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Belmonte And Costa Crack Spain Marks
Apr 3, 2011 - Craig Lord
Madrid: Spanish Spring Nationals, day 4 finals and semi-finals:
On the final day of nationals in Madrid, in-form Mireia Belmonte, of Sabadell, wiped 0.85sec off the Spanish 200m medley record with a 2:10.26 victory. Belmonte, winner of the 200m butterfly in a Spanish record, 800m free and 400m medley (also in a Spanish record) before the last day of action, raced no-one but herself. In Shanghai at world titles this July, Belmonte will repeat the world s/c championship programme that delivered three gold (200m 'fly, 200, 400m medley) and a silver (800m free) in Dubai last December. Shanghai will be a little tougher in line with the fact that long-course global gatherings are a far more steely affair than their s/c cousin and second-only in importance to the Olympic Games.
The final race of the championships saw world record holder Rafael Munoz fall shy of the Spanish cut for Shanghai world titles. According to Spanish media reports he will not be selected for Spain at the world championships this year.
Race reports:
Women's 200m medley
Belmonte's victory, which kept the national crown on her head, places her third best in the world so far this season in a hotly contested event, Alicia Coutts (AUS) on 2:10.06 at Aussie nationals this week, 14-year-old Ye Shiwen on 2:10.11 today at China nationals in Wuhan and Olympic champion Stephanie Rice on 2:10.41 behind Coutts in Sydney.
Belmonte's splits: 28.45; 1:01.10 (33.65); 1:39.79 (37.69); 2:10.26 (30.47)
The triple world s/c champion finished more than 5sec ahead of the pack, the silver going to Beatriz Gomez, in 2:15.69, the bronze to Anja Klinar (SLO) in 2:16.85.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Women's 400m freestyle
Melanie Costa, of Palma, took out Mireia Belmonte's Spanish 400m freestyle record with a 4:07.09 victory that left her a class apart from rivals. The 21-year-old had already established a strong lead by the time she turned in 2:02.68 at the half-way mark.
The silver went to Agnes Mutina (HUN) in 4:10.01, the bronze to 1500m winner Kristel Kobrich (CHI) in 4:12.20. The defending champion Patricia Castro was back in 7th on 4:15.21
The Spanish standard had stood to Belmonte at 4:08.35 since last month, while Costa stepped up from a best of 4:09.34 to book a ticket to world titles in Shanghai in July.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Men's 400m freestyle
David Verraszto (HUN) clocked 3:52.74 to keep Massimiliano Rosolino (ITA) at bay on 3:55.39, the best of Spain Sabadell's Alex Sanchez on 3:56.73.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Women's 200m breaststroke
Marina Garcia, of Real Club Mediterráneo in Málaga, clocked 2:26.57 for the crown in a race of her own ahead of Chiara Boggiato (ITA) on 2:30.58 and Shani Stallard (IRE), on 2:31.33. The champion made the cut for Shanghai world titles.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Men's 200m breaststroke
Melquiades Alvarez set a championship record of 2:11.01 ahead of Sabadell-based Brazilian Henrique Barbosa, on 2:14.01, the bronze going to Fernando Morillas, on 2:16.88. The 2011 champion finished second a year ago in 2:13.54.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Women's 100m backstroke
Duane da Rocha, of Canoe in Madrid, retained the crown in 1:01.13 after setting a championship record of 1:01.01 in the semis. The silver went to Mercedes Peris, on 1:01.40, but only Da Rocha made the cut for Shanghai world titles. The bronze went to Elena Gemo (ITA) in 1:02.26.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Men's 100m backstroke
Aschwin Wildeboer, of Sabadell, clocked 54.17 to retain the crown ahead of Miguel Rando, on 54.97, only the champion inside the Spanish reference time for Shanghai, though the performance director can use his discretion. The bronze went to Alvaro Vega in 55.98.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: gold - Martin Lopez-Zubero, in Rome 1994, two years after he claimed the Olympic 200m title in Barcelona.
Women's 100m freestyle
Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) clocked 55.73 to win the final ahead of Maria Fuster, of Palma, on 56.13, the bronze going to Patricia Castro, on 56.38.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Men's 100m freestyle
Eloi Saumell, of Sabadell, clocked 50.11 for the title, the silver going to Matias Aguilera in 50.34, the bronze to Ernesto Acuna in 50.47.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Men's 200m medley
Eduardo Solaeche, 17, claimed the crown in 2:02.07 ahead of Federico Turrini (ITA), on 2:03.13, the bronze going to Brenton Cabello, on 2:03.67, his brother Alan, defending champion, just 0.04sec away.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Women's 50m butterfly
Elena Gemo (ITA) clocked 27.63 to win by 0.05sec ahead of Yu Sze Hang, of Hong Kong, the bronze going to Carla Campo in 27.88.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: no medals
Men's 50m butterfly
World record holder rafael Munoz, of anvil, was along way from his 2009 best of 22.43 but 23.77 was good enough for him to retain his status as Spanish No1. The silver went to Konrad Czerniak (POL) in 24.04, the bronze to Pablo Mira, on 24.41. The Spanish reference chart of cut times for Shanghai 2011 world titles leaves Munoz shy of his target time, though discretion can be applied. The Spanish media is reporting that Munoz will not be selected for action at Shanghai world titles.
How they measure up:
Best ESP podium result at world titles: bronze, Rafael Munoz, Rome 2009 behind champion Milorad Cavic (SRB) and Fred Bousquet (FRA).
