MADRID, Spain, April 3. THE Spanish Long Course Championships went out with a bang as a pair of national records took a tumble.
Mireia Belmonte Garcia completed what was a strong meet with a national record time of 2:10.26 in the women's 200 IM. That swim beat her 2008 Spanish mark of 2:11.16 set in Eindhoven, and moved her to third in the world rankings behind Alicia Coutts (2:10.06) and Ye Shiwen (2:10.11). Beatriz Gomez Cortes finished second in 2:15.69, while Anja Klinar touched third in 2:16.85.
Melanie Costa Schmid downed the Spanish record in the women's 400 free with a 4:07.09. That time cleared Belmonte Garcia's record of 4:08.35 set last month, and moved Costa Schmid to 11th in the world rankings. Agnes Mutina (4:10.01) and Kristel Kobrich (4:12.20) rounded out the podium.
Melquiades Alvarez turned in the third-ranked swim in the men's 200 breast with a meet-record time of 2:11.01. The effort cleared his previous record of 2:11.18 set in 2009, and stands behind only Yuta Suenaga (2:10.28) and Michael Jamieson (2:10.42) in the world rankings this year. Henrique Barbosa finished a distant second in 2:14.01, while Fernando Morillas Ramos touched third in 2:16.88.
Marina Garcia Urzainqui clocked a 2:26.57 to race to victory in the women's 200 breast. That swim jumped her to fifth in the world rankings. Chiara Boggiato placed second in 2:30.58, while Shanie Stallard earned third in 2:31.33.
Rafael Munoz Perez moved to sixth in the world rankings in the men's 50 fly with a 23.77 for the win. Konrad Czerniak finished second in 24.04 for 13th in the rankings, while Pablo Mira Navas took third in 24.41.
Aschwin Wildeboer Faber improved to an 11th-ranked tie with Ashley Delaney in the men's 100 back with a 54.17 for the win. Juan Miguel Rando Galvez touched second in 54.97, while Alvaro Vega De Pablo placed third in 55.98.
Elena Gemo won the women's 50 fly title in 27.63 after clocking a 27.53 during semis. Hong Kong's Sze Hang Yu finished second in 27.68 after posting a 27.44 in semis, while Carla Campo Casajus took third in 27.88.
Duane Da Roche Marce won the women's 100 back in 1:01.13, after setting the meet record with a 1:01.01 during semis. Her semifinal effort beat the 1:01.32 set by Mercedes Peris Minguet back in 2008. Peris Minguet took second in 1:01.40, while Gemo finished third in 1:02.26.
Zsuzsanna Jakabos hit the wall in 55.73 to win the women's 100 free. Maria Fuster Martinez placed second in 56.13, while Patricia Castro Ortega wound up third in 56.38. Eloi Saumell Montserrat posted a 50.11 to win the men's 100 free. Matias Aguilera (50.34) and Ernesto Acuna Rodriguez (50.47) completed the top three.
Eduardo Solaeche Gomez won the men's 200 IM in 2:02.07. Federico Turrini finished second in 2:03.13, while Brenton Cabello Forns placed third in 2:03.67. David Verraszto topped the men's 400 free in 3:52.74. Massi Rosolino (3:55.39) and Alex Sanchez Garcia (3:56.73) finished second and third.