Azura Wins Three Events; SOFLO’s Rodriguez Seventh In Prelims At Puerto Rico International Swimming Open

By Sharon Robb
SALINAS, Puerto Rico, April 23, 2022—Despite a pool water problem that forced Friday’s finals to be moved, swimmers overcame the adversity to swim well Saturday morning.

Four of the finals on Friday had to be rescheduled because of an issue with the pool water being cloudy. The events were moved to another pool and four of the finals were held Saturday morning before Saturday’s prelims.

SOFLO’s Enrique Rodriguez, 17, was seventh in the 400-meter freestyle prelims in 4:16.09 on Friday. The final is being rescheduled because of the pool problem.

SOFLO’s Aldo Zepeda, 16, was 27th in the 100-meter freestyle in 57.23.

Azura Florida Aquatics picked up three more wins.

Top-seeded Julimar Avila, 24, of Honduras won the 100-meter butterfly in 1:02.18. She also won the 50-meter butterfly earlier in the meet in 28.40. She was her country’s only woman swimmer at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Nicole Frank, 18, of Uruguay won the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:34.11. She was second in the 50-meter breaststroke in 33.10. She also competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Two-time Olympian Abbas Qali, 29, of Kuwait won the 100-meter butterfly in 54.68. He was the only male swimmer to represent Kuwait at the Olympics.

The four-day meet runs through Sunday. Prelims are 9 a.m. and finals are 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to SOFLO, swimmers from Azura Florida Aquatics (21 swimmers) and Plantation Swim Team (24 swimmers) are among the 35-team field. Swimmers from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Uruguay and Puerto Rico head the field.

The FINA meet is a qualifying event for the May 13-29 19th FINA World Swimming Championship in Hungary and 8th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY MORNING FINALS
WOMEN
100-meter butterfly: 1. Julimar Avila, Azura 1:02.18, 2. Gabriela Robles Cortes, Azura 1:04.58, 3. Alexandria Hope Cotter, FPN 1:04.74.

200-meter breaststroke: 1. Nicole Frank Rodriguez, Azura 2:34.11, 2. Emily Santos, MVAC 2:36.14, 3. Elisa Alejandra Funes, GCMST 2:39.86.

MEN
100-meter butterfly: 1. Abbas Qali, Azura 54.68, 2. Yeziel Morales, Puerto Rico 54.81, 3. Erick Gordillo, GUA 54.83, 4. Davidson Vincent, Azura 55.00, 9. Renato Herran, PST 57.95.

200-meter breaststroke: 1. Xavier Ruiz, SJC 2:20.41, 2. Ryan Tirado, MST 2:26.62, 3. Jorell Melendez Figueroa, LMDM 2:27.72, 4. Emanuel Cuarta, PST 2:32.34.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://swim4soflo.com