EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, December 9. ORGANIZERS of the Dutch Open held in Eindhoven, Netherlands this weekend must be in a good mood after several national standards fell throughout the meet. The feather in the cap, however, easily came with a world record in the women's 400 freestyle relay as the meet changed over from long course format to short course as a Netherlands foursome clocked a global standard.
Spain's Mercedes Peris Minguet opened the final day of competition at the Dutch Open with a victory in the women's 50 back when she touched in 28.94. Meanwhile, Great Britain's Georgia Davies finished second in 29.70.
The United States' Randall Bal continues to take runs at the world record in the men's 50 back held by Thomas Rupprath with a 24.80 in 2003, but fell short again as he tied his own American record with a 24.84 to claim the title. Bal previously set the American record with a 24.84 readout in August of this year during the Paris Open.
Israel's Guy Barnea took a shot at his country's national record of 25.60, but wound up with a second-place time of 25.90. Additionally, Netherlands' Nick Driebergen came up just a bit short of his national record of 25.94 with a third-place 26.03.
Netherlands' Marleen Veldhuis lowered her own national record in the women's 100 free when she blasted the heat with a time of 53.58. That performance eclipsed her previous best time of 53.70 set at the World Championships in Melbourne. Compatriot Ranomi Kromowidjojo placed second in 54.93, while Germany's Petra Dallman took third in 55.23.
Canada's Brent Hayden nearly provided another Canadian record for the meet as he sprinted to a 48.67 in the men's 100 free to win the title. He finished a bit off his own standard of 48.43 set in Melbourne this year. Meanwhile, Netherlands' Pieter van den Hoogenband clocked a second-place 48.78, while teammate Mitja Zastrow finished third in 49.77.
After earning a Canadian breaststroke record sweep with a national standard in the 50 breast earlier in the meet, Annamay Pierse settled in to capture the 100 in a time of 1:08.53 – short of her record time of 1:07.78. Germany's Simone Weiler finished second in 1:09.73, while Belarus' Elise Matthyssen garnered third in 1:10.10.
Slovenia's Matjaz Markic emerged victorious from a close battle in the men's 100 breast when he clocked a time of 1:01.49. Canada's Mathieu Bois and teammate Emil Tahirovic were with him the whole way. Bois placed second in 1:01.60, while Tahirovic punched the wall in 1:01.70 for third.
Another national record tumbled, this time as Great Britain's Hannah Miley tore through the women's 400 IM with a swift readout of 4:39.77. That performance eclipsed her previous national record of 4:39.91 set in June of this year. Canada's Tanya Hunks placed second in 4:48.31, while Miley's teammate Keri-Anne Payne took third in 4:50.45.
The men's 400 IM concluded the individual events for the meet as Canada's Keith Beavers surfaced with a win in 4:19.53. Meanwhile, Portugal's Carlos Almeida crushed his country's national standard with a second-place time of 4:24.58. Almeida's previous best had been a 4:26.42 that stood as Portugal's record since Worlds in Melbourne this year. Great Britain's Lewis Smith comprised the rest of the top three with a time of 4:24.63.
After taking some time to switch over to a short course format after completing long course swimming, the Netherlands' quartet of Hinkelien Schreuder (53.40), Femke Heemskerk (52.95), Ranomi Kromowidjojo (52.88) and Marleen Veldhuis (51.62) dropped a world-record time of 3:30.85 to leave the crowd with a strong memory to close the meet.
The foursome eclipsed the previous record of 3:31.66 set by Australia in September as Libby Lenton (51.91), Melanie Schlanger (53.23), Shayne Reese (53.27) and Alice Mills (53.25) had owned the old standard.
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