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New Standards For Kobrich & Ignacio

Apr 2, 2011  - Craig Lord

Madrid: Spanish Spring Nationals, day 3 finals and semi-finals:

The highlight of the third day of action in Madrid was a season world-leading 16:02.01 championship record from Kristel Kobrich, of Chile, in the women's 1500m freestyle, and a Spanish record for 16-year-old Judit Ignacio.

Kerri-Anne Payne, 2009 marathon world champion from Britain, had held the helm of the world rankings on 16:06 so far this year but as the world titles in Shanghai draw closer the eye will turn to the sub-16min times that will be required to make the podium in China come July.

Ignacio, the 16-year-old coached by Fred Vergnoux at Sabadell in Barcelona, took down the Spanish record in the 100m butterfly with a 59.21 victory that shaved 0.39sec off the standard that had stood since Angela San Juan clocked 59.60 in the last year of non-textile suits in 2009.

Spain has a "reference times" chart on which it basis international selection. Given that that reference table appears (at least in some events) to have been based on times set at a time of shiny suits, it may well be that Spain's performance director uses the discretion open to him when selectors meet to name a team for world titles.

Race reports 

Women's 1,500m freestyle

Kristel Kobrich (CHI) had company until the 500m mark, 16-year-old Claudia Dasca, of Sabadell, turning first at a third of the way, on 5:18.27. Kobrich turned in 15:19.03, with world short-course 800m champion Erika Villaecija on 5:21.57. 

Kobrich then made her move and 200m later was 3sec up on Dasca and 5sec up on Villaecija. By the 1,000m mark, the Spain No1 had edged ahead of Dasca and the only movement in the podium placers after that point came down to how far Kobrich could get ahead.

By the end, the Chilean had taken the title and the helm of the world rankings for 2010 in 16:02.01. The silver went to Villaecjija, on 16:22.22, the bronze to Dasca on 16:23.64 and inside the time she needed to represented Spain as a junior this summer. Neither Spanish challenger made the 16:20 cut for Shanghai, however. The best of Spain a year ago, Eider Santamaria, finished 4th in 16:50.43.

How they measure up:

  • 2010 podium: 16:27.81 GRE; 16:30.56; 16:36.23
  • 2011 podium: 16:01.01 CHI; 16:22.22; 16:23.64
  • ESP record all suits: 16:00.25 Erika Villaecija 2009
  • ESP pre-2008 best: 6:05.08 Erika Villaecija 2007

Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals

Women's 100m butterfly 

Judit Ignacio, coached by Fred Vergnoux at Sabadell, gave warning with a 59.70 in semis that left her 0.1sec shy of San Juan's national mark. In the final, the 16-year-old was out in 28.14, a touch behind the 27.93 of Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) but returned in 31.07 to retain her crown in 59.21, Jakabos taking silver in 59.62, the bronze going to Carla Campo, in 1:00.39. Spain's "reference times" for international selection hold that 58.85 is required for Shanghai world titles, through the performance director can use his discretion.

How they measure up:

  • 2010 podium: 59.86; 1:00.74; 1:01.22
  • 2011 podium: 59.21; 59.62; 1:00.39
  • ESP record: 59.21 Judit Ignacio 2011

Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals

Men's 800m freestyle

Italian visitor Luca Ferretti claimed victory in 8:04.32 ahead of defending champion Marco Rivera, of Club Natación Santa Olaya in Gijón, on 8:08.38, the bronze going to Victor Goicoechea, 16, in 8:11.07. The teenager led the race for the first 300m before Ferretti edged ahead and never looked back, extending his lead gradually from a 4:01.05 half-way split a second ahead of his Spanish opponents, who missed the Shanghai cut.

How they measure up:

  • 2010 podium: 8:02.73; 8:12.12; 8:12.81
  • 2011 podium: 8:04.32; 8:08.38; 8:11.07
  • ESP record all suits: 7:49.09 Marco Rivera 2009
  • ESP pre-2008 best: 7:57.14 Marco Rivera 2007 

Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals

Men's 100m butterfly

Konrad Czerniak (POL) stormed to a dominant 52.59 win over 2009 world titles bronze medallist Rafael Munoz, of Navial, on 53.31, just 0.11sec shy of his textile best, the bronze going to Nil Vidal, 18, in 54.28. Munoz, the world 50m record holder, was out first on 24.26, the Polish visitor on 24.77. Czerniak then piled on the pressure with a 27.82 return, to 29.05 for Munoz. The top two repeated their result of a year ago, while Munoz's time fell shy of the 52.50 required for world-titles action on the Spanish chart of standards for this season, though the performance director cane use his discretion.

How they measure up:

  • 2010 podium: 52.71 POL; 53.41; 54.42
  • 2011 podium: 52.59 POL; 53.31; 54.28
  • ESP record all suits: 50.41 Rafael Munoz 2009
  • ESP textile best: 53.20 Rafael Munoz 2010

Best ESP podium result at world titles: bronze, Rafael Munoz, Rome 2009 behind champion Michael Phelps (USA) and Milorad Cavic (SRB) as the two top men became the first two to crack 50sec while wearing non-textile suits that we banned from January 1, 2010.

Men's 50m breaststroke

The crown stayed on the head of Hector Monteagudo, of Ciudade Real, in 28.25, ahead of Henrique Barbosa (BRA), on 28.32, and  Sergio Arias, on 28.52. As part of their longer term plans to London 2012, Barbosa and Brazil teammate Guilherme Guido have been training all year with Fred Vergnoux at Sabadell in Barcelona, Barbosa having been coached by the Frenchman in Paris too. Monteagudo clocked 28.01 in semis at the start of the session but required a 27.55 under Spain's "reference" times for Shanghai world titles. 

How they measure up:

  • 2010 podium: 28.37; 28.47; 29.16
  • 2011 podium: 28.25; 28.32; 28.52
  • ESP record all suits: 27.78 Hector Monteagudo 2009
  • ESP textile best: 28.18 Borja Iradier 2007

Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals

Women's 50m breaststroke

Chiara Boggiato, of Italy and Livorno, took the win in 32.57 ahead of Jessica Vall, on 32.62, the bronze going to Evelyn Alvarez, in 32.70. National record holder and defending champion Concepcion Badillo finished 5th in 32.84.

How they measure up:

  • 2010 podium: 32.34; 33.04; 33.12
  • 2011 podium: 32.57; 32.62; 32.70
  • ESP record all suits: 31.14 Concepcion Badillo 2009
  • ESP textile best: 32.10 Concepcion Badillo 2010

Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals

Semi-finals: 

Men's 100m backstroke

Miguel Rando led the way into the final on 55.13 ahead of Alvaro Vega and Aschwin Wildeboer, both just over the 56sec mark.

Women's 100m freestyle

Maria Fuster claimed lane 4 for the final in 55.93, 0.07sec ahead of Patricia Castro, who in turn was 0.03sec ahead of Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN).

Men's 100m freestyle

Eloi Saumell challenged 50sec on 50.09 to claim lane 4 for the final, either side of him Matias Aguilera, on 50.20, and Ernesto Acuna, on 50.52.

Women's 100m backstroke

Duane da Rocha claimed lane 4 for the final in a championship record of 1:01.01. Either side of her tomorrow will be Mercedes Peris, on 1:01.24, and Lydia Morant, on 1:02.31.