David Verraszto Thunders To 4:09.57 In 400IM; Sarah Sjostrom Wins First 100 Fly Of Comeback

David Verraszto: Photo Courtesy: Greg Bertram - USA Today Sports

David Verraszto thundered to third in the 400IM rankings in 4:09.57 and Olympic champion Sarah Sjostrom went 57.65 in the first 100 fly of her comeback at the Sette Colli in Rome.

Sajan Prakash became the first Indian man to acquire a FINA ‘A’ time when his 200 fly national record of 1:56.28 earned him a ticket to Tokyo.

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Verraszto will travel to his third Olympics next month and his performance at the Foro Italico ranks him behind only Daiya Seto with his 4:09.02 and Chase Kalisz (4:09.09).

The Hungarian, who won silver at the 2015 and 2017 World Championships, went ahead on the third 50 and maintained the lead throughout to touch first by almost four seconds ahead of Jacob Heidtmann who clocked 4:13.50.

Alberto Razzetti was third home in 4:14.69.

Verraszto split 56.80/2:00.59/3:10.72 before a final 100 of 58.85 steered him home in a time that would have comfortably earned him a fourth straight European title in Budapest where he was fourth.

Sjostrom Accelerates On The Road To Recovery; Speedy Heemskerk

Sarah Sjostrom: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Sjostrom won a medal of each colour at Rio 2016 and now has less than a month to go before she attempts to defend her 100 fly title in Tokyo.

The meet at the iconic Foro Italico is the second for the 27-year-old as she returns to competition following surgery and rehab on the elbow she broke in a fall on ice south of Stockholm in February.

Sjostrom won the 50 fly on Friday in 25.42 to go third in the rankings and on Saturday she went out in 26.65 – the only sub-27 in the field – and back in 31.00 to touch first.

Behind her came Elena Di Liddo (57.93) and Ilaria Bianchi (57.95).

The time would have been good enough to match that in which Svetlana Chimrova finished fourth at the European Championships in May.

The Swede then returned for the 100 free in which she finished second in 53.47 behind Femke Heemskerk who won in 53.03.

It was the Netherlands swimmer’s fastest time of the year and 0.02 swifter than that in which she won the European title in 53.05.

HEEMSKERK Femke NED Nederland Celebrate 100m Freestyle Women Final Swimming Budapest - Hungary 22/5/2021 Duna Arena XXXV LEN European Aquatic Championships Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Femke Heemskerk: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Ranomi Kromowidjojo, second behind Sjostrom in the 50 fly, was next home in 53.55 ahead of Federica Pellegrini who clocked 53.71.

Thomas Ceccon led home the men’s race in 48.14, taking 0.01 off Alessandro Miressi’s 2020 championship record of 48.15.

Miressi was next in 48.16 with Santo Condorelli third in 48.49 with the first five home all Italian.

Milak Flies High; More Breaststroke Sizzle

Kristof Milak won the 200 fly in 1:53.18 ahead of Federico Burdisso as the Italian clocked 1:55.72 with the pair repeating their one-two finish in Budapest.

It was a new championship record for Milak as the world record-holder lowered his own 2019 time of 1:54.19 and followed his 100 win on Friday in 50.89.

Chad Le Clos, the 2012 Olympic champion, was next home in 1:55.95.

Benedetta Pilato blasted a championship 50 breaststroke mark of 29.69, slicing 0.15 from Yulia Efimova’s 2018 record of 29.84.

The world record-holder was followed home by Arianna Castiglioni – who set an Italian record over 100 on Friday – in 30.06 with Jhennifer Alves Da Conceicao clocking a new Brazilian mar of 30.40 as the third fastest.

Kristof Milak 2021 European Championships

Kristof Milak: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

Nicolo Martinenghi followed up his 58.29 100 breaststroke on Friday that saw him draw alongside Ilya Shymanovich as joint fourth all-time with a 26.59 blast over 50m.

The European bronze medallist set a national record of 26.39 in Riccione in April.

Brazilian duo Felipe Lima and Joao Gomes were next home in 26.92 and 26.98 respectively.

Wins For Hosszu, Quadarella And Toussaint

Olympic champion Katinka Hosszu led from start to finish to win the 400IM in 4:36.31 ahead of Sara Franceschi (4:37.90) with Rio bronze medallist Mireia Belmonte moving from seventh at halfway to touch third in 4:39.37.

Simona Quadarella followed up her 1500 win with victory over 800 in 8:23.25 ahead of Martina Carmignoli (8:29.03) and Julia Hassler (8:30.17).

Guilherme Costa won the men’s event in 7:53.97 ahead of Henrik Christiansen (7:54.18) and Victor Johansson (7:55.18).

Kira Toussaint won the 100 back in 59.23 ahead of Sweden’s Michelle Coleman (59.62) with Margherita Panziera third in the fastest timed final in 1:00.05.

Ingeborg Vassba Loeyning set a Norwegian record of 1:00.00 as she finished third overall following her earlier heat swim.

Simone Sabbioni headed the men’s 50 back in 24.80.

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