Norway Long Course Championships: Alexander Dale Oen Breaks 1:00; Lavrans Solli, Women’s Relay Set Norwegian Records

DRAMMEN, Norway, July 11. THE third evening of swimming at the Norway Long Course Championships had a pair of Norwegian records go into the books, while Alexander Dale Oen put himself into the world title contender talk with a sub-1:00 time in the men's 100 breast.

Dale Oen became the third man under 1:00 this year in the men's 100 breast with a 59.98 for the victory. That swim moved him behind Kosuke Kitajima (59.44) and Yuta Suenaga (59.93) for third in the world, and leadfrogged Brenton Rickard (1:00.12) and Felipe Silva (1:00.20) as Dale Oen had stood fifth with a 1:00.24 from last month. Sverre Naess touched a distant second in 1:04.18, while Sebastian Wigstrom earned third in 1:04.57.

Lavrans Solli edged the Norwegian record in the men's 50 back with a 26.26. That time beat the 26.36 set by Tom Karlsen back in 2000. Naess took his second podium of the night with a 26.77, while Lars Andre Tolas finished third in 27.48.

Alexander Broberg Skeltved won the men's 400 IM in 4:34.79, while Eirik Ravnan finished second in 4:40.46. Morten Bordervich wound up third in 4:41.00. Cecilie Johannessen took the women's 400 free crown in 4:18.02, while Elin Slaatmo earned second in 4:19.74. Victoria Loken grabbed third in 4:22.19.

Ingvild Snildal topped the women's 100 fly in 1:00.21, while Monica Johannessen placed second in 1:02.37. Victoria Rung rounded out the top three in 1:02.77. Gard Kvale posted a 1:52.37 to win the men's 200 free, while Jorn Nygard placed second in 1:54.25. Bjarte Ravndal touched third in 1:54.51.

Sara Nordenstam clocked in with a 2:17.93 to win the women's 200 IM. Susann Bjornsen turned in a second-place 2:21.18, while Birgitte Elise Softeland picked up third in 2:22.80. Katharina Stiberg snared the women's 50 breast crown in 31.83 with Nordenstam taking second in 33.12 and Henriette Brekke placing third in 33.40.

Gard Kvale, Jorgen Mollerop, Marco Aldabe Bomstad and Lavrans Solli captured the men's 400 free relay title with a 3:28.82, while Victoria Loken, Christine Pedersen, Sara Nordenstam and Gina Andersen set a Norwegian record in the women's 800 free relay with an 8:27.98.

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