Grousset Edges Manaudou in 50 Free Prelims, 22.3 to 22.5, in Nice

2021 FFN GOLDEN TOUR CAMILLE MUFFAT – NICE

• Friday, February 5 – Sunday, February 7
• Nice, France
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Information
• Results

Maxime Grousset finished ahead of older countrymate Florent Manaudou again this weekend, this time in the 50 free. Grousset was 22.32, clearing Manaudou by two-tenths (22.55) and another top French sprinter, Clement Mignon (22.89). Manaudou and Mignon have both been sub-22 this season, and Manaudou’s 21.73 leads the world rankings. Mignon is at #6 with his 21.91, and Grousset #15 at 22.09, and all of those performances were from the French Elite Nationals in December.

Switzerland’s Nils Liess finished first this morning in the 200 free prelims (1:48.59), ahead of Greece’s Konstantinos Englezakis (1:49.14) and Frenchmen Hadrian Salvan (1:49.70) and Roman Fuchs (1:49.99). Lurking in fifth was Jordan Pothain at 1:50.08, the highest he’s finished in any event this weekend (at least in prelims). Pothain was a 400 free finalist at the 2016 Olympics.

Kristof Milak led the 100 fly prelims at 53.47, ahead of France’s Sergei Comte (53.77) and Hungary’s Richard Marton (53.83). Milak, the 200 fly world record-holder who won that same event earlier this weekend, was also 10th in the 200 free today (1:50.70) two events before his 100 fly.

French record-holder Charlotte Bonnet is searching for another win tonight, after she cleared 55 seconds in the 100 free prelims. Bonnet was 54.14, with Denmark’s Pernille Blume in second (55.46).

In the women’s 400 free, Russia’s Anna Egorova cruised to the top time of the morning, going 4:12.35. Egorova’s been 4:06.58 this season, from December, which puts her at #4 in the world this season.

Looking good to add to his 100 back win on night one, France’s Yohann Ndoye Brouard was 1:57.93 to lead the 200 back prelims ahead of Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov (1:58.57) and another Frenchman, Maxence Orange (1:59.12). Brouard’s been 1:57.56 from December’s French Elite Nationals, which has him at #12 this season, while Mityukov’s 1:57.39 from January holds him at #11.

OTHER NOTABLE SWIMS

• Katinka Hosszu had a mixed bag this morning in her four events. She was third in the 200 fly (2:14.81), but then sixth in the 400 free (4:21.48) and 50 back (29.43). Hosszu didn’t have much gas in the 100 breast, finishing last at 20th (1:15.74).
• Four women broke 29 in the 50 back, with France in the top three spots. Analia Pigree was first in 28.70, ahead of 2005-born Mary-Ambre Moluh (28.82) and Melanie Henique (28.84). Greek sprinter Theodora Drakou was fourth in 28.87.
• Germany’s Marco Koch led the men’s 100 breast prelims, going 1:01.80.
• Switzerland’s Lisa Mamie slid under 1:09, going 1:08.99 to top the women’s 100 breast prelims.
• In the women’s 200 fly, Lilou Ressencourt led with a 2:13.19.