Sarah Sjostrom Posts Another Top-Ranked Time at Eindhoven Cup

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, April 11. SWEDEN’s Sarah Sjostrom has been on fire here at the Eindhoven Cup as she picked up her third title in two days.

Sjostrom tracked down another top-ranked time in the SwimVortex world rankings with a blistering 1:55.04 in the women’s 200-meter free. That put her ahead of Emma McKeon’s previous world pacesetter of 1:55.68 from the Australian Nationals last week . Femke Heemskerk finished second tonight in 1:56.39 to stand fourth in the world, while Michelle Coleman claimed third in 1:57.40 for seventh in the world rankings.

Meanwhile, Louise Hansson placed fourth with a 1:58.90 to clip the FINA World Junior Record “reference” time in the event. FINA began officially recognizing world age group records on April 1, beginning with a list of various reference times that are not even close to the actual best times ever in those age groups. But, until the likes of Katie Ledecky start to swim in sanctioned long course events, the times will be progressing with regularity around the world. Hansson’s performance beat the listed record of 1:58.93 clocked by Canada’s Brittany MacLean back in 2011.

Rikke Moller Pedersen, who already owns the top time in the world in the women’s 100-meter breast with a 1:06.19 from the Danish Open, won the finale here in Eindhoven by more than a second with a 1:06.42. Jennie Johansson touched second in 1:07.50 to move to 11th in the rankings, while Moniek Nijhuis clinched third with a 1:07.82.

Velimir Stjepanovic cruised to victory in the men’s 200-meter fly with a time of 1:56.70. That performance pushed him to fifth in the world rankings, while securing a victory of more than two seconds. Robert Zbogar touched a distant second in 1:59.24 with Fabian Beimin taking third in 2:03.55.

Raphael de Oliveira Rodrigues claimed the men’s 100-meter breaststroke title in 1:01.11, while Bram Dekker touched second in 1:01.42. Caba Siladji of Serbia raced his way to third in 1:01.48. Sebas van Lith pocketed the men’s 200-meter IM title with a 2:01.33, while Mike Marissen placed second in 2:02.62. Andreas Vazaios earned third in 2:02.74.

Franziska Hentke took home the women’s 400-meter IM title in 4:45.94 with Kathrin Demler placing second in 4:49.93. Marjolein Delno finished third in 4:53.86. Bastiaan Lijesen took home the men’s 50-meter back title in 25.13, moving up to fifth in the world in the process. Jesse Puts finished second in 25.34 with Laurent Bams taking third in 26.11.

During semis of the women’s 50-meter backstroke, Mie Nielsen blasted the “reference” time for the World Junior Record with a 27.76. The Dutch teen easily cleared the initial marker of 28.14 listed by FINA from New Zealand’s Gabrielle Fa-Amausili from the World Junior Championships last summer.

Nielsen couldn’t replicate that type of speed in the finale as she took second in 28.01. Etiene Medeiros won the title in 27.95 to tie Emily Seebohm for fourth in the world. Aliaksandra Herasimenia finished third in 28.23.

Sebastiaan Verschuren completed the night with a 49.19 to 49.21 victory ahead of Velimir Stjepanovic in the men’s 100-meter free. Christos Katrantzis wound up third in 49.28.

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