Milou Van Wijk & Stan Franckx Enjoy Trebles At Antwerp Diamond Speedo Race
Milou van Wijk swept the 50-100-200 free treble and Stan Franckx also made three trips to the top of the podium over two days of racing at the 2025 Antwerp Diamond Speedo Race.
Van Wijk, who swam the prelims before the Netherlands 4×100 free quartet went on to win the final at the 2024 worlds in Doha, made her first trip to the podium on Saturday when she sped to the 50 title in 24.55 ahead of Florine Gaspard (24.63) and Roos Vanotterdijk (24.93).
She returned less than 40 minutes later for the 200 free where she came from 0.68 down at halfway to pull away with a strong second 100 in 2:01.49 with Siri Vanderlinden second home in 2:03.88.
Van Wijk then completed the treble with a commanding 53.18 victory in the 100 free ahead of Gaspard (54.62) with the pair well clear of the rest of the field with Lotte Vanhauwaert third in 57.14.
Francx won the men’s 50 back on Saturday in 25.74 before returning for the 50 free where he won by 0.11 in 23.04 ahead of Floris Tanis (23.15) and Rijk Heere (23.38).
Come Sunday and he finished second in the 100 free, clocking 50.86 to Come Jaegle’s 50.60 before concluding a fine weekend with victory in the 100 back in 56.46, 0.16 ahead of Noah Verreth (56.62) with Giovanni Phillipson (57.67).
Vanotterdijk also enjoyed a decorated weekend, adding victories in the 100m breaststroke in a PB of 1:09.58 and 200IM in 2:14.25 where she had a winning margin of 5.62secs.
Evy Rozeboom doubled up in the 100-200 fly, winning over two lengths on Saturday in 1:00.09 and enjoying a 15-second winning margin in the longer race in 2:12.12.
Bram Loots won the 1500 on the opening evening in 16:18.54 before taking the 400 free title on Sunday in 4:00.65. Alex Portal won the 200 fly in 2:04.36 and took second in the 100 in 56.07 with Michael Smink winning in 55.73. Ivo Kroes won the 100m breaststroke in 1:01.63 with the Netherlands swimmer returning for the 200 where he finished behind Noah de Schryver in 2:12.05 to 2:13.69.