Femke Heemskerk produced a speedy 53.76 in the 100 free and Arno Kamminga secured a golden breaststroke double at the Flanders Qualification Meet in Antwerp
Heemskerk split 25.80/27.96 to enjoy a winning margin of 1.55secs with Kim Busch touching some way back in 55.31 and Marrit Steenbergen in third (56.29).
Heemskerk, a member of the Netherlands’ 4×100 free relay that won gold at Beijing 2008 and silver four years later in London, missed the Rotterdam qualification meet in December as she quarantined following her husband’s positive test for Covid-19.
There was heartbreak then for Heemskerk as Valerie van Roon eclipsed her time in the 50 free, knocking her out of the second spot.
Heemskerk returned to finish third in the 50 fly in 26.65 behind Kromowidjojo (25.88) and Maaike de Waard (26.08).
Kamminga won the 200m breaststroke in 2:08.84 ahead of 2015 world champion Marco Koch who clocked 2:09.34 and followed that up with victory in the 50br in 27.63.
The three-time European short-course champion split 28.98/33.16/33.03/33.67, leading from start to finish.
Just three men contested the final with Kasper Tanghe, born in 2004, third home in 2:28.56.
Photo Courtesy: Foto Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia /Insidefoto
After becoming just the fourth man to join the 2:06 club when he went 2:06.85 in December, Kamminga told Swimming World: “I love racing the big guys out there. I love racing Anton (Chupkov) or the Japanese guys or anyone at the same level. I want to be pushed every single time.”
He was “craving some racing” and Antwerp is his second competition in little more than a week following the Geneva International Challenge where he won the 200br and finished second in the 50 and 100 behind Nicolo Martinenghi.
De Waard Prevails Against Toussaint
Maaike de Waard: Photo Courtesy: Xinhua/Youth Olympic Games
De Waard upset Netherlands team-mate and short-course world record-holder Kira Toussaint in the 50 back.
The seven-time world short-course medallist stopped the clock in 28.06, 0.08 ahead of national record holder Toussaint (28.14) with Kromowidjojo rounding out the podium at 28.31.
Jade Smits set a Belgian record of 28.69 in fourth, lowering her own mark of 28.77 from Hengelo in August last year.
Nyls Korstanje won the 50-100 fly double last weekend in Geneva and he continued his winning form, taking the 100 title in 52.27.
Fanny Lecluyse won the women’s 100br in 1:08.13 ahead of Josephine Dumont (1:09.24) and Tes Schouten (1:09.58).
Luc Kroon won the 200 free in 1:49.45 after a final 50 of 27.10 propelled him past Alexandre Marcourt who touched 0.06 behind in 1:49.51.
Kroon returned to take the 400m title in 3:57.12.
Jesse Puts had the narrowest of wins in the 50 free, stopping the clock at 22.47, 0.01 ahead of Kenzo Simons.
Arjan Knipping took the 200IM in 2:03.29 and a Netherlands men’s quartet clocked 3:28.30 in the 4×100 free.
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