MARE NOSTRUM SERIES – BARCELONA

• June 5-6, 2021
• Pere Serrat Pool, Barcelona, Spain
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Results

The third and final stop of the 2021 Mare Nostrum tour began today in Barcelona, Spain. The tour kicked-off last weekend in Monaco before a mid-week stop in Canet, France.

Kira Toussaint of the Netherlands swam three events this morning and is the top qualifier in both the women’s 50 backstroke and 50 butterfly. Toussaint, the European Record-holder in the 50 back at 27.10, leads the field this morning by a half-a-second with a 27.90. Two events later, she swam 27.21 in the 50 fly to be the top qualifier ahead of Alba Guillamon Novo of Spain at 27.42 and Lucie Svecena of Czechia at 27.53. Toussaint is second this morning in the 200 backstroke at 2:14.88, just over two seconds behind Austrian Lena Grabowski at 2:12.87.

Svecena’s countrywoman, Barbora Seemanova swam the fastest time of the morning in the women’s 100 free at 55.20. Seemanova is .72 ahead of the second qualifier, Marta Gonzalez Crivillers of Spain at 55.92.

Seemanova pulled double-duty this morning as she also swam the 200 butterfly, qualifying fifth in 2:15.22. Mexican Maria Mata Cocco has the top time of prelims at 2:10.68. Katinka Hosszu of Hungary is the third qualifier at 2:12.25.

Hosszu swam the the 200 IM shortly after the 200 fly, swimming a 2:15.86 to qualify third for tonight’s finals. Hosszu is less than a second behind top qualifier Catalina Corro of Spain at 2:14.92.

Yulia Efimova of Russia is the top seed in the women’s 100 breaststroke. Efimova was the only swimmer to break 1:08 this morning with a 1:07.61. Behind Efimova are a pair of Spaniards, Jessica Vall Montero at 1:08.32 and Marina Garcia Urzainqui at 1:08.57.

Hungarian Kristof Milak, the world record holder in the 200 butterfly, leads a group of four swimmers who posted sub-53 times in the 100 butterfly this morning. Milak’s time of 52.19 leads by over half-a-second ahead of Daniel Zaitsev of Estonia at 52.75, followed by Alberto Lozano Mateos of Spain at 52.76, and Chad le Clos of South Africa at 52.86.

Only .05 seconds separate the top two qualifiers in the men’s 100 backstroke. Nicolas Garcia Saiz of Spain posted the fastest time at 55.67 with Omar Pinzon of Colombia right behind at 55.72. Lurking back in seventh place is Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez at 56.99.

A pair of Dutch swimmers are the top two qualifiers in the men’s 50 freestyle. Thom de Boer, who set a new Dutch record last week in Monaco at 21.62, swam a 21.91 this morning ahead Jesse Puts at 22.05. The third qualifier is Gabriel Castano of Mexico at 22.29. Brazilian Bruno Fratus, who tied for first in the 50 free in Canet, is tied for fifth with Portugal’s Miguel Duarte Nascimento at 22.32.

Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands, had a commanding swim this morning in the men’s 200 breaststroke. His time of 2:08.42 was nearly four seconds ahead of the next fastest swimmer, Carles Coll Marti of Spain at 2:12.33.

In the last men’s event, the 200 freestyle, Cristian Quintero of Venezuela swam the fastest time of prelims with a 1:48.60. Behind him are a pack of four swimmers under 1:50, including Estonia record holder Kregor Zirk at 1:49.82.

Marie Khoury of Lebanon, time-trialed the 50 freestyle this morning. Her time of 27.02 was just off the Lebanese record of 26.91.