Armen Weiler has secured his spot at the Paris Olympic Games after setting a new Spanish record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.65 seconds in the preliminary rounds of the Spanish Championships held in Palma de Mallorca.
The 19-year-old swimmer from Valencia broke his own national record, which he had held since March 29 last year, by 11 hundredths of a second. The previous record was 59.76 seconds.
This new national record ensures Weiler’s participation in the Paris Olympics, as it meets the minimum time requirement of 59.99 seconds set by the Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN) to qualify for the event.
Weiler had already achieved this minimum record last year with a time of 59.76 seconds, but it was not in any of the three events set by the RFEN: the Fukuoka 2023 World Cups, the Doha 2024 World Cups, and the current Spanish Championships.
This afternoon, Weiler will compete in the final of the 100 backstroke, where he will face a strong opponent: Canadian Kylie Masse, the current Olympic distance runner-up.