Arno Kamminga Pops 58.69 in 100 Breaststroke; Texas’ Caspar Corbeau Goes Sub-Minute
Reigning Olympic champion Adam Peaty is still the sole member of the sub-58 club (and sub-57) in the 100-meter breaststroke. One day after he became just the fourth individual to crack the 2:07 barrier in the 200 breaststroke, Dutchman Arno Kamminga seemed capable of posting a 57-point performance at half the distance.
But Kamminga will have to wait to join that highly exclusive territory after clocking 58.69 to claim first place at the Rotterdam Qualification Meet. Kamminga, who was coming off a 2:06.85 performance in the 200 breaststroke, was out in 27.56 and finished not far off his personal best of 58.43 from earlier in the year.
Kamminga has emerged as a medal contender in both breaststroke events at next year’s Olympic Games. While he is not in the realm of Peaty in the 100 breaststroke, he has more than established himself as a major figure for silver or bronze in the shorter distance. Meanwhile, his 2:06-high outing in the 200 breaststroke has him in contention for the podium over four laps.
University of Texas standout Caspar Corbeau finished behind Kamminga, as he registered a runnerup time of 59.56. Corbeau has consistently improved since joining the Longhorns and beginning work under legendary coach Eddie Reese. In the 200 breaststroke, Corbeau clocked 2:08.57 in the prelims, and followed with a 2:09.39 marker in the finals.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo, the double sprint-freestyle champion from the 2012 Olympic Games, won the 100 freestyle in 54.00, with Marrit Steenbergen placing second in 54.29. In the women’s 100 breaststroke, Tes Schouten set a Dutch record of 1:06.92 in the prelims, but was significantly slower in the final, where she touched the wall in 1:08.70.
Belgium’s Louis Croenen claimed victory in the 200 butterfly, as his time of 1:56.30 narrowly edged the 1:56.48 of the Netherlands’ Noe Ponti. Stan Pijnenburg was the winner of the men’s 100 freestyle in 48.75.
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