European Jr. Games finalist Barbora Seemanova, just 16 years of age, blasted a 1:59.47 to win the women’s 200 free by almost eight full seconds. That’s a big new personal best for her, and it makes her the first Czech woman under 2:00 in this event. She now holds the national record in the event, shattering the old mark of 2:00.21 by Czech backstroke star Simona Baumrtova.
Seemanova was 8th in this event at the Baku Games last summer, but her fastest time at that meet was a 2:02.16 in the semifinals, so she’s shown marked improvement over the last 11 months or so. She also finished fourth in the 100 free at those Games, just off of the podium.
Meanwhile, Czech breaststroke star Petra Chocova sprinted her way to wins in both the 50 and 100 breaststroke races.
The hometown breaststroker first took the 50 breast, swimming a 31.62 to beat out Martina Moravcikova, who touched 2nd in 32.12. Moravcikova swam her way to a new Czech record in the 200 breast last month at the European Championships in London. Eva Jordova swam a 32.84 for third.
Chocova’s 31.62 is just a few tenths off of her personal best and national record time of 31.25. Later in the session, in the 100 breast, Chocova swam a 1:09.05 to easily handle the field. She won by nearly three seconds over Monika Stepanova (1:11.99) and Jordova (1:12.59).
Egypt’s Abdallah Youssef was quick in the 50 back, sprinting to a finish of 26.19. He won by more than a second over Israel’s Daniel Aizenberg (27.22).
The men’s 200 butterfly came down to the finish, as Tomas Havranek and Jan Sefl raced to the wall. It was Havranek who squeaked ahead, posting a 1:59.53 to Sefl’s 1:59.57.