Catalan Long Course Championships: Mireia Belmonte Garcia, Ekaterina Avramova Post Strong Meets

BARCELONA, Spain, January 22. THE Catalan Long Course Championships featured some known names putting up world-ranked times in this early season.

Mireia Belmonte Garcia topped the women's 200 free in 2:01.05. She then doubled up with a meet-record time of 2:08.98 in the women's 200 fly. That time squashed Caterina Giachetti's 2008 mark of 2:11.29. Her time pushed her to fourth in the early world rankings. Garcia's third victory came by way of a meet-record 2:13.48 in the women's 200 IM. That performance downed her 2008 standard of 2:14.48. The IM time jumped her into the top 10 in the early world rankings.

Ekaterina Avramova downed the meet record in the women's 100 back with a 1:01.12, downing her preliminary time of 1:01.69. That prelim time beat the 1:01.81 set by Nina Zhivanevskaya back in 2002, and put her in the top five in the world this early season. Avramova returned in the women's 200 back with a meet-record 2:11.13. That performance bettered the 2:13.02 set by Lydia Morant back in 2009. Avramova also jumped into the top five in the early world rankings.

Marina Fuster Martinez won the women's 50 free in 26.64 before twice lowering the meet record in the women's 100 free. She clocked a 56.82 during prelims, that bettered the 57.00 clocked by Tatiana Rouba in 2004. Martinez then swept the sprint free events with a 56.69 in the finale.

Concepcion Badillo Diaz twice lowered the meet record in the women's 100 breast. She clocked a 1:10.56 during prelims to better Marina Garcia Urzainqui's 2001 record of 1:10.61. Diaz then turned in a 1:09.34 to win the finale. Urzainqui placed second in 1:09.93. Diaz captured the women's 50 breast in 31.98 after bettering the meet record of 32.96 set by Cristina Diaz in 2002 with a 32.68 and a 32.61 in prelims and semis.

Rafael Munoz captured the men's 50 fly in 24.50. He doubled up with a 54.40 to claim the men's 100 fly crown. Meanwhile, Marina Garcia Urzainqui lowered the meet record in the women's 200 breast with a 2:28.46. That effort cleared the 2:30.25 set by Maria Belmonte Garcia in 2010.

Juan Miguel Rando Galvez touched first in the men's 100 back with a 56.34, then doubled up with a 25.69 in the men's 50 back. Additionally, Fernando Morillas Ramos posted a 1:03.24 to win the men's 100 breast. He doubled up with a 28.89 to win the men's 50 breast.

Mercedes Peris Minguet snagged the women's 50 back crown in 28.50, lowering the meet record of 29.08 set by Nina Zhivaneskaya in 2002.

Diane Bui Duyet posted a 27.93 to win the women's 50 back, while Judit Ignacio Sorribes earned the women's 100 fly title in 1:00.77.

Eloi Saumell Montserrat won the men's 200 free in 1:51.87, while Melquiades Alvarez Caraballo claimed the men's 200 breast in 2:16.34. Pedro Terres Illescas cruised to victory in the men's 200 fly with a 2:06.85, while Nosy Pelagie won the men's 50 free in 23.45.

Matias Aguilera topped the men's 100 free in 50.49, while Carles Faro Molina snared the men's 200 fly crown in 2:03.62. Brenton Cabello Forns won the men's 200 IM in 2:06.94.

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