International and Domestic Stars Set to Race at 2018 Maria Lenk Trophy

2018 MARIA LENK TROPHY

• Tuesday, April 17th – Saturday, April 21st
• Maria Lenk Aquatic Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Prelims: 9:30 AM Rio time / 8:30 AM EST 
• Finals: 6:00 PM Rio time / 5:00 PM EST 
• Long Course (50m)
• Brazilian Selection Meet for 2018 Pan Pacific Championships
• Live Stream
• Psych Sheet
• Meet Central / Results

Over the next five days, 328 athletes from 38 Brazilian teams will gather for Brazil’s biggest meet of the season and major long course national championship, the 2018 Maria Lenk Trophy.

The meet not only serves as a qualifier for the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, but also for the 2018 South American Swimming Championship and the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.

Among the big names in attendance on the men’s side are Cesar Cielo (entered in the 50 back, 50 fly, and 50 and 100 free), University of South Carolina freshman and 2018 NCAA Championship finalist Brandonn Almeida (entered in the 400 free, 200 and 400 IMs, and 200 back), and 2017 FINA World Championships silver medalist Bruno Fratus is entered in the 50 and 100 free.

On the women’s side, notable entrants include Dutch swimmer Kira Toussaint and Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte. Toussaint is entered in the 50, 100 and 200 back, as well as 50 free, and Meilutyte is entered in the 50, 100 and 200 breast, as well as the 50 free.  Meilutyte will represent Flamengo in the meet. She’s the 2012 Olympic champion in the 100 LCM breaststroke, the co-World Record holder in the 100 SCM breaststroke, and the 2017 double European champion in the 50 and 100 breaststrokes.

She will be preparing for the 2018 European Aquatics Championships, which will be held in early August in Scotland. Meilutyte, 21, took 4th in both the 50 and 100 breaststroke at last year’s World Championships, showing signs she might be back in peak shape after battling an elbow injury through the 2016 Olympic Games. She is currently training in the U.S. with Dave Salo.

Note that teams will earn bonus points for breaking Brazilian National Records — the 100 breast record, for example, has stood at 1:07.67 since 2009. Meilutyte has been faster than 1:07.67 at least 49 times in her career,

Toussaint is the Dutch National Record holder in the 100m back. She became the first Dutch woman to break 1:00 in the 100 back two weeks ago (59.94) and then last weekend went 59.88. She has a shot at Etiene Mederios‘ 59.61 national record, especially given that Medieros is sitting out the meet as she recovers from shoulder surgery. Toussaint will also be a free relay contributor, with best times of 25.57 in the 50 and 55.46 in the 100.

The meet also marks the first major competition under the new Brazilian Swimming Federation (CBDA) management, headed by President Miguel Cagnoni, who was recently elected in early March.