By Oene Rusticus
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, April 21. THE fifth edition of the Amsterdam Swim Cup from April 14-16 was highlighted by the national record of Nick Driebergen in the 50-meter backstroke. His swim of 25.95 was one of six pool records set during the meet in Amsterdam that served as one of the two Dutch qualifying meets for the European Championships.
Driebergen also bettered the pool record in the 100 backstroke with a 56.33, making him the premier backstroker for the Dutch squad for the European Champs in Budapest this summer. Spanish swimmers Marco Rivera (8:04.61) and Arantxa Ramos (8:47.46) set records in the 800 freestyle, while Panagiotis Glykos from Greece broke the 1,500 free record (15:37.18). Hinkelien Schreuder qualified for Budapest by setting a record in the 200 IM (2:17.11).
Other qualifying times for Budapest were set by Johan Kenkhuis in the 50 freestyle (22.62), and Bastiaan Tamminga in the 50 butterfly (24.40). Robin van Aggele had a great weekend qualifying for both the 400 IM (4:22.22) and 200 breaststroke (2:14.63).
On the women’s side, Femke Heemskerk, Linda Bank and Chantal Groot fought great battles in the 100 and 200 freestyles, in an attempt to compete in the Dutch relays, of which the 4×100 set a short course world record last week in Shanghai. All three earned qualifying times, where Groot also produced a 26.87 in the 50 butterfly to win the overall prize for best swimmer of the Amsterdam Swim Cup.
The breaststroke showed great clashes between Anne-Sophie le Paranthoen from France, Jolijn van Valkengoed and Moniek Nijhuis. Le Paranthoen took home the 100 in 1:10.81,while Nijhuis won the 50 distance in a qualifying time of 32.12.