Costa Lowers South American Document in 200 Free as Brazil’s 4×200 Free Relay Makes Historical past

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

Maria Fernanda Costa lowered her personal South American report within the 200 freestyle whereas main off the ladies’s 4×200 freestyle relay on Thursday, serving to Brazil equal its best-ever end within the occasion with a Seventh-place displaying in 7:52.90.

The 21-year-old Costa led off the Brazilian relay in 1:56.06, knocking just a few tenths off her continental commonplace of 1:56.37 from Might. Rising Michigan sophomore Stephanie Balduccini (1:57.32), Maria Paula Heitmann (2:00.54), and Gabrielle Roncatto (1:58.98) rounded out the quartet.

The Brazilians had been barely slower than prelims (7:52.81 for the No. 5 seed) in addition to their very own nationwide report of seven:52.71 from February’s World Championships, the place they positioned 4th. Aline Rodrigues swam the third leg of that relay in 1:59.73 as an alternative of Heitmann, who posted the one cut up of the sphere slower than two minutes within the ultimate. Each Heitmann and Roncatto had been sooner throughout prelims this morning at 1:59.43 and 1:58.56, respectively.

It was South America’s first look within the ladies’s 4×200 free relay ultimate in 20 years since Brazil positioned Seventh (8:05.29) on the Athens 2004 Olympics. The Brazilian ladies’s 4×200 free relay was virtually seven seconds sooner than it was just a few years in the past in Tokyo, the place the squad positioned tenth in 7:59.50.

“The 12 months I used to be born, this relay staff reached an Olympic ultimate and I’m very pleased to have the ability to repeat this feat 20 years later,” mentioned Balduccini, who turns 20 in September.

“After 20 years, we put Brazil in an Olympic ultimate,” Roncatto mentioned. “I actually consider on this technology, in these women. That’s what relays are. We had been within the ultimate and we have to rejoice that. We’re very constant and we’ll consider on this relay.”