Arno Kamminga Becomes Fourth Sub-2:07 Swimmer in 200 Breaststroke; Toussaint Breaks Dutch Record
Arno Kamminga turned in another stellar performance at the 2020 Rotterdam Qualification Meet on Friday.
After setting the Dutch record in the 50 breaststroke on Thursday, Kamminga won the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:06.85, just the fourth swimmer in history to break 2:07 in the event, breaking the Dutch record once again.
The European short-course champion joins Anton Chupkov (2:06.12), Matt Wilson (2:06.67) and Ippei Watanabe (2:06.67) as the only four swimmers to go sub-2:07.
The 25-year-old had served notice in the morning prelims when he went 2:07.17 to take a 0.01 sliver off his personal best from the Antwerp Diamond Race in March.
Splits: 28.81/1:00.84/1:33.53/2:06.85
Kamminga said in comments to KZNB:
“It’s great here. I like to really go for it. Despite the measures, it has been possible to race here as if there is no corona. That’s why I really wanted to swim fast.
“I did exactly what I had to do. It was there, but then you have to do it anyway. Everything went well. I’m on cloud nine.”
Caspar Corbeau finished in second place in the 200 breaststroke in 2:09.39.
1 2:06.12 Anton Chupkov, RUS
2 2:06.67 Ippei Watanabe, JPN
2 2:06.67 Matthew Wilson, AUS
4 2:06.85 Arno Kamminga, NED
5 2:07.01 Akihiro Yamaguchi, JPN
6 2:07.02 Shoma Sato, JPN
7 2:07.17 Josh Prenot, USA
Kamminga wasn’t the only elite swimmer with another elite performance.
Tes Schouten set a national mark in the women’s 200br of 2:26.95 in the prelims.
Kira Toussaint broke the Dutch record in the 50 backstroke to win in 27.37. Coming off of several strong short-course performances in the International Swimming League, Toussaint was well ahead of second-place Nina Kost (28.53).
In the women’s 100 butterfly, Maaike de Waard held off Ranomi Kromowidjojo to win the event. De Waard touched the wall in 58.10, just ahead of Kromowidjojo (58.38).
Swiss swimmer Roman Mityukov won the 200 free in 1:47.57 ahead of Luc Kroon (1:47.85).
In the women’s 200 free, Belgium’s Valentine Dumont won in 1:58.63, the only swimmer to break 2 minutes. Robin Neumann was second in 2:00.04.
Swiss swimmer Noe Ponti won the men’s 100 fly (51.15).
Belgium’s Fanny Lecluyse won the women’s 200 breast (2:25.04).
But it was the race of Arno Kamminga that stole the show on Day 2 in Rotterdam.
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