Final Night Of 2024 Spanish Championships: Garach Hits 400 Free Record, Belmonte Misses | SwimSwam

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2024 SPANISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 18th – Saturday, June 22nd
• Palma de Mallorca, Spain
• LCM (50m)
• Olympic Qualifying Event
• Day 1 Recap |Day 2 Recap | Day 3 Recap| Day 4 Recap
• Results

The final night of the 2024 Spanish Swimming Championships was void of any additional Olympic qualifiers, although a new national record was established in the men’s 400m free.

Day 5 Highlights

Stopping the clock at a time of 3:47.29, Carlos Garach grabbed the gold in the sole outing of the field under the 3:50 barrier.

Runner-up status went to Ferran Julia who touched in 3:50.46 while Alonso Gonzalez rounded out the podium in 3:51.93.

The World Aquatics Olympic Qualification Time for Paris stands at 3:46.78 so Garach was less than a second away from selection. Although Garach fell short of that achievement, his effort did overtake the previous Spanish standard of 3:47.98, the time he produced at February’s Spanish Winter Championships.

Jessica Vall topped the women’s 200m breast event, earning the victory in a time of 2:23.93. It was painstakingly only .02 outside of the Paris QT of 2:23.91 to give Vall a heartbreaking result.

Visiting swimmer Valentine Dumont captured the win in the women’s 400m free. 24-year-old Dumont clocked 4:07.97 to beat the field by over 6 seconds en route to posting the 3rd-quickest time of her career.

Dumont’s lifetime best rests at the national record of 4:06.27 she logged at this same competition last year.

Of note, 33-year-old Olympic champion Mireia Belmonte placed 6th in 4:20.72 in this women’s 400m free. This represented her final Olympic qualification attempt after having raced for Spain at the last 3 Games.

Mireia Belmonte‘s Olympic Results per Games:

• 2008 Beijing – 24th 200m breast, 14th 200m IM, 14th 400m IM
• 2012 London -13th 400m free, SILVER 800m free, SILVER 200m fly, 10th 200m IM, 8th 400m IM
• 2016 Rio – 15th 400m free, 4th 800m free, GOLD 200m fly, 16th 200m IM, BRONZE 400m IM
• 2020 Tokyo – 14th 800m free, 15th 1500m free, 4th 400m IM

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Final Night Of 2024 Spanish Championships: Garach Hits 400 Free Record, Belmonte Misses