The very young Spanish swimmer Luca Hoek does not cease to surprise and set a new absolute Spain record for the 50s free on Thursdayafter being imposed on the semifinals of the Júnior Europeans that are played in the Slovak city of Samorin With a time of 21.99 seconds. Hoek, who turned 17 last March, He reduced the previous national plusmarca in 5 hundredths, in possession of Javier Noriega with a chrono of 22.04 since 2009.
An outstanding performance that confirmed the condition of Spanish as the maximum favorite to hang the gold medal in the final of the 50 freeafter having to settle last year with the silver medal in the Europeans played in Vilna. But it is that The evolution of Luca Hoek, of a Dutch father and French motherbut born and raised in the Barcelona town of Sitges, It seems to have no limitsas it has been clear in these Europeans.
Some championships in which Hoek Not only has it become the first Spanish swimmer to get off the barrier of 22 seconds in the 50 free, but in which it has also bruit To the first position of the Spanish 'ranking of all the time of the free 100after swimming on Wednesday the first post of the mixed relay in a chrono of 48.14 seconds. Record that, however, It will not appear as a new official Spain record, since, as the Spanish Federation explained, in the mixed relief tests the times of the first post are not considered an official record.
A national plusmarca that Luca Hoek, which will participate in the absolute World Cups that will start at the end of this month in Singaporewill try to search In the series of the 100 free Europeans that will start on Saturday. But before, the swimmer of the CN. Sitges will try to culminate the work in the 50 free and Proclaim new European champion in the final that will be played this Friday (18:32 hours) en La Pool of the X-Bionic Spher de Samorin.
One more medal for Spain on the third day
The joys continue for Spain after having added Five metals in the first two days of the championship (two golds, two silvers and a bronze). The afternoon began calm, but, after Hoek's absolute record, the swimmer of Dos Hermanas Cristóbal Vargas was third in the 1,500 meters free (15: 11.34). Saved the bronze medal for just 43 hundredths of second against Romanian Andrei-Theodor Procawho stayed out of the podium. Ahead of Vargas were the Turk Kuzey Tancelli (14: 45.05) and the German Johannes Liebmann (14: 53.15). Juan Vallmitjana, The other Spanish in this final, He was eighth (15: 29.46).
Later, in the last test awarded a medal of this third day, the team composed of Julia Muñoz, Candela Arroyo, Natalia Muñoz and Claudia Muñoz ended in eighth in the 4×200 female free meters (8: 15.41). The first were the Italians, with a time of 7: 56.06, historical record of the competition. They could not join the cattle wake of the relay In this European Junior for Spain, since Both the 4×100 mixed free and the 4×100 female free had added the gold in the previous days.
Estella Tonrath points to gold in the 200 back
The Tonrath Balearthat made it clear that he is not willing to have anything or anyone prevents him from revalidating The gold that conquered last year in Vilna in the 200 backafter signing The best time of the semifinals With a chrono of 2: 10.68 minutes.
Record that allowed Tonrath, 18, Fut 1.78 seconds to her compatriot, the Gipuzkoan Nahia Garridowhich agreed to the final With the second best brand of all participants, After imposing itself in the first semifinal with a time of 2: 12.46. Further the French was still Shadee Mountssier, who achieved the third best chrono of the semifinalsmore than two and a half seconds -2.56- of Estella Tonrath.
A distance that could be much greater If the Mallorcan swimmer approaches not only at 2: 09.92 minutes he achieved in the preliminary series, but to the absolute Spain record that Tonrath established on June 13 with a chrono of 2: 08.03 minutes.
