Brazilian swimming star in last-chance saloon as Olympic Aquatics Stadium hosts first event
World record holder Cesar Cielo must record qualifying times at national championships, while Rio 2016 tests crucial operations at recently unveiled venue
Under pressure: Brazil’s top swimmer Cesar Cielo faces a make-or-break few days (Getty Images/Al Bello)
The Maria Lenk Trophy, the official name of the Brazilian national swimming championships, begins this Friday (15 April) at the recently unveiled Olympic Aquatics Stadium and doubles up as the 35th test event for the Rio 2016 Games. It not only gives organisers a chance to simulate operations for the Olympic Games, it is also the final qualification event for the Brazilian swimming team.
The six-day event will host over 400 athletes – 356 Brazilians and 57 visitors from 11 countries – and will have competitions in all Olympic swimming events. Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, Slovakia, Finland, Japan, Paraguay, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Uruguay have all sent athletes for a last chance to swim in the official competition pool for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Among the important international names at the event is Federico Grabich from Argentina, who last year won 100m freestyle gold at the Pan-American Games in Toronto and bronze at the world championship in Kazan, as well as Canadian Santo Condorelli, who took silver behind Grabich in Toronto.
“Swimming in the Olympic pool is a unique opportunity and I am sure they will all be very excited and ready to give 120%”
Ricardo Prado, Rio 2016 aquatics sports manager
Make or break for Cielo
Local eyes will all be on Brazil’s best-known swimmer, 50m and 100m freestyle world record holder Cesar Cielo, who faces a tense battle to qualify for the Olympic team. With a gold and two bronze Olympic medals under his belt, as well as six world championship medals, the 29-year-old is yet to record qualifying times for these two events, his specialties, and has his last chances on Monday (100m) and Wednesday (50m).
The problem is that the swimmer needs to improve his time – by a lot. Besides decreasing by 20 tenths of a second his best time in 2016 to reach the Olympic qualifying time (22.27 seconds), he needs to overcome his teammate Italo Duarte's time (22.08 seconds), who as of now has the second place on the country’s team.
“I really believe in Cielo, I know his head, I know that he won’t give up”
Marcus Vinícius Freire, Brazilian Olympic Committee executive director
Another decisive test for Cielo is reaching one of the four best times in the 100m freestyle, therefore earning a place on the 4x100m relay team. The fiercest event of the trials, the 100m has at least seven swimmers with real chances for the fight – Nicolas Oliveira, Matheus Santana, Marcelo Chierighini, Alan Vitória, Bruno Fratus, Thiago Pereira and Cielo. It is no coincidence that this is the event that has given the country its best Olympic results, producing five of the 13 medals won up until now.
Brazilian national coach Ricardo Moura said Cielo would have his work cut out. “There’s a bigger expectation to swim at home in the Olympic Games,” he said.
“We can’t belittle Cielo, but we can’t ignore his competition. Everyone wants a chance”
Brazilian national coach Ricardo Moura
Among other noteworthy Brazilians that will be competing are Olympic silver medalist and multiple Pan-American champion Thiago Pereira who, with a qualifying time in the 200m medley, is already close to competing in his fourth Olympic Games, and Bruno Fratus, bronze at the Kazan world championships and current holder of the best Brazilian 50m freestyle time.
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Joana Maranhão hopes to qualify for her fourth Olympic Games (Photo: Getty Images/Buda Mendes)
In the women’s events, Joana Maranhão, the most experienced Brazilian female swimmer with three Olympic Games under her belt and qualifying times in the 200m and 400m medley, stands out next to Etiene Medeiros, the only Brazilian short course world champion (in 50m backstroke), who already has qualifying times for the 50m and 100m freestyle.
The Brazilian Paralympic Committee will also participate in the event, sending three of its main swimmers: André Brasil, Carlos Farremberg and Phelipe Rodrigues.
Testing, testing
Organised in partnership with the Brazilian Aquatic Sports Confederation (CBDA ), the Maria Lenk Trophy will give the Rio 2016 Organising Committee an opportunity to test competition management, results operations, venue structures such as the competition and training pools, as well as a workforce made up of 124 volunteers and 74 Rio 2016 employees.
