Brazil has added one more to its Olympic roster, bringing their total to 19, with the addition of Nicholas dos Santos to the roster.
Dos Santos, who was good at the Maria Lenk Trophy but not good enough with a 49.16, was added as an alternate for the 400 free relay. It’s not clear in what capacity they intend to use the alternate; recall that at the 2011 World Championships they gambled and left sprint superstar Cesar Cielo off of the prelims quartet, and finished 9th and out of the finals.
It would seem a brazen decision to attempt that again, but the trio they’re bringing this season (Bruno Fratus, Marcelo Chierighini, and Nicolas Oliveira) is much better than it was last year. The other three are all sitting with 48.7’s.
The emergence of Chierighini, who didn’t take up swimming seriously until later in his teens, has really shored up this group in the finals. Last year, they missed finaling by 9-tenths of a second, including a 50.32 from Marcos Macedo that killed them in the heats. Potentially, the four swimmers not named Cielo should be much better than they were last year, but they’d be playing with fire a bit.
The decision will come down to their risk aversion. Swim Cesar in prelims, and they’re in the finals with no problem. Rest Cesar in prelims, and of the relay can navigate safely through it offers a slight increase in their medal potential.
There is still a chance that the Brazilians will add a medley alternate, upon official acceptance by FINA, as well as open water swimmers after the June qualifying.
The most current roster is below.
MEN’S (15)
FRATUS BRUNO – 50M FREE
CESAR CIELO – FREE 50M / 100M FREE
DANIEL ORZECHOWSKI – 100M BACK
FELIPE SILVA – 100M BREASTSTROKE
FELIPE LIMA – 100M BREASTSTROKE
GLAUBER SILVA – 100M BUTTERFLY
HENRIQUE BARBOSA – 200M BTEASTSTROKE
HENRIQUE RODRIGUES – 200M MEDLEY
KAIO MÁRCIO ALMEIDA – BUTTERFLY 100M / 200M BUTTERFLY
LEONARDO DE DEUS – BUTTERFLY 200M / 200M BACK
MARCELO CHIERIGHINI – 4x100m freestyle
NICOLAS OLIVEIRA – 100M FREE
CERDEIRA TALES – 200M BREASTSTROKE
THIAGO PEREIRA – MEDLEY 200M / 400M MEDLEY
NICHOLAS SANTOS – 4x100m freestyle
WOMEN (4)
DAYNARA DE PAULA – 100M BUTTERFLY
FABIOLA MOLINA – 100M BACK
GRACIELE HERRMANN – 50M FREE
JOANNA MARANHAO – 400M MEDLEY
Poliana Okimoto – open water swimmer, is already on the roster too.
In Shanghai,
France, Russia, Italy, South Africa, Great Britain swam the exact teams for both prelims and finals.
while curiously, Germany substituted Steffen Diebler for a slower Benjamin Starke in the final.
Australia substituted two swimmers, and USA substituted three (!).
Aswimfan, IF the Brazilian B team swims well, Nicholas should split a 48-mid/low (way better than 50.32 from Marcos Macedo) and enough to make finals. And I even think Nicholas dos Santos may just out-swim (and thus take the place of) either Chiereghini or Fratus for finals (if the relay makes finals).
But, judging by the way they swam at Maria Lenk, I don’t see a chance for a medal (with or without Cielo)..Each one of them would have to drop significant amounts of time (the likes of which I just can’t imagine happening).
So, they might just as well sit Cielo out!
That’s very optimistic of the brazilians to expect Nicholas dos santos to swim 48 low when he never breaks 49 flat start.
Now you are making more sense when you said that the reason they rest Cielo is because they think they don’t have a chance to medal.
I want to see Brazil to be in the men 4×100 free final and I think it’s sad that they have that attitude.
Thankfully, I am sure the other second tier countries will field their strongest teams in the prelims and I, as a huge swim fan, will be so thankful for that.
BK,
where did you get the results that Bruno Fratus, Marcelo Chierighini, and Nicolas Oliveira are all sittings with 48.7s?
As far as I know, only Chierighini is with 48.79 and Fratus and Oliveira are both at 49.09 this year.
In fact, Fratus and Oliveira were faster last year where they swam 48.7s (and Fratus swam that time in May last year while Oliveira already split 48.2 in Shanghai).
I don’t see how the trio is much better than last year.
Last year, the difference between Brazil and GBR (the 8th place) was almost a full second and it was 1.5 seconds with 7th place, RSA.
This time around, I think GBR will get an extra… Read more »
Aswimfan – Fratus and Oliveira were 48.7 last year at qualifying meets. That’s probably why they weren’t as fast at Maria Lenk.
BK,
Are you saying that Oliveira and Fratus went 49 in Maria Lenk because their positions in the team had been guaranteed?
Can we confirm this?
Also, Fratus swam that 48.71 in Maria Lenk LAST YEAR in May. Are you sure that 2011 Maria Lenk was one of the qualifying meets?
Yes, Maria Lenk 2011 was a qualifying meet. We Don´t have one specific qualifying meet but a series os championships that count.
Relay is ALL about capacity of bring everything you have together in the RIGHT time.Unfortunately, in Brazil squad, only Cielo and Oliveira have that capacity.Thats the why i am a bit skeptical about medal chances.
Nadador, just to answer a question about Cielo swimming fly in medley relay:
Cielo made times around 51.38 and 51.5 in fly slot in 4x100medley Flamengo relay when he was swimming ONLY 49.0/49.1 in 100 free individual event, without training any specific fly techniques.I am always wondering how much he can go if he was swimming below 48 in 100 free.His best in individual 100 fly is only around 53.0.Cielo looks capable to do in fly leg what Oliveira does in his last 100… Read more »
The thing, DDIAS, is that I wasn’t impressed at all at the times from Maria Lenk meet. I was expecting there would be swimmers on the 48 range. Cielo’s swim was very disappointing (given that he was boasting to be in good shape – it seems he caught the slang from footballers from Flamengo..).
His fly relay legs times are au pair with Kaio’s. IF Cielo is fast in London, it would be best to have him on the free leg (provided they make it to finals).
Nadador,
did you forget past year Maria Lenk?Cielo was telling he was gonna pop a 48 low and you know the results…Fratus made 48.72 and him ONLY 49.03.It looks Cielo can not hold speed much longer when he is semi-rested(not fully rested).At that time, he opened Flamengo relay in 21.76 and days later made only 21.95… I rememeber coach Brett Hawke telling Cielo needs 2-3 days of rest more than others when doing his taper process.
And the fact he wasnt only bad in 100 free in ML this year was his relay leg in 4×50 free swimming against Bousquet(the best swimmer of the meet in my opnion considering he was a bit of underdog after missing trials,Cielo… Read more »
Well, a 50.32 split in relay action…Nicholas is as good as a 48 split, which makes it less than a gamble: it will be good enough to make finals, and then, with a rested Cielo, they may gun for a good time/placing (I don’t know about a medal…).