Several World’s Top Times Posted in Marseille

The first two days of the Golden Tour in Marseille, France has resulted in three swimmers putting up times that place them on top of the world rankings.

The first of which was Camille Lacourt of France took the men’s 50 backstroke in a time of 24.85. Lacourt finished ahead of French teammates Florent Manaudou and Jeremy Stravius who recorded the second and third fastest times in the world this year Manaudou finished second in a time of 25.17 while Stravius touched the wall in a time of 25.20.

Later in the meet Manaudou recorded the world’s fastest time winning the 50 freestyle in a time of 21.71. Odysseas Meladinis of Greece finished second in a time of 22.35 followed by both Marco Orsi of Italy and Konrad Czerniak of Poland who finished in a time of 23.40.

Sarah Sjostrom showed that this year may be another one to remember as she is looking to repeat as the 100 butterfly world champion in Kazan. Sjostrom took the 100 butterfly in a time of 56.58 which is only five one-hundredths of a second behind her 2014 best of 56.50.

Danish star Jeanette Ottesen finished second in a time of 58.03 followed by Inge Dekker of the Netherlands who finished in a time of 58.12.

Sjostrom also won the women’s 50 freestyle posting a time of 24.74 she was followed by Anna Santamans of France who recorded a 24.89. Pernille Blume of Denmark finished third in a time of 25.14.

Etiene Medeiros took the women’s 50 backstroke in a time of 27.89 followed closely by Mie Nielsen of Denmark who posted a 27.94. American Natalie Coughlin finished third in a time of 28.09. The women’s recorded the third, fourth and fifth fastest times in the world.

Rikke Moller Pedersen of Denmark won the women’s 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:23.34 followed by Jessica Vall Montero who touched in a time of 2:24.12. The two women’s posted the second and third fastest times in the world. Chloe Tutton of Great Britain finished in a distant third touching in a time of 2:29.11.

Marco Koch of Germany took the men’s 200 breaststroke winning the event in a time of 2:10.68. Koch finished more than two seconds ahead of Michael Jamieson of Great Britain who recorded a time of 2:12.88. Andrew Willis of Great Britain finished third in a time of 2:13.22.

Hungarian Katinka Hosszu won the women’s 200 butterfly in a time of 2:08.66 followed by Brazilian Joanna Maranhao Melo who recorded a 2:09.77. Judit Ignacio Sorribes of Spain collected the bronze finishing in a time of 2:10.08.

Hosszu also took the 400 IM in a time of 4:39.96 once again followed by Melo who hit the wall in a time of 4:42.66. Spaniard Beatriz Gomez Cortes finished third recording a time of 4:43.17.

Leonardo De Deus of Brazil won the men’s 200 butterfly in a time of 1:56.20. He was followed by Stefanos Dimitriadis of Greece who recorded a 1:56.89 and Viktor Bromer of Denmark who posted a 1:56.93.

Charlotte Bonnet of France took the women’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:57.27 followed by Siobhan-Marie O’Connor of Great Britain who finished in a time of 1:58.37. Sjostrom finished in third touching in a time of 1:58.51.

Frenchman Yannick Agnel won the men’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:47.11. His time puts the defending Olympic and World Champion second in the world rankings. He was followed by Brazilian Nicolas Oliveira who touched in a time of 1:49.09 and Clement Mignon of France who posted a 1:49.58.

Hungarian David Verraszto took the men’s 400 IM recording a time of 4:15.99. He was followed by Jacob Heldtmann of Germany who posted a 4:19.02 and Brandonn Almeida of Brazil who touched in a time of 4:19.74.

Mehdy Metella of France won the men’s 100 butterfly in a time of 52.13 which places him second in the world rankings. He was followed by Konrad Czerniak of Poland who finished in a time of 52.42 and German Steffen Deibler who posted a 53.25.

One of the most exciting races of the weekend so far has been the women’s 400 freestyle. Hosszu took the first half of the race strong turning first in a time of 2:00.95 followed by Jazz Carlin of Great Britain who hit the wall in a time of 2:01.60. In the second half of the race Carlin made up that ground and just a touch more winning in a time of 4:05.55 followed by Hosszu who posted a 4:05.75.

• Carlin – 59.21/1:02.39/1:02.13/1:01.82
• Hosszu – 58.87/1:02.08/1:02.84/1:01.96

The two women’s times place them third and fourth in the world rankings.

Pal Joensen of the Faroe Islands took the men’s 400 freestyle in a time of 3:50.22 followed by Agnel who recorded a 3:51.06. Heldtmann finished third in a time of 3:52.04.

Arianna Castiglioni of Italy took the women’s 50 breaststroke in a time of 31.50. She was followed by Pedersen who recorded a 31.85 and Louise Dalgaard of Denmark who posted a 31.99.

German Hendrik Feldwehr won the men’s 50 breaststroke in a time of 27.89. Giacomo Perez Dortona of France finished second in a time of 27.93 followed by Ioannis Karpouzlis of Greece who touched third in a time of 28.14.

Elizabeth Simmonds of Great Britain took the women’s 200 backstroke in a time of 2:09.28 which places her third in the world rankings. Hosszu finished second in a time of 2:12.54 followed by Spaniard Melani Costa Schmid who hit the wall in a time of 2:14.19.

Ben Stasiulis won the men’s 200 backstroke in a time of 1:59.28 followed by De Deus who touched in a time of 1:59.63. Oleg Garasymovytch of France finished third in a time of 2:00.24.

Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took the women’s 200 IM in a time of 2:11.22. She was followed by Joanna Maranhao Melo who finished in a time of 2:13.73 followed by Bonnet who hit the wall in a time of 2:13.74.

Brazilian Henrique Rodrigues won the men’s 200 IM in a time of 1:59.09 followed by Verraszto who posted a 2:00.43. Diogo Fillipe Carvalho of Portugal finished third in a time of 2:02.14.

Complete results can be found here.