The Brazilians are already reloading their legendary sprint group for a run at Rio in 2016, and perhaps maybe 2020. Their young male swimmers shone brightly at the Mauricio Bekken Trophy this past weekend, which is Brazil's 13-14 long course summer championship meet.
Felipe Ribeiro de Souza could be the next star, falling in line behind 16-year old Matheus Santana (already 23.01 in the 50), after this meet. He won the 200 free in 1:54.97, which breaks an 11-year old age group record previously held by Lucas Salatta. He followed that up with a 52.32 win in the 100 free, a 24.11 in the 50 free, and an unbelievable 51.49 anchor on the 400 free relay.
The Brazilians love swimming history, and his times are already being compared to some of the greats at the same age: Adrian, Magnussen, and his countrymate Cielo. Here's a hint: he's faster than all of them were. Way faster.
These young sprinters may just be a hair too young to be ready for glory in Rio, but they might finally give the country the depth to break onto a major international podium down the line. Perhaps a relay of de Souza and Santana, with Joao de Lucca and Marcelo Chierighini as the two “veterans” at the 2017 World Championships? That's a scary quartet.
In toher big swims, Andre Augusto dos Anjos won the 100 back in 58.95, which just missed his National Age Group Record. When he's at his best, he's in Ryan Murphy territory in this race.
For the young ladies, there were a pair of Championship Records set, though neither will totally blow American fans away compared to what they are used to seeing. Clarissa Maria Pereira Santos, a 13-year old, won the girls' 100 fly for her age division in 1:04.19. Meanwhile, Maria Paula Mangabeira won the 13-year old girls' 100 free in a record of 59.44.
Not surprisingly, the Brazilian women are really starting to come on strong in the sprint freestyles as well. Fernanda Schmitz Delgado (26.83) and Sarah Souza Marques (26.94) both went sub-27 in the 50 free. Delgado's swim was another National Age Group Record.
Full results are available here.
Infantil1 means an athlete was born in 1999, infantil2 means they were born in 1998.