Hugo Gonzalez Nears Lifetime Best To Take 100 Back At Spanish Championships
By Retta Race on SwimSwam
2024 SPANISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuesday, June 18th – Saturday, June 22nd
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
LCM (50m)
Olympic Qualifying Event
Results
Day one of the 2024 Spanish Swimming Championships saw several notable swims take place, including a national record on the women’s side.
First, in the men’s 100m back, Hugo Gonzalez fired off a time of 52.71 to take the event in dominant fashion. The 25-year-old medalist from this year’s World Championships produced a winning effort of 52.71 to top the field by over a second.
Splitting 25.68/27.03, Gonzalez’s time nearly overtook his lifetime best of 52.71, the result he established for silver in Doha this past February. Both times easily cleared the World Aquatics Olympic Qualification Time 53.74 needed for Paris.
The men’s 1500m free saw Benito Garach rack up his 3rd Olympic qualifying time, posting a stellar 14:57.99 to take the gold.
After already qualifying in the 10k open water and 800m free last year in Fukuoka, Garach put this 1500m free in his Paris basket in a time of 14:57.99. His performance was less than a second off his own national record of 14:57.23 put on the books at last year’s Spanish Championships.
Finally, in the women’s 100m free, Paula Sanchez busted out a winning outing of 58.48 to grab the gold.
Opening in 27.39 and closing in 31.09, Sanchez surpassed the former Spanish record of 58.73 Judit Ignacio logged at the 2016 European Championships.
Unfortunately for Sanchez, she needed at least a time of 57.92 to book her ticket to Paris in the event.
Additional Notes
Mario Yanes notched a new meet record of 52.28 en route to topping the men’s 100m fly podium.
This morning, Carmen Weiler Sastre posted a new national record of 59.65 to take the top seed and qualify for next month’s Olympic Games. She added some time tonight but still beat the file, hitting 59.87 as the victor.
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