Bosnia & Herzegovina Championships
- June 3-4, 2023
- Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Long Course Meters (50m)
- Live Results
Four Bosnia & Herzegovina Records fell last weekend at the BIH National Championships, including three at the hands of 17-year-old Lana Pudar, who might be the brightest young star in the country’s history.
Pudar’s record-spree saw her take down all-time marks in the 100, 200, and 400-meter frees:
Pudar’s Records and the swims they beat:
| Old Record | New Record | |
| 100m Free | Lamija Medosevic – 56.47 (June 7, 2019) | Pudar – 55.91 |
| 200m Free | Pudar – 2:02.62 (March 18, 2023) | Pudar – 2:01.99 |
| 400m Free | Iman Avdic – 4:17.75 (March 4, 2023) |
Pudar – 4:17.01
|
The only record of her own that she broke was in the 200 free. She has now broken that record twice this year; it previously belonged to Avdic in 2:03.46 from March 2022.
Splits Comparison: Pudar’s Improvements
| Pudar – 2023 | Pudar – 2023 | |
| New Record | Old Record | |
| 50m Split | 28.06 | 28.95 |
| 100m Split | 30.32 | 30.89 |
| 150m Split | 31.64 | 31.29 |
| 200m Split | 31.97 | 31.49 |
| Final Time | 2:01.99 | 2:02.62 |
Pudar is best known as a butterflier – she finished 6th in the 200 fly at last summer’s World Championships and 8th in the 100 fly. She is also the defending European Champion in both events. She also swam the 100 fly at the Bosnia Championships, winning the 100 meter race in 59.46. Even at 17, she was the oldest swimmer in that 100 fly final, showing the young nature of swimming in the country.
The runner-up, Zerina Vrabac, is only 13. She swam 1:06.62.
Pudar wasn’t the only record-breaker at the meet. Her male counterpart in the country’s swimming rise Jovan Lekic won the 400 free in 3:51.58, which is a new National Record.
Lekic currently owns 10 Bosnia & Herzegovina Records. 3:51.58 is not the fastest he’s ever been in the 400 free – but it is the fastest legal time he’s swum in the 400 free.
That’s because his best time of 3:50.79 was done at the 2021 European Junior Championships, where he tested positive for a banned substance, had his results stripped, and was given a two-year suspension (which was eventually reduced on appeal).
Now back, Lekic has broken his second long course National Record since his return. He also posted a 2:00.37 in the 200 fly in April. This is the first time he’s gotten back to a best time in one of his primary distance free events since returning from his suspension.
He also swam 1:48.55 in the 200 free and 50.83 in the 100 free.
Other Highlights:
- Avdic, who had one of her National Records broken by Pudar, still had a successful meet, winning 4 events: the 800 free (9:02.08), 50 back (31.88), 200 IM (2:24.08), and 400 IM (5:17.28). She also swam a lifetime best of 57.91 in the 100 free to finish 2nd behind Pudar, beating her best time of 58.09.
- 19-year-old Filip Kuruzovic won the 800 free (8:21.34) and 1500 free (16:07.61), setting new personal bests in both.
She is really amazing!!