Fanny Lecluyse Highlights Belgian Open Championships

A world’s top 12 time in the women’s 50 meter breaststroke was a high point of the 2016 Belgian Open Championships, held Friday through Sunday in Antwerp.

Fanny Lecluyse stopped the clock in 30.99 to win the women’s 50 breaststroke. That time tied for 12th best in the world this year. With Lecluyse’s absence, Amit Ivry claimed the women’s 100 title with a 1:09.60. Lecluyse was the only swimmer under five minutes in the women’s 400 IM with her 4:52.84. She was back on top of the podium again with a 2:26.05 200 breaststroke, winning the event by nearly six seconds.

The men’s 50 freestyle featured a tie as Jasper Aerents and Pieter Timmers both touched in 22.37 seconds. Timmmers also won the men’s 200 freestyle in 1:47.34. Dieter Dekoninck and Lorenz Weiremans posted times of 1:48.25 and 1:48.99 to finish second and third, as the only other swimmers under 1:50. Aerents beat out Dekoninck for the 100 freestyle title, 49.34 to 49.61.

Marieke Tienstra won the women’s 200 backstroke in 2:18.22, over three seconds faster than the next best swimmer. She had a much closer race on her way to winning the women’s 400 freestyle. Tienstra swam a 4:21.35, finishing just ahead of Edith Mattens in 4:22.22. Mattens stopped the clock in 9:04.47 to win the 800 freestyle by 25 seconds.

Tienstra showed her versatility, dropping down to win the 50 backstroke in 29.60. Jade Smits also cracked 30 with a second place 29.97. Smits won the women’s 100 backstroke when she touched in 1:03.61.

Lander Hendrickx won one of the closer races this weekend. He earned gold in the men’s 400 freestyle with a 3:52.49. Weiremans was a second behind in 3:53.78 for second and Marc Hinawi finished third in 3:54.66.

Thomas Dal was the winner of the men’s 400 IM with a 4:25.53.

The men’s 50 breaststroke champion was Basten Caerts with a 28.13. He returned the next day to take the 100 in a 1:00.86, nearly two seconds ahead of the field. His 2:12.57 200 breaststroke completed the sweep.

A 26.41 won Kimberly Buys the women’s 50 butterfly title. Glenn Sugerloose claimed the men’s event in 23.85.

Juliette Casini stopped the clock in 2:02.72 to win the women’s 200 freestyle. In the women’s splash and dash, Casini again topped the podium with a 25.85 while Buys was runner up in 26.03. She completed the short distance freestyle sweep with a 56.13 second 100 freesytle, over a second ahead of second place finisher Juliette Dumont in 57.59.

Nils Van Audekerke recorded a 2:01.30 to top the podium in the men’s 200 backstroke, over seven seconds ahead of second field. David Gamburg earned gold in the men’s 100 back in 54.65. The 50 backstroke crown went to Francois Heersbrandt in 26.32, only a hair ahead of Van Auderke in 26.87.

Jame Woutermaertens touched in 16:41.40 to win the men’s 1500 freestyle.

In the 200 butterfly Keren Siebner finished in 2:11.36, four seconds ahead of the next best swimmer. Logan Vanhuys won the men’s 200 fly with a 2:02.32.

Lotte Goris won the women’s 200 IM in a 2:19.31. Senne De Gols was the champion in the men’s with a 2:06.66.

It was down to the wire in the men’s 800 freestyle. Sebastian Lunak touched in 8:44.28, just ahead of Jame Woutermaertens in 8:44.88.

2016 Belgian Open Swimming Championships – Results

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