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De Deus clears Olympic qualifying mark for 200m backstroke

Xinhua, December 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Leonardo de Deus on Wednesday became the first Brazilian swimmer to achieve the qualifying standard for next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The 24-year-old from Campo Grande clocked 1 minute 57.43 seconds in the 200m backstroke during an event in Palhoca in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina. The qualifying mark for the event is 1:58.22.

"I'm really happy. It's been a busy year and to get my best time in the last competition of 2015 is really satisfying," De Deus was quoted as saying by the Globo newspaper.

Brazil can register two competitors for the event at next year's Olympics. De Deus will only miss out on a berth if his time is eclipsed by two other swimmers during the qualifying period, which ends in April.

De Deus is also vying for a berth in the 200m butterfly at next year's Games.

The first Olympics to be held in South America will be staged from August 5 to 21. Endit