MARE NOSTRUM SERIES – CANET
- June 1-2, 2021
- Centre de Natation Arlette Franco, Canet-en-Roussillon, France
- Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Day 1 prelims recap
- Results
Canet-en-Roussillon will host the second of three stops on the Mare Nostrum tour, after a field of the world’s top swimmers passed through Monte Carlo last week and will move to Barcelona later this week.
Night 1 in Canet was extremely rainy in the outdoor facility.
In tonight’s finals, we should see Swedish Olympic champ Sarah Sjostrom in her return to competition after breaking her elbow earlier this year. Sjostrom, the world record-holder in the 100 fly, will focus in on freestyle events leading up to this summer’s Olympics, and she’s got the 50 free on the agenda for tonight.
Pernille Blume is the top qualifier there after prelims, with Sjostrom sitting second.
Another Swedish swimming legend is returning in Canet: 43-year-old Therese Alshammar will also compete in that 50 free final.
Keep refreshing this page for live, event-by-event updates of all the action from Canet-en-Roussillon.
Women’s 50 Back – Final
Top 3:
- Pilhatsch (AUT) – 28.34
- Mahieu (FRA) – 28.59
- Azevedo (POR) – 28.69
Austria’s Caroline Pilhatsch held up her top qualifying spot from this morning, going 28.34 for the win. She held off a stiff challenge from Pauline Mahieu, who was about two tenths behind in both prelims and finals. Pilhatsch was about six tenths off her career-best from 2019 Worlds. Mahieu’s swim was a lifetime-best by about a tenth.
Portugal’s Rafaela Azevedo moved up to third, going six tenths faster than this morning. 2005-born Mary-Ambre Moluh of France (that would make her 15 or 16 this year) went 29.06 for fourth.
Men’s 50 Back – Final
Top 3:
- Tomac (FRA) – 25.19
- Gonzalez (ESP) – 25.34
- Ndoye (FRA) – 25.51
Mewen Tomac finished only about three tenths off his career-best, passing up top prelims qualifier Hugo Gonzalez for the win. Tomac was 25.19, a solid chunk behind his lifetime-best swim of 24.80 from December. Gonzalez went 25.34 for Spain.
Tomac’s countryman Yohann Ndoye Brouard was third in 25.51, well behind the top two.
Women’s 50 Free – Final
Top 3:
- Blume (DEN) – 24.06
- Henique (FRA) – 24.69
- Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.81
Reigning Olympic champ Pernille Blume owned this heat, blasting a 24.09 to win by more than half a second. In fact, Blume was about 0.44 seconds faster than her prelims swim, and her prelims swim would still have won tonight’s final. This is the second time in the past three weeks that Blume has hit 24.0 – she was 24.06 in mid-May and still sits #2 in the world for the season.
French record-holder Melanie Henique moved up to second in 24.69, three-tenths from her national mark.
In her return to racing, Sarah Sjostrom faded to third in the final, adding twotenths from her prelims swim of 24.68. The 27-year-old Sjostrom has missed significant time recovering from a broken elbow, but still sits #3 in the world ranks for the season with a 24.07 from before her injury.
Spain’s Lidon Munoz was fourth in 25.06, and Swedish legend Therese Alshammar went 25.52, cutting three-tenths from her prelims swim in a comeback at age 43.
Men’s 50 free – Final
Top 3:
- Manaudou (FRA) / Fratus (BRA) – 22.12
- —
- Seeliger (SWE) – 22.30
It was a thriller of a men’s 50 free, with Florent Manaudou and Bruno Fratus tying for gold. Both were 22.12. For Manaudou, that’s actually slower than his prelims swim (22.02). Fratus was the exact opposite, blowing out his morning swim (22.50) to move up three spots.
Sweden’s Bjorn Seeliger was 22.30, also adding a couple tenths from heats.
Women’s 800 free – Timed Finals
Top 3:
- Holub (POR) – 8:32.30
- Perez Blanco (ESP) – 8:39.35
- Duraes (POR) – 8:46.07
In a small field of just eight 800 freestyles, Portugal’s Tamila Holub hit a new personal-best time and a new FINA A cut in 8:32.30. The swim cut four seconds from Holub’s previous best time, set back in 2016. It should also set up Holub to compete in the 800 and 1500 freestyles in Tokyo this summer.
Holub is three seconds off the national record, held by Diana Duraes. Duraes was third in today’s race, about 14 seconds back of Holub. Spain’s Jimena Perez Blanco went 8:39.25 for second.
Men’s 400 free – Final
Top 3:
- Hafnaoui (TUN) – 3:47.81
- Fontaine (FRA) – 3:49.10
- Johansson (SWE) – 3:51.14
18-year-old Ahmed-Ayoub Hafnaoui crushed the field in a massive swim, shattering his prelims time with a 3:47.81.
Prior to the Mare Nostrum tour, Hafnaoui’s previous best time was a 3:49.90 from shortly before the coronavirus pandemic. Today, he qualified fourth out of prelims in 3:53.67, but crushed his 3:47 in the final. That’s a prove-it swim for Hafnaoui, who went 3:47.7 in the Mare Nostrum’s Monte Carlo stop last week.
He won by more than a second over France’s Logan Fontaine and Sweden’s Victor Johansson.
Women’s 200 back – Final
Top 3:
- Hosszu (HUN) – 2:11.89
- Zamorano Sanz (ESP) – 2:15.10
- Mahieu (FRA) – 2:16.80
Katinka Hosszu was in a league of her own in the 200 back final, winning by 3.3 seconds. Her 2:11.89 is well off her lifetime-best (2:05.8), but should stack up as one of her better swims since the pandemic.
Spain’s Africa Zamorano Sanz took second in 2:15.10. And France’s Pauline Mahieu came up with her second top-3 finish in about 45 minutes real-time, going 2:16.80 for bronze. She was second in the 50 back earlier this session.
Men’s 200 back – Final
Top 3:
- Pinzon (COL) – 2:02.79
- Desangles (FRA) – 2:04.12
- Camacho (MEX) – 2:04.79
31-year-old Omar Pinzon took over the men’s 200 back in 2:02.79. That took about two tenths from his prelims time, though he’s still six seconds off a lifetime-best.
It was a young crew behind him. 2004-born Alexandre Desangles was second and 2003-born Diego Camacho took bronze. Outside of Pinzon (born in 1989), every other swimmer in the A final was born in 2001 or later.
Women’s 100 breast – Final
Top 3:
- Efimova (RUS) – 1:06.98
- Vall Montero (ESP) / Rodriguez (MEX) – 1:08.24
- —
Russia’s Yulia Efimova swam away with the 100 breast gold, going 1:06.98. That’s a pretty casual swim for the Russian, who has been 1:04-low before.
Spain’s Jessica Vall and Mexico’s Byanca Rodriguez tied for silver in 1:08.24, besting Spain’s Marina Garcia (1:08.73) by about half a second.
Men’s 100 breast – Final
Top 3:
- Persson (SWE) – 1:00.86
- Bayer (AUT) – 1:01.09
- Skagius (SWE) – 1:02.04
Sweden’s Erik Persson was 1:00.86 to win the men’s 100 breast. That leaves him just eight tenths of a second off his own national record. Persson could be in the mix to take that record sub-minute for the first time ever later on this summer. He’s been as fast as 1:00.08 in 2017.
Austria’s Valentin Bayer came close to stealing the win, cutting a half-second from prelims and coming within two tenths or so of the top spot. Johannes Skagius was third in a 1-3 finish for Swedish swimmers.
Women’s 200 IM – Final
Top 3:
- Hosszu (HUN) – 2:11.62
- Horska (CZE) – 2:14.01
- Tissandie (FRA) – 2:14.39
Make it two in a row for Katinka Hosszu, who handled yet another challenging double in what’s become the theme of her career. Hosszu won her second race in the past three women’s events in this session, going 2:11.62 to crush the 200 IM field.
That’s just off a season-best for the reigning Olympic champ, who holds the world record at 2:06.12.
Czech swimmer Kristyna Horska was second (2:14.01), edging out France’s Camille Tissandie (2:14.39). The top three were well ahead of the rest of the field, with Spain’s Africa Zamorano swimming the same 200 back/200 IM double as Hosszu and taking fourth here in 2:16.11.
Men’s 400 IM – Final
Top 3:
- Lopes (POR) – 4:21.02
- Castejon (ESP) – 4:24.06
- Saletes (FRA) – 4:28.69
The men’s 400 IM was a sparse field of just four, allowing everyone to swim pretty casually in prelims. In fact, no one broke 4:30 in the morning, but Portugal’s Jose-Paulo Lopes went a full nine seconds faster to win tonight in 4:21.02. That sneaks just under the FINA B cut, though Lopes has already been well under the B cut with a 4:17 at Euros last month.
Spain’s Alex Castejon took second about three seconds back. And 2003-born French youngster Jacques Saletes went 4:28.69.
Women’s 100 fly – Final
Top 3:
- Mata Cocco (MEX) – 59.72
- Rosvall (SWE) – 1:01.25
- Guilamon (ESP) – 1:01.59
Mexico’s Maria Mata Cocco won the 100 fly by a wide margin, breaking a minute in the final after going 1:00.6 in the morning heats. The swim puts Mata Cocco just four tenths away from the Mexican national record set back in 2018.
Sweden’s Hanna Rosvall was second, besting Spain’s Alba Guillamon by two tenths.
Men’s 100 fly – Final
Top 3:
- Le Clos (RSA) – 52.29
- Metella (FRA) – 52.64
- Miljenic (CRO) – 53.22
Chad le Clos took the win, passing up France’s Mehdy Metella over the final 50. Metella was the top prelims qualifier in 52.88. Both he and le Clos went out faster than this morning, and Metella led by .02 at the 50-turn. But le Clos made up about four tenths in the back half to go 52.29 for the win.
Croatia’s Nikola Miljenic was third in 53.22, with Trinidad & Tobago swimmer Dylan Carter fourth at 53.48. Carter was actually 53.03 for the second qualifying spot this morning, and would have won silver had he repeated that time tonight.
Women’s 200 free – Final
Top 3:
- Verraszto (HUN) – 1:59.42
- Hosszu (HUN) – 2:00.44
- Campabadal (ESP) – 2:01.46
Katinka Hosszu couldn’t quite pull off the three-for-three tonight. Her Hungarian teammate Evelyn Verraszto stuck close over the first 100, then tore away in the back half to win with a 1:59.42. Verraszto was the only swimmer under two minutes in the final.
Hosszu wound up second in 2:00.44, but did see quite a bit of dropoff from her second split (30.4) to her final two (31.1/31.0).
Spain’s Ainhoa Campabadal grabbed bronze in 2:01.46, beating Sweden’s Hanna Eriksson (2:02.17).
Men’s 200 free – Final
Top 3:
- Zirk (EST) – 1:46.90
- Tesic (FRA) – 1:48.81
- Quintero (VEN) – 1:48.94
Estonia’s Kregor Zirk took the win in 1:46.90, besting his 1:50.0 from the heats. Zirk won by almost two seconds over France’s 2000-born Enzo Tesic (1:48.81). Zirk’s time also takes the Estonian record under 1:47 for the first time, besting Zirk’s own 1:47.01 from Monte Carlo last week.
Venezuelan Cristian Quintero was the only other swimmer under 1:50, going 1:48.94 for third. He was just a tenth away from knocking off top-qualifying Tesic for silver.
Day 1 full replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O7R47X3A-c
OT. Looks like Jacko Verharen will take care of French Swimming starting this September. Sacrebleu, c’est une révolution !
so Alshammars time, 21 years after the silver in Sydney Olympics, is that an age group record…? 😉
If we took 40 to 44 would be Torres, but suited
Coleman is already selected for 50 free alongside Sjöström, Alshammar needs a relay spot for OLY
1.46.90 from Zirk in the 200 free: new PB for him, excellent swimmer indeed.
Le Clos 200 free : 52.13/1.00.53 oof….
I’m wondering if it were Ledecky or Titmus or Pellegrini swimming over 2min 200FR winning with that against 2:03 second place. Would it be called “crashing the field” ?
No? Then why is such a language used to describe the performance of Hosszu in 200IM?
There should be a reason of doing that.
To annoy you, of course.
It definitely does. But who cares about that if it pleases you 😀
Mr Anderson, Afnaoui of Tunisia swam 3.47.79 last week in Monaco.
http://montecarlo-swimming.org/Resultats/2021/fichiers/resultats_70073_54_400-nl-mes.pdf
Looks like there was only prelims in that event. Weird.
Timed events in Monaco. Hafnaoui replied the 400 free he swam a few days ago: not bad in this period (still a training period) and Hafnaoui proves himself as a very promising swimmer in the 400-1500 range.