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Belmonte Races 400 IM, 400 Free & 200 Fly In Under An Hour In Amsterdam

2019 SWIM CUP AMSTERDAM

Day 2 Highlights

After winning the women’s 1500m freestyle last night at the Swim Cup Amsterdam in an Olympic-qualifying time, Spain’s Mireia Belmonte didn’t fare as well on night 2, although it wasn’t for lack of trying.

The 29-year-old 200m fly Olympic champion from Rio took on a grueling program this evening, racing the women’s 400m free, 400m IM and 200m fly over a span of just 50 minutes.

The Spaniard won the women’s 400m IM against teammate and reigning World Junior Champion Alba Vazquez, with Belmonte touching in 4:44.16 to Vazquez’s 4:46.51. The women were well off their bests, however, as well as the Olympic qualifying time of 4:38.53 needed to etch their names on the Spanish roster for Tokyo.

Belmonte’s next event was the 400m free, where the veteran took 3rd in a time of 4:13.80. Getting her hand on the wall first was British swimmer Holly Hibbott. The Commonwealth Games medalist reaped a time of 4:07.02, about 2 seconds off of her PB of 4:05.01 that renders her the 4th fastest Brit of all-time in the event.

Finally, Belmonte raced the women’s 200m fly where she wound up 4th in a time of 2:16.09. The entire field wasn’t particularly fast, as winner Julia Pujadas of Spain touched in 2:12.07, well off the 2:08.43 needed for Tokyo.

Big swims tonight came in the form of Arjan Knipping and Joan Lluis Pons each getting under the Olympic-qualifying cut in the men’s 400m IM. Knipping of the Netherlands got it done for gold in a time of 4:15.12, while Pons of Spain touched just over half a second later in 4:15.74. Both men dipped under the 4:15.84 needed for Tokyo.

Arno Kamminga also crushed a head-turning swim, knocking his 100m breast Dutch national record down from 58.98 to a blazing 58.65. You can read more about the 24-year-old’s race here.

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Jorge
4 years ago

Mireia… who is Mireia?

nuotofan
4 years ago

Obviously Knipping’s and Pons’ results were in the 400 IM. Heemskerk won the 100 free in 53.23, under the QT for Tokyo2020

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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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