SAO PAULO, Brazil, April 26. THE sprinters put on a spectacular show during the final day of the Maria Lenk Trophy meet in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen Gray raced her way to a meet record with a time of 53.78 to win the women’s 100-meter free. That performance moved her from 11th in the SwimVortex world rankings to a tie for ninth with Melanie Schlanger. Larissa Oliveira cruised to second overall in 55.13 with The Netherlands’ Inge Dekker taking third in 55.43.
Brazil continued to build its potential in the men’s 400-meter freestyle with Cesar Cielo leading the way with a 48.13 for the win. That skyrocketed him to third in the world rankings behind only James Magnussen (47.59) and Cameron McEvoy (47.65), and ahead of American rival Nathan Adrian’s 48.23 from the Mesa stop of the Arena Grand Prix. Matheus De Santana took second in 48.61 for seventh in the world rankings, while Joao De Lucca powered to third in 48.67 for eighth in the world. Nicolas Oliveira ranked fourth in 49.12
De Santana, just 18, powered his way to a World Junior Record with his swim this evening after posting a World Junior Record in prelims with a 48.85 this morning.
Joao Gomes Jr. tied for seventh in the world in the men’s 50-meter breaststroke with a 27.43 for the win. That matched Adam Peaty of Great Britain’s swim at British Nationals. Felipe Silva turned in a second-place 27.47 today, just off his 27.44 that ranks ninth in the world. Felipe Lima (27.65) and Raphael Rodrigues (27.76) also broke 28 seconds to finish third and fourth.
The Hungarian Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu dominated the women’s 200-meter backstroke with a 2:11.69 for the win this evening, just off her prelim swim of 2:11.34. Florencia Perotti placed well behind with a second-place 2:16.93, while Natalia De Luccas snagged third in 2:17.86.
Ana Carvalho proved to be the only sub-32 swimmer in the women’s 50-meter breast finale with a 31.87 for the win. Julia Sebastian claimed second in 32.08 with Juliana Marangoni placing third in 32.29. Leonardo De Deus topped the men’s 200-meter back in 1:58.58 with Fernando Pires taking second in 2:00.29. Fabio Santi rounded out the top three in 2:01.25.
The superstar foursome of Katinka Hosszu, Pamela Souza, Jeanette Ottesen Gray and Natalia De Luccas won the women’s 400-meter medley relay in 4:06.14 while representing Corinthians. Pinheiros’ Fabio Santi, Joao Gomes Jr., Guilherme Roselen, Joao De Lucca won the men’s 400-meter medley relay 3:37.40.