PHOENIX, Arizona, May 20. THE roster of swimmers that will represent Brazil in the pool at the FINA world championships this summer contain a defending world champion and a rising star in the sprinting ranks.
Cesar Cielo is the brightest star for Brazil, and will go into the world championships in Barcelona set to defend his 2011 world title in the 50 freestyle. With Cielo undergoing surgery and rehabilitation this past fall and winter for his knees, he did not race in the 50 butterfly at the Brazilian world champ trials, thereby giving up an opportunity to also defend his 50 butterfly title.
Thiago Pereira will also be a strong leader on the team, coming off a silver medal performance in the 400 IM at the London Olympics. Pereira will swim both individual medleys in Barcelona.
Two recent standouts at the NCAA Division I men's championships earned their tickets to the meet. Joao de Lucca will swim as a member of the 800 free relay, while Marcelo Chierighini will compete in the 50 free and 100 free, as well as both sprint relays.
A notable name that is not on the list is Felipe Silva, the reigning world champion in the 50 breaststroke. Silva was not on form this spring, having undergone an emergency appendectomy weeks before the qualifying meets.
Nicolas Oliveira and Fernando Santos tied for second in the men's 100 freestyle, which typically prompts a swimoff to determine who swims in the individual event. The Brazilian swimming federation has not made it clear how the tie will be broken.
Worlds roster:
Men
50 free — Cesar Cielo / Marcelo Chierighini
100 free — Marcelo Chierighini / Nicolas Oliveira & Fernando Santos
200 free — Nicolas Oliveira
50 back — Daniel Orzechowski
200 back — Leonardo de Deus
50 fly — Nicholas Santos
200 fly — Leonardo de Deus
50 breast — Jo?o Gomes
100 breast — Jo?o Gomes / Felipe Lima
200 IM — Henrique Rodrigues / Thiago Pereira
400 IM — Thiago Pereira
Women
50 free — Graciele Hermann / Alessandra Marchioro
100 back– Etiene Medeiros
200 IM — Joanna Maranh?o
400 IM — Joanna Maranh?o
Relays:
4×100 free women
Alessandra Marchioro, Daynara de Paula, Larissa Oliveira, Graciele Hermann
4×100 free men
Marcelo Chierighini, Nicolas Oliveira, Fernando Santos, Bruno Fratus, Vin?cius Waked
4×200 free men
Nicolas Oliveira, Joao de Lucca, Fernando Ernesto, Vin?cius Waked
4×200 free women
Manuella Lyrio, Jessica Cavalheiro, Carolina Bilich, Larissa Oliveira
4×100 medley men
Daniel Orzechowski, Jo?o Gomes, Thiago Pereira, Marcelo Chierighini
4×100 medley women
Etiene Medeiros, Beatriz Travalon, Daynara de Paula, Alessandra Marchioro