2023 Mare Nostrum – Canet: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 MARE NOSTRUM CANET

• Saturday, May 13th & Sunday, May 14th
• Canet-en-Roussillon, France
• LCM (50m)
• World Championships Qualifier
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Prelims Recap
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Live Results
• Live Stream

The second and last finals session of the 2023 Mare Nostrum tour stop has arrived Sunday in Canet-en-Roussillon, France.

We’re set for some exciting showdowns today, highlighted by Maxime Grousset (49.26) vs. Dylan Carter (49.27) in the men’s 100 free and Siobhan Haughey (53.76) vs. Marrit Steenbergen (53.91) in the women’s 100 free.

Men’s 50 Breast – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Felipe Lima – 26.33 (2019)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 27.33

1. Michael Andrew (USA) – 27.22
2. Jan Kalusowski (POL) – 27.98
3. Ippei Watanabe (JPN) – 28.09

24-year-old American Michael Andrew cruised to a victory in the 50 breast with a winning time of 27.22, more than half a second clear of the field. His season best still sits at 26.84 from the Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale, but he was a tenth faster than his time from the Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont last month.

Poland’s Jan Kalusowski was the only other finalist under 28 seconds, clocking a 27.98 for a second-place finish. His lifetime best is a 27.67 from last month’s Polish Nationals. Japan’s Ippei Watanabe rounded out the podium with a 28.09, just about a tenth off his best time from 2017.

Women’s 50 Breast – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Ruta Meilutyte – 29.88 (2015)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 31.02

1. Lara van Niekerk (RSA) – 30.37
2. Imogen Clark (GBR) – 30.39
3. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 30.71

The day after her 20th birthday, South Africa’s Lara van Niekerk celebrated with a 50 breast title in 30.37, just barely edging out Great Britain’s Imogen Clark (30.39) for the crown. Niekerk’s best time is a 29.72 from last April while Clark’s is a 30.02 from last year’s Commonwealth Games.

Tennessee junior Mona McSharry, who represents Ireland, posted a 30.72 to place third, holding off Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko (30.74) and Poland’s Dominika Sztandera (30.86) by just a blink for the final spot on the podium.

Men’s 50 Fly – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Andriy Govorov – 22.53 (2018)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 23.53

1. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 23.36
2. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 23.40
3. Oskar Hoff (SWE) – 23.49

Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter was about a tenth off his season-best 23.25 from March’s Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale, but his time of 23.36 was still just enough to beat Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo (23.40) to the wall in the 50 fly. The 27-year-old Carter was just about half a second off his personal-best 22.85 from last year’s World Championships. Szabo, also 27 years old, was exactly half a second off his best time (22.90) from the 2019 World Championships.

Sweden’s Oskar Hoff rounded out the podium with a 23.49, shaving .06 seconds off his previous best from the 2022 Stockholm April.

Women’s 50 Fly – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Sarah Sjostrom – 24.76 (2017)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 26.32

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 25.24
2. Melanie Henique (FRA) – 25.77
3. Rikako Ikee (JPN) – 25.89

At 29 years old, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom remains in a sprinting league of her own. She was about half a second off her meet record from 2017 (24.76), but still half a second clear of the field with a 25.24. It wasn’t a season-best time — that would be a 25.04 from last month’s Malmsten Swim Open — but it was a dominant performance nonetheless from the current world record holder (24.43).

France’s Melanie Henique (25.77) and Japan’s Rikako Ikee (25.89) were the only other swimmers in the field who went sub-26 in the final. Henique and Ikee own lifetime bests of 25.17 and 25.11, respectively.

Men’s 800 Free – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Henrik Christiansen – 7:48.19 (2019)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 7:53.11

1. Jon Jontvedt (NOR) – 7:54.11
2. Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 7:55.32
3. Tommy-Lee Camblong (FRA) – 7:57.93

Norway swept the top two spots on the podium as 19-year-old Jon Jontvedt got to the wall a second before 26-year-old Olympian and national record holder Henrik Christiansen. Jontvedt’s winning time of 7:54.11 was five seconds off his best time from last month’s Bergen Swim Festival, where he also edged Christiansen for the top spot on the podium.

Jontvedt is also fresh off his first individual Norwegian record in the 400 IM (4:17.49) last month. Meanwhile, Christiansen’s lifetime best still sits at his national-record 7:41.28 from the 2019 World Championships. He also still holds the Mare Nostrum meet record at 7:48.19 from 2019. Third-place finisher Tommy-Lee Camblong of France was about four seconds off his best time (7:53.59).

Women’s 400 Free – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Camille Muffat – 4:02.97 (2012)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 4:10.57

1. Francisca Soares Martins (POR) – 4:08.77
2. Agostina Hein (ARG) – 4:10.68
3. Ruka Takezawa (JPN) – 4:12.31

The women’s 400 free was led by a trio of up-and-coming swimmers, with the top two finishers both throwing down personal-best times. Portugal’s Francisca Soares Martins was the only swimmer sub-4:10 as the she lowered her previous best from last month (4:11.02) by over two seconds with a winning time of 4:08.77. It was her first time sneaking under the 2023 World Championships ‘A’ cut of 4:10.57.

Rising Argentinian star Agostina Hein, just 15 years old, dropped over five seconds to claim second place behind Martins. Hein’s previous best was a 4:16.03 from last year’s World Junior Championships. Third-place finisher Ruka Takezawa of Japan touched in 4:12.31, a couple seconds off her best time of 4:09.83 from last month’s Japanese Nationals.

Men’s 100 Back – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Ryosuke Irie – 53.00 (2022)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 54.03

1. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA) – 54.88
2. Cameron Brooker (GBR) – 55.21
3. Brodie Williams (GBR) – 55.80

22-year-old Frenchman Yohann Ndoye-Brouard held off a pair of British challengers to secure the 100 back title in 54.88. It was his season debut in long course, having last clocked a 52.92 at the European Championships last August. Ndoye-Brouard’s best time is a 52.50 from last year’s World Championships.

The British duo of Cameron Brooker (55.21) and Brodie Williams (55.80) was well over a second off their best times.

Women’s 100 Back – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Kylie Masse – 58.57 (2022)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 1:00.59

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 1:00.50
2. Adela Piskorska (POL) – 1:00.59
3. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 1:00.66

In one of the tightest races of the weekend, Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko triumphed in the 100 back with a 1:00.50, not long after barely missing the podium in the 50 breast (30.74). Poland’s Adela Piskorska (1:00.59) was right on her tail, and four other swimmers (Ingrid Wilm, Maiike de Waard, Emma Terebo, and Kira Toussaint) were all within half a second of Gorbenko.

The 19-year-old Gorbenko still holds the Israeli national record in the event that she set two years ago at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics with a 59.30. Piskorka was less than a second off her personal-best 59.76 from last month’s Polish Nationals.

Men’s 200 Breast – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Arno Kamminga – 2:07.23 (2021)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 2:10.32

1. Ippei Watanabe (JPN) – 2:10.08
2. Dawid Wiekiera (POL) – 2:12.28
3. Lucien Vergnes (FRA) – 2:13.34

Former world record holder Ippei Watanabe glided to victory in the 200 breast with a winning time of 2:10.08, more than two seconds clear of the field. The 26-year-old Japanese standout topped the podium on the back half of a double that saw him place third in the 50 breast (28.09) earlier in the session. Watanabe’s season best is a 2:07.73 from last month’s Japanese National Championships while his lifetime best still sits at the then-world-record 2:06.67 from 2017.

Poland’s Dawid Wiekiera (2:12.28) and France’s Lucien Vergnes (2:13.34) rounded out the podium behind Watanabe.

Women’s 200 Breast – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Rikke Moller-Pederson – 2:19.67 (2014)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 2:25.91

1. Thea Blomsterberg (DEN) – 2:25.80
2. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 2:26.44
3. Marina Garcia Urzainqui (ESP) – 2:27.61

21-year-old Danish standout Thea Blomsterberg held off Ireland’s Mona McSharry for the 200 breast title by less than a second, clocking a 2:25.80 for the win. Blomsterberg’s best time in the event is a 2:22.61 from last month’s Danish Open, just a few seconds off the national-record 2:19.11 that Rikke Moller-Pederson blazed back in 2013.

Meanwhile, McSharry was only about a second off her national record (2:25.08) with a time of 2:26.44, and that was after already bringing home a bronze medal in the 50 breast (30.71) earlier in the session.

Men’s 200 Fly – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Kristof Milak – 1:53.89 (2022)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 1:56.71

1. Tomoru Honda (JPN) – 1:55.09
2. Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL) – 1:55.95
3. Leonardo de Deus (BRA) – 1:57.18

SCM world record holder Tomoru Honda captured the 200 fly crown in 1:55.09, a little less than a second ahead of Polish teen Krzysztof Chmielewski (1:55.95). Honda was a couple seconds off his best time from last December’s Japan Open while Chmielewski was less than a second off his best time of 1:55.01 from last year’s World Championships.

Brazil’s Leonardo de Deus barely snagged the final spot on the podium in 1:57.18, just .01 seconds ahead of fourth-place finisher Richard Marton (1:57.19).

Women’s 200 Fly – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Suzuka Hasegawa – 2:06.70 (2017)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 2:09.21

1. Airi Mitsui (JPN) – 2:09.13
2. Helena Bach (DEN) – 2:09.85
3. Ana Monteiro (POR) – 2:10.45

18-year-old Japanese standout Airi Mitsui took the win in the 200 fly with a time of 2:09.13, more than half a second ahead of Denmark’s Helena Bach (2:09.85). Mitsui shattered the Junior Pan Pacs record last August (2:07.82) before lowering her lifetime best to 2:06.77 at Japanese Nationals last month.

The 22-year-old Bach was a couple seconds off her personal-best 2:07.30 from last year’s European Championships, where she won silver.

Men’s 100 Free – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Nathan Adrian – 48.08 (2014)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 48.51

1. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 48.94
2. Kamil Sieradzki (POL) – 48.98
3. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 49.16

After claiming the 50 fly crown earlier in the session, Dylan Carter capped off his double with another victory in the 100 free (48.94). The 27-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago received solid challenges from Poland’s Kamil Sieradzki (48.98) and Maxime Grousset (49.16). Carter set his lifetime best two months ago with a 48.28 to win the event at the Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale.

Sieradzki was just about a tenth off his personal-best 48.85 from two weeks ago while Grousset only dropped a tenth off his prelims-leading time from this morning’s heats. Grousset, the silver medalist at last year’s World Championships, owns a lifetime best is a 47.52 from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

Women’s 100 Free – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Sarah Sjostrom – 23.85 (2017)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 54.25

1. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 52.85
2. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 53.42
3. Cate Campbell (AUS) – 53.78

Coming into this race, it seemed like Siobhan Haughey vs. Marrit Steenbergen was shaping up to be a close battle as they had identical season-best times of 53.10 entering today. But Haughey left no doubt about this showdown with a 52.85, her fastest time ever outside of her three swims at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where she won a silver medal in 52.27.

Haughey’s new season-best mark ranks as the third-fastest time in the world this season behind Australians Mollie O’Callaghan (52.63) and Shayna Jack (52.64).

Haughey had already topped the podium in the 200 free and notched a new Hong Kong national record in the 50 free (24.56) during her runner-up finish on Saturday.

Steenbergen was a few tenths off her season-best 53.10 from last month with a 53.42, while 30-year-old Australian Cate Campbell took bronze in 53.78 — her same medal position from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

Men’s 200 IM – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Hugo Gonzalez – 1:56.31 (2021)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 1:59.53

1. So Ogata (JPN) – 1:58.47
2. Tomoyuki Matsuhita (JPN) – 2:00.64
3. Jaouad Syoud (ALG) – 2:01.08

After sweeping the men’s 400 IM podium, Japan once again put on a clinic and placed two swimmers on the 200 IM podium. So Ogata grabbed gold in 1:58.47 to cap off the IM sweep as the only swimmer under the two-minute mark in the final. Ogata was only about a second off his best time of 1:57.52 from last month’s Japanese Nationals. He also triumphed in the 200 IM by just .01 seconds with a 4:13.67.

Tomoyuki Matshuhita took silver in 2:00.64, and Algeria’s Jaouad Syoud prevented another Japanese sweep of the podium with a third-place finish in 2:01.08.

Women’s 400 IM – Final

• Mare Nostrum record: Katinka Hosszu – 4:30.75 (2016)
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: 4:43.06

1. Fantine Lesaffre (FRA) – 4:37.60
2. Mio Narita (JPN) – 4:42.84
3. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) – 4:48.17

28-year-old Frenchwoman Fantine Lesaffre won the women’s 400 IM by over five seconds with a time of 4:37.60. She was a few seconds off her national record (4:34.17) from 2018. Runner-up Mio Narita, just 16 years old, was about six seconds off her best time, a 4:36.71 from last year that stood as the world junior record until Summer McIntosh destroyed it. Narita also went 4:36.89 to win the 400 IM at Japanese Nationals last month.

Hungary’s Zsuzsanna Jakabos rounded out the podium more than five seconds behind Narita with a 4:48.17 for third place. The 34-year-old boasts a lifetime best of 4:34.50 from the 2013 World Championships.