2016 MARIA LENK TROPHY OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, April 15th – Wednesday, April 20th
- Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Prelims 9:30am local/8:30am EDT; Finals 5:30pm local/4:30pm EDT
- Brazilian Olympic Selection Criteria
- Maria Lenk Start List
- Meet Schedule
- Real-Time Results
- Qualifiers After Day 3
According to OUL, reigning 100 freestyle world record holder Cesar Cielo has scratched the final of the event tonight at Maria Lenk Championships, the second of two Olympic qualifying meets for the Brazilians.
This morning, Cielo swam 48.97 in prelims, coming in sixth place, well behind first place Marcelo Chierighini (48.20). Given that a total of six swimmers have already come in ahead of Cielo’s time, Cielo would have had to make a big improvement tonight to make a relay slot.
Cielo still has not earned his spot on the Brazilian Olympic team; he bowed out of the Brazil Open, the first Olympic qualifier, early after failing to make the 100 free final. His final chance at the Olympic team will come on Wednesday, when he takes on the 50 free. Cielo comes into the event seeded second with 21.84. At the Brazil Open, Bruno Fratus swam 21.50, Italo Duarte went 22.08, and Chierighini and Matheus de Santana each went 22.17.
According to UL, Cielo is not concerned by his performance today.
“I came with the expectation of trying to swim the 100 in 48 seconds and came out a 48.97,” he said, roughly translated. “It is within what we were expecting. I did not train for this event. To tell the truth, we feel even a little anxious about the strategy because I did not come to compete in the 100 meter freestyle, but it was good. As far as possible, I swam a good race. Now I’m thinking of the 50m freestyle, which is the main focus of the season.”
He is confident his performance on Wednesday will be good enough.
“My finish has returned to what it was before,” said Cielo. “I have more confidence in the first few meters. My goal for Wednesday (in the 50m free) is to swim a 21. I think it’s enough. If not, then that’s out of my control. But I think about it I can secure a place… I’m feeling very well. I’m ready to swim well, and now it’s time to prove it. God willing, I will get this job done.”
He seems to me that he is done .
48.9 at a 100 translates to a 22 low in the 50. With Fratus swimming so poorly perhaps Cielo will qualify.
Stick a fork in Cielo…he’s done.
Cesar Cielo has told his closest friends he will retire if doesn’t make the Olympic team tomorrow at the 50 free.
He says now this was the plan all alomg, but it wasnt the original plan
Chris, Cielo holds both sprint world records only because of magical suits.
Yup. He just put on the suit and that was it.
From the way everyone hates the rubber suits you’d assume they were like those bikes w/ little motors in ’em cyclists keep getting caught with.
I don’t think they are saying some of these super suit specialists like Cielo and Biedermann are without talent, but they were much better comparatively speaking with the suits as opposed to without.
*Chris, Cielo holds both sprint world records only because of magical suits and performance enhancing drugs
Fixed that for you, Bobo
Everyone else was in a super suit at the time. He still managed to get faster than them
No one ever said he was the only one in rubber suit.
If you actually took the time to read comments carefully, you’d have understood that everyone simply responded to Chris who implied in his response to Mike in Dallas that Cielo is not yet done because he still holds WRs.
He still has the world record in both events.. and I don’t think they will be devoured soon. Also, the fans below should stop complaining about sprint specialists, if you think Cielo is a slacker then I’d love to see you get in a practice with him.
Biedermann still has the world record in both middle distance events…and I don’t think both will be devoured soon.
Was anyone a little disappointed with Grabich’s time? I know he still has the finals swim and I’m not familiar with Argentina’s selection criteria but 49.3 seems like a world away from his 48.1 at pan-ams
We will see tonight, of the last 3 100 free he was the slowers and it seems everbody just followed him.
Or Gabrich is the 2016 version of Hanser Garcia
last 3 100 free heat..