EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, April 13. RANOMI Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands highlighted the second day of long course competition at the Eindhoven Swim Cup with a world textile best in the women's 100 freestyle, according to a post on the meet's Twitter account.
Kromowidjojo won the final today with a blistering 52.75, bettering the previous textile best of 53.05 by Sarah Sjostrom in the same pool last December. The swim improves on Kromowidjojo's personal best of 53.30 from last month's Amsterdam Swim Cup and breaks the Dutch national record of 53.17 set by Marleen Veldhuis in 2009. She still has a way to go to reach Britta Steffen's world record of 52.07, but stands as the third-fastest performer all-time behind Steffen and Libby Trickett. The swim is the fifth-fastest performance in history, behind three Steffen swims in 2009 and a Trickett swim from 2009.
Sjostrom was able to get her hand on the wall ahead of Veldhuis today for second place, 53.30 to 53.95. Sjostrom just fell off her best time of the year, a 53.29 from yesterday's semifinals that is now second in the world. Veldhuis improved on her 2012 best of 54.15, jumping up to ninth in the world.
Inge Dekker, another part of the Dutch sprint corps, scratched from the final after posting a 54.43 in yesterday's semifinals.
Watch the race, courtesy of zwemsite.nl:
With the meet serving as an Olympic Trials for the Netherlands, swimmers in other events were looking to gain a spot on the Dutch roster. The qualifying times set by the Dutch swimming federation are slightly faster than the FINA A cut.
Men's 100 backstroke
Bastiaan Lijesen took the 100 back with a 53.89, earning a spot in the Olympic race. He dipped under the Dutch qualifying time of 54.00 and just missed the national record of 53.78, set in 2009 by Nick Driebergen. Driebergen finished second with a 54.20, just missing out on Olympic qualification. Third place went to Brazil's Guilherme Guido, who swam a 55.25.
Women's 100 backstroke
Sharon van Rouwendaal, the reigning world championship bronze medalist in the 200 backstroke, won the 100 back today with a 1:01.07. The time set by the Dutch for Olympic qualifying is 1:00.40. Second place went to Kira Toussaint with a 1:01.28, and Annemarie Worst was third in 1:02.20.
Men's 200 breaststroke
Lennart Stekelenburg just missed the Dutch Olympic qualifying standard of 2:11.39 with his winning time of 2:11.70. Stekelenburg did surpass the FINA A cut of 2:11.74, however. Second place went to Sebas van Lith with a 2:15.79 and Jonas Coreelman was third with a 2:16.04.
Women's 200 breaststroke
Sweden's Joline Hostman won the women's 200 breast with a 2:26.62, while Buse Gunaydin placed second with a 2:29.20. Jennie Johansson, also from Sweden, was third with a 2:31.87.
Men's 100 freestyle
Sweden's Stefan Nystrand won the men's 100 free in 48.99, with Sebastian Verschuren, a finalist at the world championships in this event, placing second with a 49.11. Emmanuel Vanluchene placed third with a 49.82.
Women's 800 freestyle
Switzerland's Julia Hassler won the distance event with an 8:41.64. Judith Stap placed second with an 8:54.41, and Lucinda Campbell placed third in 8:58.35.
Men's 50 butterfly
Joeri Verlinden took the sprint fly race in 23.75, just missing his national record of 23.66. Croatia's Duje Draganja placed second in 23.84. Henrique Martins of Brazil rounded out the podium with a bronze-medal time of 24.03.
Women's 50 butterfly
Estonia's Triin Aljand, a former standout at Texas A&M University, won the women's sprint butterfly in 26.48. Farida Osman of Egypt placed second with a 26.66, and Kelly de Jong was third with a 26.85