The previous mark had been reached in 1998 and was fixed at 35 seconds and 84 hundredths.
Maria Lopes is currently in Portugal, working at the High Performance Center in Rio Maior. At just 24 years old, the young woman belongs to the Clube Náutico da Ilha de Luanda (CNIL). The record was reached this weekend, during the Luxembourg International Meeting.
The athlete also competed in the 100 meters freestyle, having finished the race in 1.01.44, surpassing her previous record by one second.
To Jornal de Angola, Maria Lopes recalled that she was only one year old when the current record was broken, always struggling to surpass that goal. On the other hand, she stated that she chose to compete in Luxembourg in order to improve her brands. "I haven't competed for a month. With the covid-19 pandemic in Portugal, I have had little sporting activity. So I opted for Luxembourg to keep fit and improve my times," she said.
In this same competition, other national athletes were also highlighted, in particular from Clube Náutico da Ilha de Luanda and 1º de Agosto.
