Maranhao Lowers Brazilian 400 Free Record On Day 1 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 1 finals of the 2017 Maria Lenk Trophy had some drama, with action being delayed some 24 minutes due to a power outage. The delay was reported from Alex Pussieldi on Twitter.

Competição está paralizada há 24 minutos, queda de energia. #TML2017

— Coach Alex Pussieldi (@alexpussieldi) May 2, 2017

Per Pussieldi’s timeline, action was halted after the men’s 400 free ‘A’ final, after results took a while to show up on the electronic scoreboard before the power outage occurred.

In a rather unusual situation, Brazil has yet to establish a concrete qualifying procedure for the World Championships. After the meet’s technical meeting, it was reported they will base the selections off of the 2016 FINA points table, initially selecting the top eight performing swimmers. They also mention they’ll be able to increase the number of swimmers going to World’s. The meeting to decide the team is scheduled for May 11th. The meet will also be where Brazilians can qualify for the Junior World Championships, selected by the same procedure.

The biggest highlight of the night was a Brazilian Record from veteran Joanna Maranhao, who picked up the 30th Maria Lenk title of her career clocking 4:09.41 in the women’s 400 freestyle. Maranhao got under the record of 4:09.48 set by Manuella Lyrio at last year’s Maria Lenk Trophy.

The quickest event of the night in terms of world rankings was the men’s 100 breast, after we saw Felipe Lima drop a 59.32 in prelims. That moved him into 4th in the world for the season, but it was Joao Gomes Junior who got to the wall first tonight. Gomes came in at 59.41, not quite what Lima went in the heats but enough for the win and the 5th spot in the world rankings. Lima finished in the runner-up position in 1:00.05.

Also cracking the top five in the world rankings this morning was Henrique Martins, whose 51.57 100 fly was good for 4th. He was a touch slower tonight, but nonetheless took the win in 51.82.

Check out a full recap of the first finals session of the meet below:

Women’s 100 Butterfly

1. Daiene Dias, Unisanta, 58.98
2. Daynara de Paula, Sesi-SP, 59.07
3. Giovanna Diamante, Pinheiros, 1:00.48

After tying in the prelims at 59.18, Unisanta’s Daiene Dias pulled off the win in the final over Sesi-SP’s Daynara de Paula, putting up a time of 58.98 in the women’s 100 fly to de Paula’s 59.07. Giovanna Diamante of Pinheiros took 3rd in 1:00.48.

Men’s 100 Butterfly

1. Henrique Martins, Fiat/Minas, 51.82
2. Vinicius Lanza, Fiat/Minas, 52.02
3. Kaio Almedia, Fiat/Minas, 52.86

The men’s event was a sweep for Fiat/Minas, led by Martins in 51.82. It was his first ever Maria Lenk victory. Vini Lanza, who competes for Indiana in the NCAA, took the runner-up spot in 52.02. That was a personal best, and according to Pussieldi he has recorded a personal best in the event for ten consecutive years.

Women’s 400 Freestyle

1. Joanna Maranhao, Unisanta, 4:09.41 BRA Record
2. Viviane Jungblut, GNU, 4:12.38
3. Poliana Okimoto, Unisanta, 4:14.12

Maranhao claimed her sixth LC national record with her swim in the 400 free, her second Maria Lenk title in the event seven years after winning in 2010. Viviane Jungblut and Poliana Okimoto both had solid drops from the morning to take second and third respectively.

Men’s 400 Freestyle

1. Guilherme Costa, Unisanta, 3:49.49
2. Giuliano Rocco, Fiat/Minas, 3:50.49*
3. Luiz Altamir Melo, Pinheiros, 3:50.49*

Their times didn’t initially show up on the board, but it was Unisanta’s Guilherme Costa who came away with the win in the men’s 400 free in a Championship Record time of 3:49.49. That swim was just 0.03 off of the South American and Brazilian Record held by Brandonn Almeida. In a tight race for second, Giuliano Rocco and Luiz Altamir Melo finished in a dead-heat for silver in 3:50.49. Not far behind them was Lucas Kanieski (3:50.86) and Almeida (3:50.98).

Women’s 100 Breast

1. Macarena Ceballos, Fiat/Minas, 1:08.00
2. Julia Sebastian, Unisanta, 1:08.05
3. Jhennifer Conceicao, Pinheiros, 1:08.43

Macarena Ceballos defended her title in a very tight race with Julia Sebastian in the women’s 100 breast, getting the touch in 1:08.00. Sebastian touched for second in 1:08.05, making it a 1-2 for Argentina. Jhennifer Conceicao earned the top time among Brazilians for 3rd in 1:08.43

Men’s 100 Breast

1. Joao Gomes Junior, Pinheiros, 59.41
2. Felipe Lima, Fiat/Minas, 1:00.05
3. Pedro Cardona, Pinheiros, 1:00.12

As discussed above, it was Gomes who defended his title getting by Lima tonight despite Lima’s lightning quick morning swim of 59.32. Pedro Cardona of Pinheiros was hot on Lima’s tail for third in 1:00.12. Veteran Felipe Franca, who was an Olympic finalist in this event last year, was back in 4th at 1:01.04.

Women’s 4×50 Free Relay

1. Unisanta, 1:41.27
2. Fiat/Minas, 1:42.55
3. Pinheiros, 1:42.70

Unisanta powered to the win in the women’s 4×50 free relay from lane 1, touching in 1:41.27 thanks to a 24.32 anchor from Alessandra Marchioro. Fiat/Minas took second in 1:42.55, led by Loranne Ferreira who had the fastest lead-off leg at 25.12. Pinheiros took 3rd, with Manuella Lyrio brining their top split in 25.09.

Men’s 4×50 Free Relay

1. Pinheiros, 1:27.15
2. Fiat/Minas, 1:27.61
3. Unisanta, 1:29.20

Pinheiros got sub-22 splits from their last three swimmers to get by Fiat/Minas by about half a second, touching in a time of 1:27.15. Gabriel Santos led off in 22.36, and then it was Marcelo Chierighini (21.65), Pedro Spajari (21.82) and Cesar Cielo (21.32) getting the job done. That’s a quick split for Cielo, showing good form in his first swim of the meet.

Fiat/Minas also had a pair of sub-22 splits from Italo Duarte (21.61) and Henrique Martins (21.84), and even held the lead through 150m thanks to a 22.01 lead-off from Guilherme Ocampo.

Team Scores

Men

1. Fiat/Minas, 219.5
2. Pinheiros, 168.5
3. Unisanta, 93.0

Women

1. Pinheiros, 179.0
2. Unisanta, 176.0
3. Fiat/Minas, 1:10.0

Combined

1. Pinheiros, 347.5
2. Fiat/Minas, 329.5
3. Unisanta, 269.0

After day 1, Fiat/Minas has opened up a sizeable lead in the men’s team race with 219.5 points. Along with their sweep of the 100 fly, they earned the runner-up position in every other event. For women, Pinheiros holds a tight advantage over Unisanta, thanks to some team depth. Overall, Pinheiros holds a 18-point advantage over Fiat/Minas heading into day 2.