Carmen Weiler Becomes First Spanish Woman Under 1:00 in 100 Back at Spanish Open

2023 Spanish Open Swimming Championships

• Wednesday, March 29 – Sunday, April 2
• Palma de Mallorca, Spain
• Long Course Meters
• Results 

The first day of the 2023 Spanish Open Championships kicked off with a bang as 18-year-old Carmen Weiler became the first Spanish woman to ever break 1:00 in the 100 back on Wednesday.

Weiler first blasted a 1:00.07 in prelims to break the Spanish national record set by five-time Olympian and 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Nina Zhivanevskaya in 2008 at 1:00.29. But, she wasn’t done there. In finals, the Valencian swimmer hit the wall first at 59.76 to become the first Spanish woman in history under the 1-minute mark in this event. She also lowered her hours-old national record and out-touched Kira Toussaint who placed 2nd (1:00.08). 

This time ranks Weiler, who just finished her first year swimming for Virginia Tech in the U.S., ninth in the world so far this season. It was also well under the FINA ‘A” cut of 1:00.59 and earns her a spot on Spain’s Worlds Championships roster. She cracked the 2024 Olympic ‘A’ standard (1:01.89), but this does not officially qualify her for Paris 2024 since World Championships will serve as Spain’s first Olympic qualification meet this cycle.

Another Spanish record crumbled during night one’s finals session when 18-year-old Carlos Garach, the defending world junior champion in the 800 free and 1500 free, crushed the 1500 free national record to win gold with a time of 14:57.23.

The young Andalusian had never broken 15:00.00 before. In fact, he won the 1500 free at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Peru with a time of 15:08.14. On Wednesday, Garach beat the previous Spanish record set by two-time Olympian Marco Rivera, the current vice president of Spanish swimming, in 2009 by .27.

This swim makes Garach one of four men to crack the 15:00.00 barrier this season:

Garach was the second of three swimmers to punch their ticket to the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka on Spain’s roster at this meet, following Weiler. The third qualification came from Ángela Martinez in the women’s 800 free where she won gold with a time of 8:29.08 to secure a spot in Japan.

Then came a new Spanish national junior record for María Ramos in the 50 breast. She broke her own mark for the fastest time ever swam by a Spanish 17-year-old, 31.60, which she set in prelims to win the event.

Day 1 Event Winners

• Men’s 1500 free – Carlos Garach (CN Churriana) – 14:57.23 SPANISH RECORD
• Women’s 800 free – Angela Martinez (KZM Swimming Team) – 8:29.08
• Men’s 100 fly – Mario Molla Yanes (CN Terrassa) – 53.09
• Women’s 100 fly – Paula Juste Sanchez (CN Lleida) – 59.24
• Men’s 50 breast – Jaime Morote Plaza (Real Canoe NC) – 28.20
• Women’s 50 breast – María Ramos Najji (CD Gredos San Diego) – 31.33 SPANISH JUNIOR RECORD
• Men’s 100 back – Adrian Santos Martin (CN Sant Andreu) – 55.18
• Women’s 100 back – Carmen Weiler (Real Canoe NC) – 59.76 SPANISH RECORD

Projected Spanish Roster for World Championships

Women

• Carmen Weiler – 100 back
• Ángela Martinez – 800 free

Men

• Carlos Garach – 1500 free