25.60.
Tatiana Barbosa in the women’s 100 free: 54.95.
A narrow win by Portugese swimmer Nadia Veira in the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:35.95. Thamy Ventorin was 2nd in 2:35.99.
Tales Cerdeira in the men’s 200 breaststroke: 2:13.35. 2008 Olympian Henrique Barbosa was 2nd in 2:13.70.
17-year old Daniel Acosta Catelan won the men’s 800 free in 8:44.64, in a race swum solo.