The 2015 Portuguese National meet is underway in Colmbra, Portugal and continues through April 4th. Today, swimmers contested the individual events of 1500 free, 800 free, 50 butterfly, 50 breaststroke, 50 backstroke, with the fastest relative swims coming out of the 50m backstroke finals.
Former University of Louisville swimmer Pedro Oliveira came dangerously close to breaking Portugal’s national record in the A-Final of the men’s 50 back, as he clocked a swift 25.81 to win the event. Oliveira was over a second faster than the rest of the field and was just 3/100 off Alexis Manacas Santos’ 25.78 mark set in 2013.
On the women’s side in the same event, Ana Sofia Leite also scared the women’s national record, registering 29.56 to clear the field by over a second, but fall just short of Marta Vieira’s 2010 mark of 29.40.
Competition resumes tomorrow with 400 IM, 200 free, 50 breaststroke and 200 backstroke on the agenda.