2023 Mare Nostrum Barcelona: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 MARE NOSTRUM TOUR – BARCELONA

• Wednesday, May 17th & Thursday, May 18th
•  Club Natació Sant Andreu, Barcelona, Spain
• LCM (50m)
• World Championships Qualifier
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Final Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Entries/Live Results
• Livestream

WOMEN’S 1500 FREE – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 15:51.68, Delfina Pignatiello (ARG) 2019
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 16:29.57
• Paris 2024 OQT – 16:09.09

GOLD – Beatriz Dizotti (BRA), 16:10.37
SILVER – Agostina Hein (ARG), 16:14.19
BRONZE – Angela Guillen (ESP), 16:18.78

Brazil is the first nation to get on the board with gold, courtesy of Beatriz Dizotti in the women’s 1500m free.

23-year-old Dizotti got to the wall in 16:10.37 to come with 6 seconds of her own national record of 16:04.21 set just in March of this year.

15-year-old Agostina Hein fired off a time of 16:14.19 from the slower heats to reap silver overall. Hein’s time represents a monster personal best, blowing her previous PB of 16:40.19 to bits. That time was registered just last month at the Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale.

Hein now checks in as the 5th-fastest Argentine female ever in this event, and just 15 years of age.

Spanish swimmer Angela Guillen took the bronze in 16:18.78.

MEN’S 50 BACK – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 24.45, Michael Andrew (USA) 2019
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 25.16

GOLD – Miroslav Knedla (CZE), 25.15
SILVER – Shane Ryan (IRL), 25.33
BRONZE – Michele Lamberti (ITA), 25.41

Miroslav Knedla of the Czech Republic punched a time of 25.15 to grab gold in this men’s 50m back, hitting the 3rd fastest time of his career in the process.

17-year-old Knedla owns a lifetime best of 24.93 from the Stockholm Open earlier this season and also has a time of 25.12 on his resume from the 2022 World Junior Championships semi-final. His time of 25.15 this evening dipped under the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut for Fukuoka by .01.

Behind the teen was Irish veteran Shane Ryan, with the World Championships medalist producing a silver medal-worthy 25.33. That sliced .25 off of the 25.58 he logged last week for gold in Canet.

Italy’s Michele Lamberti also landed on the podium in 25.41 for bronze.

WOMEN’S 50 BREAST – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 29.88, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 2015
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 31.02

GOLD – Lara van Niekerk (RSA), 30.21
SILVER – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 30.40
BRONZE – Imogen Clark (GBR), 30.42

It was a tight finish in the women’s 50m breast as the trio of medalists was separated by just .21 this evening.

Leading the pack was South African national record holder Lara van Niekerk, with the 19-year-old clocking 30.21 as the gold medalist. That effort was quicker than the 30.37 it took van Niekerk to earn gold last week in Canet, although she still owns a season-best of 29.78 to remain #1 in the world this season.

Lithuanian Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte snagged silver in 30.40, holding off British national record holder Imogen Clark who bagged bronze in 30.42.

Meilutyte’s time checks in as a season-best while Clark shaved .03 off of her 30.42 from last week.

MEN’S 50 FLY – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record: 22.53, Andrii Govorov (UKR) 2018 
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 23.53

GOLD – Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 23.33
SILVER – Abdelrahman Elaraby (EGY), 23.39
BRONZE – Nicholas Lia (NOR), 23.58

Despite Egyptian athlete Abdelrahman Elaraby heading into this final with a top-seeded morning swim of 23.52, it was World Record holder Szebasztian Szabo who ultimately topped this men’s 50m fly podium.

Szabo earned gold in a winning result of 23.33, beating out Elaraby who touched just .06 later in 23.39. Norwegian national record holder Nicholas Lia also landed on the podium in 23.58 for bronze.

Szabo represents one of four swimmers worldwide who have dipped under the 23-second barrier already this season after clocking 22.93 in April.

As for Elaraby, tonight’s performance is a big-time personal best, overwriting the 23.60 he notched for silver at the 2018 Mediterranean Games.

American Michael Andrew finished 4th in 23.63.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 4:30.75, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2016
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 4:43.06
• Paris 2024 OQT – 4:38.53

GOLD – Mio Narita (JPN), 4:39.22
SILVER – Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 4:40.76
BRONZE – Boglarka Kapas (HUN), 4:40.97

Japan’s Mio Narita upgraded her 400m IM silver from last week in Canet to gold this time around in Barcelona.

Whereas Narita clocked a time of 4:42.84 at the first stop, the 16-year-old dipped under the 4:40 barrier to earn the top prize tonight in 4:39.22. Her season-best remains at the 4:36.89 posted at the Japan Championships in April, a time which garnered the Junior Pan Pacific Championships gold medalist a spot on the national team for this summer’s World Championships.

Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko busted out a new national record en route to silver this evening, putting up a lifetime best of 4:40.76. That surpassed the 4:41.48 record she previously held since the 2020 FFN Golden Tour.

Gorbenko already established a new 200m IM national record last night in 2:09.41.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 48.08, Nathan Adrian (USA) 2014
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 48.51
• Paris 2024 OQT – 48.58

GOLD – Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 48.89
SILVER – Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 49.04
BRONZE – Dylan Carter (TTO), 49.09

This men’s 100m free was a little on the subdued side as just one swimmer was able to get under the 49-second barrier.

Thomas Ceccon was the sole 48-point swimmer, scoring the gold in a result of 48.89. Behind him was the 200m freestyle victor from last night, Katsuhiro Matsumoto of Japan, while Dylan Carter of Trinidad & Tobago logged 49.09 as tonight’s bronze medalist.

Last week in Canet Carter was atop the podium in a time of 48.94, so he added slightly to drop 2 slots for 3rd. The 27-year-old set his lifetime best two months ago with a 48.28 to win the event at the Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record: 58.57, Kylie Masse (CAN) 2022
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 1:00.59
• Paris 2024 OQT – 59.99

GOLD – Ingrid Wilm (CAN), 1:00.02
SILVER – Adela Piskorska (POL), 1:00.50
BRONZE – Hanna Rosvall (SWE), 1:00.66

Ingrid Wilm of Canada skated along the minute border in this women’s 100m back but ultimately touched just over it in 1:00.02. That was a big improvement over last week where she took bronze in 1:00.66 in Canet.

Polish 19-year-old Adela Piskorska carried her backstroke success into this race, following up her 50m back bronze from last night with a silver here. Piskorska stopped the clock in a mark of 1:00.50, although she’s already been as quick as 59.76 this season.

Sweden’s Hanna Rosvall matched her career-best in 1:00.66 as the 3rd place finisher.

Of note, Italy’s Silva Scalia no-showed the final.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 58.15, Adam Peaty (GBR) 2019
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 59.75
• Paris 2024 OQT – 59.79

GOLD – Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 59.98
SILVER – Jan Kalusowski (POL), 1:01.01
BRONZE – Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU), 1:01.30

Olympic bronze medalist Nicolo Martinenghi won this men’s 100m breast decisively, hitting the only time of the field under 1:01.

Martinenghi opened in 28.49 and closed in 31.49 to check in with a mark of 59.98. That’s just under a second away from the 59.06 he produced at April’s Italian Championships, although he’ll still be seeking the World Championships ‘A’ cut for Fukuoka at next month’s Sette Collie Trophy.

Andrew was back in the water in this event after his 50m fly but placed 8th in 1:02.61.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 23.85, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 2017
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 25.04
• Paris 2024 OQT – 24.70

GOLD – Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 24.67
SILVER – Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 24.86
BRONZE – Anna Hopkin (GBR), 24.96

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey got the job done in the women’s splash n’ dash, getting to the wall in a mark of 24.67.

That gave the former University of Michigan Wolverine the edge over Dutch ace Marrit Steenbergen who touched in 24.86 for runner-up status while British Olympic finalist Anna Hopkin rounded out the top 3 in 24.96. Aussie Olympic icon Cate Campbell was just .01 shy of the podium, placing 4th in 24.97.

Haughey fired off a new Hong Kong national record of 24.56 last week in Canet for silver so the 25-year-old was only .11 off of that outing with tonight’s effort.

Both Steenbergen and Hopkin have also been quicker this season, with the former having notched a mark of 24.42 while the latter owns a season-best of 24.51.

MEN’S 200 BACK – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 1:54.34, Ryosuke Irie (JPN) 2011
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 1:58.07
• Paris 2024 OQT – 1:58.09

GOLD – Lorenzo Mora (ITA), 1:59.45
SILVER – Brodie Williams (GBR), 2:00.03
BRONZE – Antoine Herlem (FRA), 2:00.24

Just one man made it under 2:00 in the men’s 200m back, with Italy’s Lorenzo Mora clocking 1:59.45 for gold.

Behind him was Commonwealth Games champion Brodie Williams who secured silver in 2:00.03 while Frenchman Antoine Herlem was 3rd in 2:00.24.

Herlem was the champion in Canet with an outing of 1:59.47 while Williams repeated as the silver medalist, although his time tonight was slightly quicker than his 2:00.29 from the previous stop.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 2:19.67, Rikke Moller-Pederson (DEN) 2014
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 2:25.91
• Paris OQT – 2:23.91

GOLD – Lydia Jacoby (USA), 2:24.03
SILVER – Thea Blomsterberg (DEN), 2:24.50
BRONZE – Ana Blazevic (CRO), 2:26.58

Reigning Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby of the United States carried her momentum from last night’s 100m breast victory into tonight’s 2breast final.

The 19-year-old Alaska native produced a winning result of 2:24.03 for gold, beating out top-seeded Thea Blomsterberg of Denmark.

This morning, Blomsterberg landed lane 4 out of the heats with a time of 2:24.21 but added slightly this evening to settle for silver in 2:24.50. Blomsterberg already ranks 5th in the world with her Danish national record of 2:22.61 logged just last month.

As for Jacoby, her 2:24.03 represents a season-best, now ranking the American 11th in the world on the season. In fact, tonight’s performance establishes a huge lifetime best for the Texas Longhorn, scorching her previous career-quickest of 2:25.98 produced at last year’s Mare Nostrum Monaco stop.

MEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum record: 1:53.89, Kristof Milak (HUN) 2022
• World Championships ‘A’ cut: – 1:56.71
• Paris 2024 OQT – 1:56.36

GOLD – Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL), 1:56.26
SILVER – Arbidel Alvarez (ESP), 1:56.75
BRONZE – Noe Ponti (SUI), 1:56.78

Krzysztof Chmielewski of Poland put on a show in the heats of the men’s 200m fly, registering a time of 1:55.04. That beat out the 1:55.95 the 18-year-old World Junior champion produced in Canet for silver last week behind Japan’s short course World Record holder Tomoru Honda.

The teen added time in tonight’s final, however, despite still grabbing the gold. Chmielewski registered a time of 1:56.26 to hold on against a charging Spaniard in Arbidel Alvarez. Alvarez scored silver in 1:56.75 while Olympic bronze medalist Noe Ponti also landed on the podium in 1:56.78 for bronze.

As for Chmielewski, his 1:55.04 from this morning ranks him as the 8th fastest performer in the world this season.

Alvarez’s silver medal-worthy result represents a nice new personal best, surpassing the 1:57.42 he put up for 9th place at last year’s European Championships. He is quickly now approaching the longstanding Spanish national record of 1:56.42 Carlos Piralta put on the books at the 2016 European Championships.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 55.76, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 2017
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 58.33
• Paris 2024 OQT – 57.92

GOLD – Louise Hansson (SWE), 57.52
SILVER – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 57.83
BRONZE – Katarine Savard (CAN), 58.77

Sweden’s Louise Hansson led a pair of Canadians onto the podium in the women’s 100m fly, with the former USC Trojan posting a winning effort of 57.52.

Hansson opened in 27.13 and closed in 30.39 to beat out the reigning Olympic champion Maggie MacNeil of Canada, despite MacNeil crushing a 26.98 opener.

MacNeil settled for silver in 57.83 while teammate Katarine Savard garnered bronze in 58.77.

MacNeil ranks #2 in the world due to the 56.54 she registered at Canadian Trials while Hansson was also quicker last month with her 57.00 to rank 4th on the season.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 1:56.31, Hugo Gonzalez (ESP) 2021
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 1:59.53
• Paris 2024 OQT – 1:58.53

GOLD – So Ogata (JPN), 1:58.09
SILVER – Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN), 1:58.49
BRONZE – Finlay Knox (CAN), 1:59.12

Japan swept the 400m IM podium last night in Barcelona and nearly accomplished the same feat in this 2IM tonight.

So Ogata got to the wall first, clocking 1:58.09 for the gold while teammate Tomoyuki Matsushita posted 1:58.49 for the silver. Canada got on the board with bronze, courtesy of Finlay Knox‘s result of 1:59.12.

Ogata took the 2IM in Canet with a mark of 1:58.47 so he managed to shave just under half a second from last week’s performance.

For his part, Matsushita improved significantly, getting well under the 2:00.64 he raced from stop #1.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 1:54.66, Camille Muffat (FRA) 2012
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 1:58.66
• Paris 2024 OQT – 1:57.26

GOLD – Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:55.56
SILVER – Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 1:56.10
BRONZE – Ella Jansen (CAN), 1:58.09

It was another 1-2 finish for Siobhan Haughey and Marrit Steenbergen, mimicking their 50m free result from earlier in the session.

Haughey once again got her hand on the wall first producing a swift 1:55.56 to take this women’s 200m free. Steenbergen secured the silver in 1:56.10 while Canadian Ella Jansen touched in 1:58.09 for the bronze.

Haughey was just off the 1:55.42 she produced in Canet for gold last week, while Steenbergen’s time this evening dipped under the 1:56.22 earned in April.

MEN’S 400 FREE – FINAL

• Mare Nostrum Record – 3:41.71, Ian Thorpe (AUS) 2001
• World Championships ‘A’ cut – 3:48.15
• Paris 2024 OQT – 3:47.91

GOLD – Ayoub Hafnaoui (TUN), 3:47.13
SILVER – Joris Bouchaut (FRA), 3:49.47
BRONZE – Daniel Jervis (GBR), 3:50.95

Tunisian Olympic champion Ayoub Hafnaoui topped this men’s 400m free event with a time of 3:47.13. That beat the field by over 2 seconds, with French swimmer Joris Bouchaut clocking 3:49.47 for silver while Daniel Jervis of Great Britain took bronze in 3:50.95.

Hafnaoui’s season-best rests at the 3:46.02 put up at the Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale this past March.