History Made in Women’s 1500 Free Final

2022 FINA WORLD WATER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Beatrice Pimentel Dizotti broke her own Brazilian national record preliminary round on Sunday by three seconds with 16:05.25 on Monday night to finish 6th in a historic free women’s 1500 final for South America.

Colleague Brazilian Viviane Jungblut 7th place and Chilean record holder Kristel Koebrich Finishing 8th, marking the first time at a World Championships event – men’s or women’s – that three South American swimmers reached the same final. It was also the first time two Brazilians ever reached the same World Cup final. The first time a Brazilian competed in a World Final was also in 2001 in the 1500 Free (Nayara Ribeiro).

Dizotti, 22, has improved remarkably over the past year, losing more than 16 seconds since the Brazilian Olympic trials last April. She hired there just a week after her 21st birthday new national record in 16:22.07which surpasses the previous mark of youngblood (16:22.48) which had lasted for four years.

On the eve of last year’s Trials, Jungblut tested positive for COVID-19, forcing her to swim instead at a makeup meeting two months later, where she posted a 16:15.00 to shave the national record by a whopping eight seconds recapture. Jungblut finished 20th at the Summer Olympics in Tokyoh compared to Dizotti’s 24th, but both were seven seconds off their personal bests.

The 25-year-old Jungblut was less than a second behind Dizotti in Sunday morning’s heats, but was four seconds slower in Monday night’s final. Dizotti, on the other hand, was three seconds faster than her national record of 16:08.35 from the heats, allowing her to qualify sixth.

The relative achievements of Brazilian women compared to the much more successful Brazilian men has long been a topic of conversation, mostly centered on differing cultural attitudes towards the female body and concerns about the development of “swimmer’s shoulders” in the country. Now we could see a shift in that balance with the emergence of Dizotti, Jungblut and other rising stars like Stephanie Balduccini, who last summer became the youngest Brazilian Olympian in 41 years.

Women’s 1500 Free Finals, Top 8

1. Katie Ledecky (USA), 15:30.15
2. Katie Grimes (USA), 15:44.89
3. Lani Pallister (AUS), 15:48.96
4. Moesha Johnson (AUS), 15:55.75
5. Simon Quadarella (ITA), 16:03.84
6. Beatrice Pimentel Dizotti (BRA), 16:05.25
7. Viviane Jungblut (BRA), 16:13.89
8. Kristel Koebrich (CHI), 16:20.24

Kobrich, 36, was almost seven seconds slower than in the heats and almost 26 seconds off her 2013 Chilean record.

Dolphina Pignatello of Argentina, who recently said she would be “taking a step back” from competitive swimming (although she made it clear she didn’t want to stop) still holds the South American record in the competition at 15:51.68.

Fast hits

• Joao Gomes Jr. In the men’s second 50 breaststroke semifinals, he initially finished second behind Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, but the 36-year-old Brazilian was eventually disqualified for what appeared to be multiple dolphin kicks. His DQ opened the door for Felipe Franca Silva sneak into the final as eighth. It was a brutal day for DQs as eight swimmers were ruled ineligible after the morning heats.
• 17 year old Brazilian Stephanie Balduccini set a new personal best of 1:57.54 in the women’s 200 Free semifinals, but it wasn’t enough to earn a spot in Tuesday’s final. The Michigan commitment beat her previous best by 0.23 seconds, but she finished the Finals 0.67 seconds back on a fast field.

Other national records set on Day 3

• 23 years old Mike Schreuder He twice broke his own Aruba record of 28.18 in the men’s 50 breaststroke Monday. First he clocked a 27.65 in the heats before later clocking 27.52 in the semifinals where he missed the final by 0.32 seconds in 13th place.

Table of South American medals through Day 3

country	gold	Silver	bronze	In total
Brazil	0	1	1	2