Spain: At the Sabadell long-course meet, Damiano Lestingi (ITA), former European junior champion, claimed a backstroke triple, 50, 100 and 200m, with times of 26.30, 55.53 and 2:00.15. Erika Villaecija (ESP) clocked 8:32.82 in the 800m free, while Mireia Belmonte cliamed the 200m medley in 2:16.03. Elsewhere, Lorenzo Benatti (ITA) clocked 51.18 in the 100m free and won both sprint fly events, in 24.66 and 54.52; the 100m breaststroke went to Edoardo Giorgetti (ITA) in 1:03.92, with teammate Paolo Bossini on 1:04.29.
South American Games: Brazil claimed another six gold medals at the Games in Medellin to confirm its regional dominance. Times reflected the return to textile suits. Ben Hockin, born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and who until last season raced for Britain, continues to appear on the result sheet as racing for Paraguay, despite the fact that he does not quite comply with the conditions of transfer of nation under FINA procedures and the 1-year residency requirement. Hockin's mother is English, his father from Paraguay, where the swimmer grew up. Hockin came to Britain, and was based at the Swansea performance centre, without his family. In Sheffield at British trials, the view is clear from all you speak to: no-one in Britain would wish to remove Hockin's right to swim for the country he wishes to swim for ... though some have suggested, with a smile, that UK Sport send the Paraguay federation (which should have known better its FINA rule book) a bill for all that lottery money and support provided for Hockin over the past few years as a London 2012 hopeful. That scenario would have accountants in the US rubbing their hands with glee, perhaps. Meanwhile, it will now, of course, be easier for Hockin to make it to what would have been a home Games a couple of years hence. Results at a glance, solo events:
- Men
- 100m free: Ernesto Acuña (VEN) 50.29; Ben Hockin (PAR) 50.50; Nicolás Oliveira (BRA) 50.50.
- 200m breast: Thiago Pereira (BRA) 2:16.89.
- 50m back: Guilherme Guido (BRA) 25.09.
- Women
- 50m free: Flavia Cazziolato (BRA) 25.37
- 1,500m free: Kristel Kobrich (CHI) 16:26.15
- 100m back: Fabiola Molina (BRA) 1:01.65
- 100m breast: Agustina de Giovanni (ARG) 1:10.00
- 400m medley: Thiago Pereira (BRA) 4:28.79
