Spanish Open National Championships: Mireia Belmonte Garcia Downs Another Spanish Record; Aliaksandra Herasimenia, Konrad Czerniak Double

MALAGA, Spain, March 31. ANOTHER day, another Spanish record for Mireia Belmonte Garcia at the Spanish Open National Championships held in Malaga this week.

Mireia Belmonte Garcia downed yet another Spanish record, this time with a 4:33.91 in the women's 400 IM. That effort clipped a full second from her previous mark of 4:34.91 set in Madrid a year ago, and moved her to fourth in the world rankings this year. Only Hannah Miley (4:32.67), Katinka Hosszu (4:32.83) and Stephanie Rice (4:33.45) have been faster. Claudia Dasca Romeu finished second in 4:40.75 for 16th in the world, while Beatriz Gomez Cortes took third in 4:46.95.

Aliaksandra Herasimenia twice lowered the meet record in the women's 50 fly. During prelims, she clocked a 26.52, that bested the 26.72 set by Marleen Veldhuis in 2005, then she won the finale in 26.05. That swim shot her to fourth in the world behind Jeanette Ottesen (25.75), Inge Dekker (25.90) and Sarah Sjostrom (25.96). Sviatlana Khaklova placed second in 27.01, while Gloria Martinez Perez took third in 27.67.

Herasimenia doubled up with a 54.03 to win the women's 100 free, just off Evelyn Verraszto's meet record of 53.99 from 2009. Herasimenia did improve to eighth in the world with the swim. Melanie Costa Schmid took second in 55.75, while Patricia Castro Ortega earned third in 55.82.

Konrad Czerniak raced to victory in the men's 50 fly with a 23.62 for fifth in the world rankings. Cesar Cielo (23.26), Matt Targett (23.51), Nikita Konovalov (23.54) and Geoff Huegill (23.58) are the top four so far. Ben Hockin wound up second in 24.19, while Pablo Mira Navas took third in 24.40 after posting a 24.20 in prelims. Czerniak also doubled with a 49.70 in the men's 100 free, while Hockin also took second with a 49.97. Matias Aguilera placed third in 50.23 after touching in 50.16 in prelims.

Marina Garciz Urzainqui cruised to the win in the women's 200 breast with a 2:26.37, while Jessica Vall Montero took second in 2:29.20. Urzainqui pushed to 10th in the world with her effort. Concepcion Badillo Diaz finished third in 2:29.98.

Melquiades Alvarez Caraballo touched in 2:14.01 to win the men's 200 breast title. Mario Cortez Nunez placed second in 2:15.78, while Sergio Garcia Ortiz earned third in 2:16.38. Eduardo Solaeche Gomez took home the men's 400 IM title in 4:19.31, while Taki Mrabet posted a 4:19.89 for second. Carlos Vives Gomis picked up third-place honors in 4:22.10.

Antonio Arroyo Perez led the men's 800 free in 8:03.58, while Marc Sanchez Torrens took second in 8:11.45. Victor Goicoechea Casanueva wound up third in 8:15.53. Claudia Dasca Romeu claimed the women's 1500 free in 16:42.66, while Maria Vilas Vidal touched second in 16:52.88. Irene Andrea Lope placed third in 16:54.57.

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