Lanza, Mota Tie With 52.45 in 100 Fly Prelims; de Deus Posts PB in Same Event

2021 BRAZILIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

• Monday, April 19th – Saturday, April 24th
• Prelims at 9:30 am local; Finals at 6:30 pm local
• Long Course Meters (50 meters), prelims/finals
• Brazilian Olympic Selection Policy
• Meet Site
• Heat Sheets
• Prelims Schedule
• Finals Schedule
• Live Results
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap
• Day 3 Recap
• Day 4 Recap
• Day 5 Recap

The final day of competition at the 2021 Brazilian Olympic Trials is set to be a sprinting showcase following this morning’s prelims performances.

Etiene Medeiros, the fastest seeded woman in the 50m freestyle posted the only sub-25 second time in 24.94, edging closer to her South American record mark of 24.45 which she set at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The mark needed for Tokyo consideration in this event stands at 24.77, which looks to be attainable for Medeiros in tonight’s finals. She missed the qualifying standard in the 100m backstroke earlier in the week and it yet to put herself forward for Olympic selection in any other event.

Lorrane Ferreira touched behind the leader in 25.01, while third went to Larissa Oliveira – the Brazilian and South American national record holder in the 100m free who won that event in yesterday’s finals session.

The men’s equivalent saw Pedro Spajari finishing as the fastest qualifier into tonight’s final as he stopped the clock in 22.02, missing out on the OLY qualifying mark of 22.01 by the smallest of margins. The youngster shaved 0.15 off his personal best in the process, downing his old mark of 22.17 from the 2019 Pan American Games. That time also ranks him as #21 in the world so far this season.

Right behind him was Victor Alcará in 22.04, while Luiz Borges and Lucas Peixoto were tied with a time of 22.24, which also takes them comfortably through to tonight’s finals. Also making the cut were Gabriel Santos (22.26) who was 9th place finisher in the 100m free and has been given a time-trial opportunity by the Brazilian swimming authorities (CBDA) after one of the Olympic qualifiers in that event failed a doping test and has been placed on immediate provisional suspension.

Marcelo Chierighini heads into the final with 22.30, as does 5th place finisher in the 100m free Felipe Souza also makes it with his time of 22.54. Completing the finals lineup is Marco Ferreira with 22.59.

The sole heat of the women’s 200m back saw just four swimmers racing, who all automatically make tonights finals. The group seemed to cruise through this morning swim, led by Fernanda Goeij who clocked 2:18.14 – way off her personal best of 2:11.95 from the 2019 Pan American Games. Gabriela Mello heads into the final in second seed with her time of 2:25.00.

Natalia De Luccas stopped the clock at 2:30.70, while Youngster Fernanda Celidonio has had a packed schedule during this meet, racing in the 200 and 400IM and 100 Free so far. She posted 2:31.53 and goes in in fourth seed.

Vini Lanza, who etched his name onto the Brazilian Olympic roster yesterday in the 200 IM posted 52.45 in the men’s 100m fly, placing his as tied-top seed alongside Tennessee’s Kayky Mota who clocked the exact same time. Lanza’s best stands at 51.44 from 2018, which would be more than enough for him to add a second event to his Olympic repertoire – the QT in this event standing at 51.96. Lanza will undoubtedly be looking for redemption tonight after he missed out on the 200 fly final earlier in the week.

Matheus Gonche was just behind the leading pair with 52.52, while Victor Baganha knocked out a 52.60 to follow closely behind. Notably, winner of the 200m back Leonardo de Deus clocked a personal best in this event, touching in 52.89 to take down his previous best mark of 53.14 from the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships.