Recap of day 2 OBC 2026

With the Open Belgian Championships, the absolute highlight of the Belgian swimming season is just around the corner. This weekend, the country’s best swimmers gather at the Wezenberg pool in Antwerp.

Day 2 brought us 15 new Belgian champions and 2 new European Championship qualification times.

Women’s 200m Individual Medley

We immediately welcome Roos Vanotterdijk to the pool. She explodes off the starting blocks and after 100m is only two tenths above her own Belgian record. Everything points toward a sensational time, but suddenly the engine stalls. She loses significant time in both the breaststroke and freestyle and surprisingly finishes above the European Championship qualifying time. Not the start to Day 2 we had hoped for. Zinke Delcommune finishes 2nd, while Dutch swimmer Djanilla Brink takes 3rd.

Podium:

1. Roos Vanotterdijk (DMB)
2. Zinke Delcommune (KAZS)
3. Djanilla Brink (NED) / Sam De Bont (TSZ)

Men’s 100m Freestyle

The testosterone rises as the men take on the blue-ribbon event. It promises to be an exciting battle, as Leon Baeye qualified during the heats for the European Junior Championships in Munich by breaking the 50-second barrier for the first time. A duel for the Belgian title with Vincent Van Hooydonck seems inevitable. Or will Bere Waereniers — already qualified for the EJC — join the fight as well?

Surprisingly, it doesn’t happen that way. Dutch swimmer Perry Laarhoven wins the final, but from lane 1 it is Daniel Laureyssens who takes the Belgian title with a personal best of 49.72. Leon Baeye misses out by just five hundredths and settles for silver. Vincent cannot even claim bronze today, as Seppe Lammens finishes ahead of him.

Podium:

1. Perry Laarhoven (NED) / Daniel Laureyssens (ZS)
2. Leon Baeye (MEGA)
3. Seppe Lammens (BRABO)

Women’s 100m Breaststroke

Time for a duel between training partners Tes Schouten from the Netherlands and Belgium’s Florine Gaspard. After 50m, Florine leads the race — seven tenths under her Belgian record pace. A new top time seems in the making, but then things become more difficult. Florine cannot maintain the pace and eventually sees Tes Schouten swim to victory. Still, there is reason to celebrate, as Florine’s time of 1:06.99 secures a fourth European Championship qualification. In the battle for the remaining podium spots, Grace Palmer beats Siel Verstrepen.

Podium:

1. Tes Schouten (NED) / Florine Gaspard (CNB)
2. Grace Palmer (MOSAN)
3. Siel Verstrepen (DBT)

Men’s 200m Butterfly

A battle to the finish for the Belgian title. Dutch swimmer Tiago Fonseca Gomes flies ahead early on, while Nathan Dufond, Justin Lecocq, and Arthur Vermaut refuse to give each other an inch in the background. Eventually Nathan manages to break away and crown himself Belgian champion. Justin takes silver, Arthur bronze.

Podium:

1. Tiago Fonseca Gomes (NED) / Nathan Dufond (ENLN)
2. Justin Lecocq (LGN)
3. Arthur Vermaut (LAQUA)

Women’s 50m Butterfly

A sprint intermezzo. One length all-out is the mission here, and Pauline Zeller clearly understood it. Like a woman possessed, she leaves the rest of the field behind on her way to the Belgian title, while also setting a fine personal best of 26.71. Alongside her on the podium stand Georgian swimmer Ana Nizharadze and Dutch swimmer Evy Rozeboom. Fleur Bussels, who already holds the European Junior Championship qualifying time, is the second Belgian. Fifteen-year-old Lilwenn De Gyns claims the unofficial title of Belgium’s number three.

Podium:

1. Pauline Zeller (NOC)
2. Ana Nizharadze (GEO) / Fleur Bussels (DMB)
3. Evy Rozeboom (NED) / Lilwenn De Gyns (MOSAN)

 

Men’s 50m Breaststroke

As expected, Caspar Corbeau once again stands head and shoulders above the rest, but the battle for the Belgian title is a real nail-biter. Bartel Vranken’s 28.24 leaves him just three hundredths ahead of Lukas Baeten, who had been faster in the heats. Loek Huyghelier also finishes within half a second of the Belgian title.

Podium:

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) / Bartel Vranken (DMB)
2. Lukas Baeten (LAQUA)
3. Loek Huyghelier (TZT)

Women’s 200m Backstroke

Hungarian swimmer Eszter Feltothy Szabo rockets off the starting blocks. She immediately creates a gap over the rest of the field and only continues to extend it. Noor Broeckaert comes closest in the end and crowns herself Belgian champion. Marthe Vanheuverbeke takes silver, Olivia Heijl bronze.

Podium:

1. Eszter Feltothy Szabo (HUN) / Noor Broeckaert (BRABO)
2. Marthe Vanheuverbeke (MEGA)
3. Olivia Heijl (BRABO)

Men’s 50m Backstroke

No new national best time for Noah Verreth, who already has the European Championship qualifying time secured, but he does take another Belgian title. Jens Berges and Alexander Van Hoey Billiet complete the podium, together with Georgian Noe Pantskhava and Antwerp-based Paul Alves Torres, who were both faster than the Belgian swimmers in this final.

Podium:

1. Noe Pantskhava (GEO) / Noah Verreth (MEGA)
2. Paul Alves Torres (FRA) / Jens Berges (HZA)
3. Alexander Van Hoey Billiet (STW)

Women’s 100m Freestyle

Once again, Roos Vanotterdijk narrowly misses qualification for the European Championships. The required 54.60 proves just out of reach today (54.81). The Belgian title is her consolation prize. Behind her, however, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Fleur Bussels, Nore Michiels, and Siri Vanderlinden all swim under the European Junior Championship qualifying time. Fleur had already achieved this at the Flanders Swimming Cup, and Nore secured her qualification during the heats. For Siri, however, it is a brand-new qualifying mark.

Podium:

1. Roos Vanotterdijk (DMB)
2. Fleur Bussels (DMB)
3. Nore Michiels (TSZ)

Men’s 400m Individual Medley

At the Flanders Swimming Cup, Simon Laviolette had still been disappointed that he had “only” qualified for the European Junior Championships in this event. His sights had been set on the senior European Championship qualifying time. With that goal once again in mind, he immediately sets the tone in the butterfly leg by already swimming a second under his personal best pace. He maintains that momentum throughout the race. Driven on by the crowd, he gives everything for the second-fastest time ever swum by a Belgian. With 4:19.60, he touches exactly one tenth under the European Championship qualifying standard — his first-ever qualification for a major long-course championship. More than ten seconds later, Claudio Buttarelli finishes 2nd, while Walid Bennani completes the podium.

Podium:

1. Simon Laviolette (SCR)
2. Claudio Buttarelli (SCR)
3. Walid Bennani (HN)

Women’s 800m Freestyle

Last time, Sarah Dumont already attempted a Belgian record in this event, and this time is no different. Up until halfway, things look promising, but the drop-off in the second half is too large. Swimming a smart solo race, she claims the Belgian title while confirming the European Championship qualifying time she already possessed. Anna Kalandadze finishes a distant 2nd, Siri Vanderlinden 3rd. For Siri, however, the race leaves a bitter aftertaste. Just like at the previous qualification event, she misses the European Junior Championship qualifying time for this event by half a second.

Podium:

1. Sarah Dumont (NOC)
2. Anna Kalandadze (GEO) / Siri Vanderlinden (LAQUA)
3. Sioban Decraene (AQUABLA)

Men’s 800m Freestyle

The final individual title of the day goes to Logan Vanhuys. He holds a comfortable lead over Florentin Lovens, who snatches silver ahead of Gautier Sobrie.

Podium:

1. Logan Vanhuys (DM)
2. Florentin Lovens (LGN)
3. Gautier Sobrie (DM)

4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relay

Celebration for BRABO in the first relay of Day 2. The Antwerp team allows no opposition and swims authoritatively to the Belgian title. LAQUA and MOSAN still make things exciting for 2nd place, but silver goes to Leuven. MOSAN settles for bronze.

Podium:

1. BRABO
2. LAQUA
3. MOSAN

Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay

From start to finish, BRABO leads the way in this relay. MEGA tries to apply pressure but must settle for silver. In the battle for bronze, Torhout keeps Temse off the podium.

Podium:

1. BRABO
2. MEGA
3. TZT

Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay

No clean sweep for BRABO today. MEGA breaks the Day 2 dominance by crowning itself Belgian champion. BRABO still secures silver, while Liège takes home the bronze.

Podium:

1. MEGA
2. BRABO
3. LGN