Scrabble players rejoice: this week’s big meet is the Polish National Championships and World Championship Trials, which will take place over 4 days in Ostrowiec SW, Poland. This does not jump off the page immediately as a big meet to watch, but very early on, the Polish swimmers demostrated why it should be. With extreme dexterity of digit, we delve into day 1, where the Polish men really stole the show.
In the men’s 200 fly, a stroke that has really put Poland on the map in the swimming world, Pawel Korzeniowski broke off a 1:55.64 that ranks him 5th in the world this year (just behind Michael Phelps) and puts him as a pretty solid bet to at least final in Shanghai. The runner-up was Florida freshman Marcin Cieslak in 1:58.36. This will not automatically qualify him for the World Champs, but only 6 weeks after his 19th birthday, he has a ton of potential.
On the women’s side of the same event, Poland qualified two for the World Championships with a 2:09.34 from Otylia Jedrzejczak and a 2:10.30 from 18-year old Olczak Mirela. For Jedrzejcak, that time moves her into a tie for 18th in the world.
Yet another young swimmer who made a big imact on day 1 was Radoslaw Kawecki, who posted a 1:56.90 to put himself 4th in the world-rankings. Kawecki holds effectively every significant record in polish swimming (for ages 16 and older) and remains the only polish swimmer ever under 2-minutes in the 200 backstroke.
On the women’s side of the 200 back, teenager Alijca Tchorz, who like Kawecki has rewritten the 200 backstroke record books, won in 2:10.63 to move into the top 25 in the world. The runner-up was Aleksandra Putra, whose 2:12.56 also just sneaks her onto the World Championship team.
In the men’s 50 free, Konrad Czerniak punched his first (of many expected) tickets to the World Championships with a winning mark of 22.11. That time ranks him 9th in the world, though he’ll do most of his damage in the 50 and 100 butterfly.
Other day 1 winners were:
Aleksandra Urbanczyk in the women’s 50 free in 25.86
Przemyslaw Stanczyk in the men’s 800 free in 8:02.76
Natalia Charlos in the women’s 1500 free in 16:55.64
Live results (and full day 1 results) for the meet are available here.
Translations:
Dowolny = Freestyle
Motylkowy = Butterfly
Grzbietowy = Backstroke
Klasyczny = Breaststroke
Zmienny = IM
Eliminacje = Prelims
FInal = Final
Wikniejsze Serie = Slow Heats
Najszybsza Seria = Fast Heat