Maranhao, Conceicao Down South American Records On Day 2 of Maria Lenk

2017 MARIA LENK TROPHY

• Tuesday, May 2nd – Saturday, May 6th
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Prelims: 9:30 AM Rio time / 8:30 AM EST (Saturday at 10:30 / 9:30 AM)
• Finals: 5:30 PM Rio time / 4:30 PM EST (Fri/Sat 7 / 6 PM)
• Long Course (50m)
• Brazilian Selection Meet for 2017 World Championships
• Psych Sheet
• Meet Central / Results
• Live Results

Day 3 finals from the Maria Lenk Trophy in Rio was the most exciting session of the meet so far. After two consecutive days where the top swim point-wise came from the heats, day 3 finals had a bit of everything with a pair of South American Records and many swims moving into the top 5 in the world rankings.

The first record came in the women’s 50 breaststroke, where Jhennifer Conceicao lowered both the South American and Brazilian standards in a time of 30.63. That broke an eight-year-old record, almost to the day, as it had stood since May 2009 when Tatiane Sakemi clocked 30.81. The swim moves Conceicao into #5 in the world for 2016-17.

Shortly after, Joanna Maranhao continued her incredible meet with a South American Record in the women’s 200 fly. Maranhao clocked a time of 2:09.22, lowering her 2015 record of 2:09.38.

Along with the records, there were many swims on day 3 that moved swimmers into the top five in the world rankings.

The men’s 100 freestyle saw Gabriel Santos drop a half second personal best to take the win in 48.11, moving him up from 12th in the world to 3rd. In the men’s 50 breast Joao Gomes Junior moved into #2 in the world and narrowly missed the national record, winning the title in a time of 26.83. Runner-up Felipe Lima also cracked the world’s top five with a 4th ranked 27.00.

Etiene Medeiros made her way into the world’s top five with the 5th world ranked women’s 50 back time of 27.62, and Guilherme Guido moved into 4th in the men’s event with his showing of 24.72.

Finishing off the session was Leonardo De Deus, putting up the 4th best time in the world in the 200 fly in a time of 1:54.91.

Check out a full recap of all day 3 events below:

Women’s 100 Freestyle

1. Manuella Lyrio, Pinheiros, 54.80
2. Daynara de Paula, SESI-SP, 55.36
3. Alessandro Marchioro, Unisanta, 55.92*
4. Graciele Herrmann, GNU, 55.92*

After Etiene Medeiros was a no-show in the prelims, Manuella Lyrio had a clear path to gold and got there with her 54.80 showing. Daynara de Paula came in for 2nd, with a crazy race for bronze occurring behind her.

Out first, Alessandra Marchioro had the slowest back half in the field by nearly half a second. She held on to touch 3rd in 55.92, tying with Graciele Herrmann. There was also a tie for 5th between Gabrielle Roncatto and Maria Heitmann just four-one-hundredths behind in 55.96.

Men’s 100 Freestyle

1. Gabriel Santos, Pinheiros, 48.11
2. Marcelo Chierighini, Pinheiros, 48.76
3. Cesar Cielo, Pinheiros, 48.92

Santos’ swim scored 927 points which moves him up from 7th to 2nd on the FINA point rankings for Brazilians looking to head to worlds. He swam a near perfect race, out fastest (22.99) and home fastest (25.12) for the lifetime best 48.11.

Marcelo Chierighini had the top morning time of 48.46, but was a tick off tonight in 48.76 but still took 2nd. Cesar Cielo swam his first individual final of the meet taking 3rd in 48.92, slightly improving his 49.14 prelim time. Known for his front-end speed, Cielo was notably cautious opening up 4th in 23.48.

Bruno Fratus had a lifetime best 48.50 in the prelims, but finished back in 49.17 for 5th at finals. Also of note from prelims was 14-year-old Murilo Sartori clocking a time of 51.72, the fastest ever for someone that age from Brazil.

Women’s 50 Breast

1. Jhennifer Conceicao, Pinheiros, 30.63
2. Macarena Ceballos, Fiat/Minas, 30.99
3. Julia Sebastian, Unisanta, 31.31

Along with Conceicao’s South American and Brazilian record, runner-up Macarena Ceballos clocked 30.99 to crush the Argentinian Record. 3rd place Julia Sebastian was also under the old Argentinian Record in 31.31. The record stood at 31.82.

Men’s 50 Breast

1. Joao Gomes Junior, Pinheiros, 26.83
2. Felipe Lima, Fiat/Minas, 27.00
3. Felipe Franca, Unisanta, 27.32*
4. Pedro Cardona, Unisanta, 27.32*

Gomes’ 26.83 just missed the national record held by Felipe Franca at 26.76, and was his first time cracking 27 with his previous best at 27.05. He also broke the Maria Lenk Championship Record. Lima also had his fastest ever swim, taking down his prelim PB by 0.01. Franca and Pedro Cardona tied for 3rd in 27.32, and with two others under 28 seconds, this event has to be considered one of Brazil’s best.

Women’s 50 Back

1. Etiene Medeiros, SESI-SP, 27.62
2. Andrea Berrino, Unisanta, 28.52
3. Ana Zortea, Pinheiros, 29.54

Medeiros chose to scratch the 100 free in preparation for her best event, the 50 back, and she delivered. A solid 27.62 moved her into #5 in the world, and is a step in the right direction as she’ll look to repeat her medal performance from the 2015 Worlds. Argentina’s Andrea Berrino took silver in a time of 28.52.

Men’s 50 Back

1. Guilherme Guido, Pinheiros, 24.72
2. Gabriel Fantoni, Fiat/Minas, 25.26
3. Nathan Bighetti, Fiat/Minas, 25.43

Guido’s winning 24.72 was just over two tenths off his PB of 24.49, and if he can get down to that level this summer he’ll be a medal contender at the World Championships. Gabriel Fantoni and Nathan Bighetti, both of Fiat/Minas, took silver and bronze.

After only Guido and Fantoni did this morning, all eight of the ‘A’ finalists cracked 26 seconds at night.

Women’s 200 Fly

1. Joanna Maranhao, Unisanta, 2:09.22
2. Giovanna Diamante, Pinheiros, 2:14.13
3. Virginia Bardach, Fiat/Minas, 2:14.34

Maranhao’s record swim continues her incredible performance at the meet thus far. She has now produced best times in the 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 free and 400 free at this meet at the age of 30. Giovanna Diamante and Argentina’s Virginia Bardach took silver and bronze.

Men’s 200 Fly

1. Leonardo De Deus, Unisanta, 1:54.91
2. Kaio Almeida, Fiat/Minas, 1:56.85
3. Luiz Altamir, Pinheiros, 1:57.15

De Deus not only moved into #4 in the world with that swim, he improved upon his personal best set when he won the Pan American title in 2015 (1:55.01). Veteran Kaio Almeida took 2nd in 1:56.85, and Luiz Altamir took 3rd.

Notably, top seed from prelims Vini Lanza (1:58.08) struggled on the back half tonight and placed 6th in 2:00.09.

Team Scores

Men

1. Fiat/Minas, 544.0
2. Pinheiros, 524.0
3. Unisanta, 220.0

Women

1. Pinheiros, 531.0
2. Unisanta, 520.5
3. Fiat/Minas, 278.0

Combined

1. Pinheiros, 1295.0
2. Fiat/Minas, 1042.0
3. Unisanta, 1000.5

In the men’s race Pinheiros won three of the four events on day 3 and added a podium sweep in the 100 free to move within 20 points of Fiat/Minas. The women’s race continues to be a seesaw battle between Pinheiros and Unisanta, separated by just 10.5 points with two days remaining.

In the combined team race, Pinheiros has pulled away after a huge day 3 from their men. The race for 2nd is still very close with Fiat/Minas and Unisanta separated by just 41.5 points.