The brand new Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Barra Olympic Park is sure to witness historical scenes when it hosts the swimming and water polo events at the Rio 2016 Games this August. And while hosting its first competition – the Maria Lenk Trophy which doubles up as the Rio 2016 test event – it is already seeing crucial moments in Brazilian swimming history.

The Brazilian national championships are the last chance for the host nation's swimmers to earn places in the Brazilian swim team, and the country's golden boy of the pool, Cesar Cielo, is the man in focus. While 15 swimmers won places on the Olympic team during the first three days of competition (15-17 April), Cielo – the world record holder in the 50m and 100m freestyle – saw his bid to qualify for the 100m falter on Monday (18 April) morning.

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Brazil's only Olympic swimming champion, Cielo recorded an Olympic qualifying mark but his time (48.97 seconds) was only the seventh fastest among the Brazilians, meaning he was not even in line to make the 4x100m freestyle relay team. Cielo, who won the 50m freestyle title at the Beijing 2008 Games, said he would not try to better his 100m time in the afternoon session, but rather focus his attention on the 50m event on Wednesday.

“All things considered, it was a good performance for me. Now I will think about the 50m, which is the main focus of the season”

Cesar Cielo
 

More than 400 swimmers from 12 nations are taking part in the test event (Photo: Getty Images/Buda Mendes)

The Maria Lenk Trophy runs until Wednesday (20 April) and will feature over 400 athletes – 356 Brazilians and 57 visitors from 11 countries – 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.

Joana Maranhão earned a 400m medley slot and will compete in a fourth Olympic Games (Photo: Getty Images/Buda Mendes)

Check out the Brazilian qualifiers so far from the Maria Lenk Trophy: 

Men's events

200m freestyle
Nicolas Nilo Oliveira – 1m46s97
João de Lucca – 1m47s65

100m breaststroke
João Gomes Junior – 59s06
Felipe França – 59s36

100m backstroke
Guilherme Guido – 53s10

200m butterfly
Leonardo de Deus – 1m55s54
Kaio Márcio – 1m56s21 

400m medley
Brandonn Almeida - 4m14s07 

400m freestyle
Luiz Altamir - 3m50s32

Women's events

100m butterfly
Daiene Dias – 58s04
Daynara de Paula – 58s38

100m backstroke
Etiene Medeiros – 1m00s00

200m freestyle
Larissa Oliveira – 1m57s37
Manuella Lyrio – 1m58s43

200m medley
Joanna Maranhão - 2m14s04

400m medley
Joanna Maranhão – 4m38s66