2024 JOSE FINKEL TROPHY
We witnessed the second day of the 2024 Jose Finkel Trophy in Brazil, with more impressive performances from the Olympians following their escapades in Paris.
Minas’ Nicholas Albiero achieved a new personal best of 1:52.57 in the men’s 200 m backstroke.
The former University of Louisville star player beat the field by over 3 seconds, with Pinheiros’ Flavio Oliveira next to the wall in 1:55.60.
Leonardo de God stopped the clock just 0.03 seconds later at 1:55.63, completing the podium.
Albiero was the only competitor to achieve the “A” standard in water sports required for this year’s Short Course World Championships in Budapest in December.
After the race, Albiero told the Brazilian Swimming Confederation (CBDA): “The Olympics were incredible and going straight into another competition was intense. I couldn’t be happier with the result and I’m looking forward to the 200m butterfly tomorrow.”
Ana Vieira was too fast to catch in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke, taking gold with a time of 30.81, the only swimmer in the field to stay under the 31-second mark.
Mercedes Salazar of Venezuela grabbed silver in 31.06 and Bruna Leme took 3rd place in 31.09.
The women were aiming for the “A” cut of 30.45 required for the main event in December.
Leonardo Santos exceeded the standard for Budapest and won the men’s 200 m individual medley.
The 29-year-old, who won bronze in this discipline at the Pan American Games last year, achieved a result of 1:54.75. That was a clear lead over Winery who was satisfied with silver with a time of 1:55.89.
Caio Pumputus also landed on the podium and took the bronze medal with a time of 1:56.16.
Santos remains the Brazilian national record holder in 2IM thanks to the time of 1:52.06 he set during the 2020 International Swimming League (ISL) season.
“I have a talent for short course swimming, I have a talent for turns and underwater skills. We train a lot to get good results in long course swimming, but I have a great talent for short course swimming and I am very happy with today’s result,” said Leonardo Santos after the race.
Further information
- The women’s 200-meter backstroke saw Maria Pessanha She won gold with a time of 2:11.12. Her personal best in this discipline was 2:08.63 at the 2018 Jose Finkel Trophy.
- Pumputis topped the podium in the men’s 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 26.42 seconds. He beat Joao Gomes Junior who is still in top form at the remarkable age of 38. Junior finished 26.67 seconds ahead of the bronze medalist Diego Prado27.33. The A standard for Budapest is 26.57, so Pumputis made it.
- Fernanda Celidonio von Pinheiros was the only runner in the 200m individual medley to make the A cut for Budapest. Celidonio, who competes for the University of Louisville, stopped the clock at 2:09.66.
Budapest qualification until day 2
- Maria Fernanda Costa – Women’s 400m Freestyle
- Leticia Romao – Women’s 400m Freestyle
- Guilherme Costa – Men’s 400m Freestyle
- Eduardo Moraes – Men’s 400m Freestyle
- Kayky Mota – 100m butterfly, men
- Gabrielle Assis – Women’s 200 m Breaststroke
- Mixed 4x50m freestyle relay
- Nicolas Albiero – Men’s 200 m backstroke
- Caio Pumputis – Men’s 50 m Breaststroke
- Leonardo Santos – Men’s 200 m Individual Medley
- Fernanda Celidonio – Women’s 200 m IM
- Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
- Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay
