Luca Hoek broke the Spanish 100 free s/c record with a maiden journey inside 46secs on day two of the Spanish Open in Sabadell.
The 18-year-old has been making his mark in junior waters with two straight 100 free titles at the European Junior Championships in 2025 and 2026.
He holds the Spanish long-course records for the 50 free (21.93), 100 (47.26) and 200 (1:46.10) with the 100 coming in the semis of the European Championships in Paris in August before he went on to finish fourth in the final.
Hoek had a s/c best over 100 free of 46.04 going into the Sabadell meet but he lowered that to 45.93 where he was followed home by Canadian Josh Liendo (46.69) and Hugo Gonzalez (46.72).
Josh Liendo: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala/DeepBlueMedia
Hoek’s exploits followed Youssef Ramadan’s championship record of 46.14 in the B final which was also 0.36 off Chad le Clos’ African benchmark from 2017. However, the Egyptian’s CR only lasted a matter of minutes before Hoek’s intervention.
Ramadan had paid a trip to the top of the podium on the opening day in Sabadell with a 21.03 win in the 50 free where Liendo took second in 21.11.
Daniel Wiffen had lifted the 400 free crown in 3:41.16 with Spaniard Carlos Garach booking a place on the team for the short-course worlds with a 3:41.32 PB.
Ivan Martinez won the men’s 100 back in 50.11 ahead of John Shortt (50.29) to go inside the Beijing cut. Martinez becomes the second Spanish performer all-time and the fastest in textile behind Aschwin Wildeboer Faber whose national record of 49.05 dates from 2009.
Irene Ciercoles won the women’s 100 back in 57.31 ahead of Carmen Weiler (57.52) as both women went inside the cut. Kylie Masse of Canada was third home in 57.51. Ciercoles also won the 50 free with her time of 24.29 inside the cut as she added another event to her programme in Beijing.
Alba Vazquez made the cut in the 200IM with a 2:07.40 PB.
There was a Wiffen brothers 1-2 in the 1500 although it was Nathan who took the honours this time. He posted 14:35.32, more than 11 seconds quicker than twin brother Daniel who went 14:46.67. Maria De Valdes Alvarez led the women in 15:53.54, 4.5secs off the cut for Beijing.