Superstar Mireia Belmonte did not participate in the second-to-last session of the 2013 Spanish SCM Fall Open Championships on Sunday morning, but there were lots of other standout swims in the session.
That includes wins from each of the Ortiz brothers, who currently train at the University of Michigan.
First, younger brother Bruno Ortiz won the men’s 100 breaststroke in 1:00.86, just ahead of Fernando Morillas, who was a 1:00.97 for 2nd place.
Two races later, older brother Miguel Ortiz had what was one of the top 5-or-so swims of the entire meet so far, winning the 100 back in 51.20. That moves him into the top 15 in the world this year. Not far behind him in that race was Javier Romero, a 16-year old, in 5th with a 55.27. That breaks the 2004 mark of 55.43 set by Alan Cabello for 16 year olds, which is a record which broke a mark by the impressive Aschwin Wildeboer before him.
That wasn’t the only Age Record broken for 16 year olds on Sunday morning. Melanie Costa-Schmid, one of the country’s stars, just missed her lifetime best with a 53.88 to win the women’s 100 free, and Fatima Gallardo, a 16-year old, was 2nd in 54.95. That swim for Gallardo is the fastest ever by a Spanish 16-year old female, clearing the mark held by Patricia Castro from 2008 in 55.00.
The men’s 100 free went to the Polish import Konrad Czerniak in 47.78, bettering Miguel Ortiz’s 48.20. Duane da Rocha won the women’s 100 back in 59.21, and Jessica Vall took the women’s 100 breast in 1:07.13.
Between da Rocha, Vall, Costa-Schmid, and Belmonte on the fly leg, the Spanish women have a decent medley relay; maybe not one that will compete for a medal at this year’s SCM European Championships, but maybe one that could contend in long course next summer.
And finally, Marc Sanchez, the country’s top distance swimmer, beat Victor Martin, the country’s top middle-distance swimmer, relatively handily in the men’s 800 free, by margin of 7:43.61-7:52.38. The race was never close after about the first 100 meters, where Sanchez took off and left Martin in his wake.