Sjostrom Cruises Into Finals On Day 2 In Canet

2017 MARE NOSTRUM TOUR – CANET

• June 17-18, 2017
• Canet-en-Roussilon, France
• LCM
• Psych Sheets
• Event Site
• SwimSwam Meet Preview/Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Finals Recap
• Results

Day 2 prelims at the third stop of the Mare Nostrum tour in Canet-en-Roussillon didn’t have any surprises, as Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom continued to swim incredibly well taking the top seed in both the women’s 50 fly and 100 free.

In the 50 she was the only woman under 26 this morning, coming in at 25.87. She’ll likely be about a second faster tonight, as her best showing on the tour so far is 24.76. Japan’s Rikako Ikee qualified 2nd in 26.10, and Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands was right there for 3rd in 26.25.

The incredibly stacked event saw some notable names relegated to the B-final: Canadian Katerine Savard, Australians Emma McKeon and Emily Seebohm, and reigning 50 free Olympic champ Pernille Blume of Denmark. Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu missed finals all together.

In the 100 free Sjostrom rattled off a time of 53.12, and will look to better the 52.28 in the final that she did in Barcelona. Australian Cate Campbell, the world record holder at 52.06, qualified 2nd in 53.47, and Sjostrom’s countrywoman Michelle Coleman was also under 54 at 53.99.

Like the 50 fly this race is stacked with talent, and it was a very close battle for an A-final position. In 4th, 5th and 6th, Femke Heemskerk (54.14), Penny Oleksiak (54.15) and Bronte Campbell (54.16) all snuck in safely, while Sandrine Mainville (54.25) and Kromowidjojo (54.29) just got by McKeon (54.30) for the last spot.

Yuliya Efimova, the Russian who swam the 5th fastest 100 breast ever yesterday, qualified for the final easily in both the 50 and 200 breast. In the 50 she qualified 1st in 30.72, ahead of Australia’s Jessica Hansen (31.41) and Finland’s Jenna Laukkanen (31.48). She took 3rd in the 200 at 2:27.00, but will no doubt be much faster at finals after a 2:19 at the last stop. Spain’s Jessica Vall Montero (2:26.21) qualified 1st and Australia’s Taylor McKeown (2:26.98) sits 2nd.

Also of note on the women’s side was the 100 back, where Emily Seebohm continued to dominate with the top showing in 1:00.45. GBR’s Elizabeth Simmonds was 2nd in 1:01.06, Canada’s Taylor Ruck was 3rd in 1:01.49, and Hosszu was left on the outside looking in at 9th in 1:02.45.

However two events later Hosszu did come back to make the A-final in the 200 fly, qualifying 4th in 2:10.87 behind Suzuka Hasegawa (2:09.42) of Japan, Alys Thomas of Great Britain and her countrywoman Liliana Szilagyi.

On the men’s side, Brazilian Felipe Lima and Ukrainian Andriy Govorov threw down some fast 50s to take the top seeds in the men’s 50 breast and 50 fly respectively.

In the 50 breast Lima came in at 27.14, well clear of #2 Cameron van der Burgh (27.57). Canada’s Richard Funk, who has swam well throughout this series, qualified 3rd in 27.77. Govorov leads the fly events by over eight tenths, sitting at 23.17 with the next fastest 23.89 from the Netherlands’ Joeri Verlinden.

Australian Mitch Larkin, who will be defending his World Championship title later this summer, qualified 3rd overall in the 100 back in a time of 55.57. American Taylor Dale leads the pack at 54.73, and 200 specialist Radoslaw Kawecki of Poland is there for 2nd in 55.42.

Jeremy Stravius (49.17) of France leads Cameron McEvoy (49.24), Luca Dotto (49.29) and James Magnussen (49.33) into the 100 free A-final, while Chad Le Clos missed in 10th at 49.82.

However Le Clos will contest the 200 fly A-final, qualifying 5th overall in 1:59.74. Olympic bronze medalist Tamas Kenderesi of Hungary leads the field in 1:58.49, and his countryman Laszlo Cseh will also be there after a 3rd best 1:59.18.

The men’s 200 breast saw Olympic bronze medalist Anton Chupkov blitz the field to qualify well ahead in 2:10.99. Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki will be his biggest threat tonight. He qualified 4th in 2:15.60.

Additional Events

• Hungary’s Ajna Kesely qualified 1st in the women’s 400 free in a time of 4:11.08, ahead of Great Britain’s Holly Hibbott (4:12.66).
• Jeremy Desplanches of Switzerland qualified 1st in the men’s 200 IM in 2:00.21, nearly three seconds clear of the field. Hosszu was the top qualifier in the women’s 400 IM (4:46.08).