Dutch, Swedish National Records Fall on Second Day at Eindhoven Swim Cup

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, April 5. THREE national records — and a near miss — highlighted the many fine performances on the second day of competition at the Eindhoven Swim Cup.

Moniek Nijhuis broke her own Dutch national record of 1:07.41 in the women's 100 breaststroke by the slimmest of margins, winning with a 1:07.40. Her previous record had been set in 2009. She held off Sweden's Joline Hostman, who was second with a 1:08.75, and Germany's Caroline Ruhnau's 1:09.20

Bastiaan Lijesen just dipped under his year-old national record of 24.79 in the men's 50 backstroke, winning the event in 24.75. Two Russians completed the podium, as sprint freestyler Sergey Fesikov placed second with a 25.36 and Vitaly Melnikov finished third with a 25.47.

Sweden's Simon Sjodin won the men's 200 IM with a 1:59.16, breaking his own national record of 1:59.44 that he set last year at the European championships. Mike Marissen of the Netherlands was second with a 2:00.88, getting close to Marcel Wouda's 17-year-old Dutch record of 2:00.77. Also getting within reach of the national record was Marissen's teammate Sebas Lith, who was third with a 2:01.18.

Tomas Havranek got things rolling in the first final of the meet, the men's 200 butterfly, with a winning time of 2:00.62. Cameron Brodie of Great Britain placed second with a 2:01.12 after leading through 150 meters of the race, while Robert Zbogar was third with a 2:01.19.

Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom and Dutch sensation Femke Heemskerk traded the lead in the women's 200 free final, with Sjostrom taking the win in 1:56.55 over Heemskerk's 1:57.43. Hungary's Evelyn Verraszto kept Sharon van Rouwendaal off the podium with a 1:59.78 swim to van Rouwendaal's 1:59.88.

Ross Murdoch of Great Britain won the men's 100 breaststroke in 1:01.40, with former NCAA champion Damir Dugonjic of Slovenia and the Netherland's Hendrik Feldwehr tying for second with times of 1:01.52.

Jakabos and Hungary's Hannah Miley played to their respective strengths in the 400 IM, with Jakaobos taking the lead in butterfly and backstroke before surrendering to Miley's strong breaststroke and freestyle legs. Miley won with a respectable 4:34.21, with Jakabos second with a 4:35.43. Anja Klinar of Slovenia was well back in third with a 4:44.66.

Tjasa Oder won the women's 800 freestyle with little competition, touching in 8:40.99. Antonia Massone was second with an 8:51.53, while Judith Stap placed third with a 9:04.09.

After posting a 49.18 in Thursday's semifinal, Olympic finalist Sebastien Verschuren won the men's 100 free with a 49.08, just beating out Dion Dreesens, who showed promise with a 49.73. Kyle Stolk just missed out on breaking 50 seconds with a bronze-medal finishing time of 50.11.

Great Britain's Georgia Davies is on pace to sweep the backstroke events after taking the 200 back on Thursday and the 50 backstroke today. Her winning time of 28.28 in the sprint backstroke just beat out Sweden's Magdalena Kuras' 28.87. Maaike de Waard broke the Dutch junior record with a 28.91 for third place.

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