Toussaint Goes 59.79 In 100 Back; Kamminga Bags Treble With 59.17 Over 100Br In Flanders

Kira Toussaint; Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL

Kira Toussaint showcased her consistency with victory in the 100 back in 59.79 and Arno Kamminga went 59.17 over 100m to complete the breaststroke treble as the Flanders Qualification Meet concluded in Antwerp on Sunday.

Femke Heemskerk added the 200 free title to the 100m she won on Saturday and Nyls Korstanje added the 50 fly to his victory over 100m to repeat his double from the Geneva International Challenge last weekend.

Link to results

Toussaint had been upset in the 50 back – in which she is the Dutch record holder – on Saturday as Netherlands team-mate Maaike de Waard got her hand to the wall first.

The pair lined up again on Sunday and Toussaint – who won five medals including three golds at the 2019 European Short-Course Championships – was 0.21 ahead at halfway, extending her lead on the second 50 to win in 59.79 to De Waard’s 1:01.17 for second.

Splits:

Toussaint: 29.23/30.56

De Waard: 29.44/31.73

Jade Smits was third in 1:02.18 and of note in fourth was Fleur Verdonck, born in 2006 and clocking 1:02.98.

Kira Toussaint: Photo Courtesy: MIKE LEWIS / ISL

The women’s backstroke is set to be a scorcher come Tokyo should the Games go ahead in July.

Toussaint – who went 59.85 last weekend in Geneva – will do battle with Australia’s Kaylee McKeown and Minna Atherton with Regan Smith, Olivia Smoliga and Kathleen Baker fighting it out for the two spots on the US team.

So too will world champion Kylie Masse – among the six Canadians pre-selected – and 2018 Asian Games champion Natsumi Sakai await.

Triple Crown For Kamminga

Kamminga had gone 59.51 in the morning heats and he lowered that further in the final, splitting 28.08/31.09.

The 25-year-old – coached by Mark Faber at the National Training Centre Amsterdam – had a winning margin of 6.46secs over Xander Hebb, who was second in 1:05.63 in a final that featured just four men.

Marco Koch went 1:02.04 in the heats but did not compete in the final.

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

It wrapped up a successful meet for Kamminga after his winning efforts on Saturday where he took the 200br in 2:08.84 and followed that up with the 50 title in 27.63.

The three-time European short-course champion is the third-fastest man in history, his time of 58.43 from last year’s Antwerp Diamond Race eclipsed only by Adam Peaty and his world record of 56.88 and Ilya Shymanovich (58.29).

Shoma Sato leapfrogged Kamminga to become the fourth-fastest man all-time over 200m at the Kosuke Kitajima Cup on Sunday, his time of 2:06.83 cutting 0.02 from the Dutchman’s time of 2:06.83 at the Rotterdam Qualification Meet in December.

As noted by colleague Andy Ross, all five members of the 2:06 club are active now, hinting at a battle royale to come in Tokyo.

Heemskerk At The Double

Heemskerk had won the 100 free in a speedy 53.76 on Saturday and she was the fastest qualifier for the 200fr final by almost three seconds on Sunday.

The 33-year-old was more than a second ahead at the first 50 and was never threatened as she stopped the clock at 1:59.05, the only sub-2min in the field.

Splits: 27.05/29.74/30.84/31.42

Marrit Steenbergen (2:01.83) and Lotte Goris (2:02.88) were second and third respectively.

Femke Heemskerk: Photo Courtesy: MIKE LEWIS / ISL

Elsewhere, Kim Busch took the 50 free title in 25.01 and Stan Pijnenburg won the men’s 100 free in 49.59, overhauling Korstanje who led by 0.23 at 50 to finish second 0.60 adrift in 50.19.

Korstanje won the 50 fly in 24.04 with Louis Croenen taking the 200 in 2:00.30 and Jesse Puts claimed the 50 back in 26.11.

Fanny Lecluyse held off the fast-finishing Josephine Dumont to win the 200br in 2:27.64 to 2:27.68 with Fleur Vermeiren taking the 50 in 32.62.

Roos Vanotterdijk – born in 2005 – won the women’s 100 fly in 59.86 with a winning margin of more than a second over Heemskerk (1:01.10) and Kim Busch took the 50 free title in 25.01.

Arjan Knipping completed the medley double with a time of 4:25.45 in the 400IM, Lander Hendrickx took the 200 back (2:03.79),

Lotte Hosper took the 200IM in 2:18.56 and Lotte Goris won the 400fr in 4:20.97.

Advertising: Shop At Swim360

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use