São Paulo swimmer Beatriz Dizotti qualified for the final of the women’s 1500-meter freestyle at the Paris Olympics. In the qualifying heat, Bia finished in third place, with a time of 16min26s40. She advanced to the final with the seventh best time among the swimmers. This is the first time that a Brazilian athlete has advanced to the final in this event. American Katie Ledecky, current Olympic champion and world record holder, qualified with the best time in the qualifying heats: 15min47s43.
Reaching the unprecedented final feels like overcoming. In the last two years, the swimmer underwent surgery to remove ovarian tumors and had to stay away from the pool – – Sátiro Sodré/CBDA/All Rights Reserved
The 1500m freestyle final is scheduled for Wednesday (31), at 4:13 pm (Brasília time).
“In the last Olympics I came in 24th, far from my best time, very far. Today was not the perfect race yet. But I know that in the final it can be better. Everything happens for a reason. In the last Olympics with this time I would not have made it to the final. I think I am ready to swim better in the afternoon. And I am very happy to make history”, celebrated the swimmer, in a statement to the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB).
Beatriz Dizotti is 24 years old and is competing in her second Olympics – the first was in Tokyo 2020. Reaching the final for the first time feels like overcoming. In the last two years, the swimmer underwent surgery to remove ovarian tumors and had to stay away from swimming. The last procedure was in December. She recovered in time to participate in the World Swimming Championships in Doha, in February of this year.
Other results from Brazil
In the men’s 100-meter freestyle, Guilherme Caribé came in fourth in his heat and advanced to the semifinals with a time of 48.35 seconds. Another Brazilian who swam the heats, Marcelo Chierighini, had a time of 49.38 seconds and finished last in his heat, leaving him out of the next round. The 100-meter freestyle semifinals will take place today at 3:30 p.m.
In the men’s 200m butterfly event, Nicolas Albiero clocked 1min56sec49 and failed to advance to the final. He finished with the 18th best time. Brazil’s 4x200m freestyle relay team is also out of the running for medals. The team formed by Murilo Sartori, Fernando Scheffer, Eduardo Moraes and Guilherme Costa finished the qualifying heat in sixth place, with a time of 7min10sec26.
