2024 Mare Nostrum – Monaco: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2024 MARE NOSTRUM TOUR – MONACO

• June 1-2, 2024
• Prince Albert II Pool at the Stadium Louis II
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet central
• Results
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Live stream ($)

It’s officially the end of the 2024 Mare Nostrum Tour with action wrapping up in Monaco. Before the meet ends however, swimmers will take on a packed schedule that includes multiple rounds of sprint skins along with the finals of several other events.

Update: The meet was originally slated to begin at 4:30 PM CET (10:30 AM EST) but the beginning of the session has been delayed until 6:00 PM CET (12:00 PM EST). As a result, the semi-finals of the skins races have been cancelled and condensed into a single final for each event consisting of 4 swimmers instead of 2. 

Men’s 50 Butterfly Semi-Finals:

Women’s 50 Butterfly Semi-Finals

Men’s 50 Backstroke Semi-Finals:

Women’s 50 Backstroke Semi-Finals

Men’s 50 Breaststroke Semi-Finals:

Women’s 50 Breaststroke Semi-Finals

Men’s 50 Freestyle Semi-Finals:

Women’s 50 Freestyle Semi-Finals

Men’s 400 IM Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 4:07.96, Laszo Cseh (HUN)

Top 3:

1. Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN) – 4:18.28
2. Apostolos Papastamos (GRE) – 4:20.25
3. Erick Gordillo (GUA) – 4:22.06

Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita completed his series sweep of the 400 IM by leading the field in a winning time of 4:18.28. Through the first 200 meters of the race, Matsushita was in a tight race with Greece’s Apostolos Papastamos and Erick Gordillo of Guatemala. However, he used a strong breaststroke leg to pull away from the field by over a body length. Though Papastamos tried to close the gap on the freestyle leg, he had to settle for second 4:20.25, while Gordillo took third in a time of 4:22.06.

Women’s 400 Freestyle Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 4:02.84, Camille Muffat (FRA)

Top 3:

1. Waka Kobori (JPN) – 4:08.53
2. Francisca Martins (POR) – 4:10.40
3. Dune Coetzee (RSA) – 4:10.92

Waka Kobori continued the momentum for Japan, claiming the country’s second straight event of the night with a victory in the 400 freestyle. After the first 100, Kobori started to pull ahead of the field and never looked back, touching in a final time of 4:08.53.

Despite being down for most of the race, Dune Coetzee had a fantastic final 50, nearly tracking down Francisca Martins. However, Martins managed to hold on for second, posting a time of 4:10.40, whole Coetzee claimed third with a 4:10.92.

Men’s 100 Butterfly Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 50.95, Kristof Milak (HUN)

Top 3:

1. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 50.75
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 51.25
3. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN) – 51.70

Kristof Milak had a dominant performance, leading the race from start-to-finish en route to a new Mare Nostrum Record of 50.75. Milak, who’s form was questionable entering the series, proved that he is ready for the Olympic Games this summer, cutting .2 off of his own Mare Nostrum Record of 50.95 that was set earlier this week in Monaco. With his swim, Milak also moves to #4 in the World this season.

Olympic medalist Noe Ponti finished 2nd in a time of 51.25, with Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto coming in 3rd (51.70).

Women’s 200 Butterfly Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 2:06.70, Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN)

Top 3:

1. Helena-Rosendahl Bach (DEN) – 2:07.31
2. Dalma Sebestyen (HUN) – 2:09.53
3. Maria-Jose Mata Cocco (MEX) – 2:10.37

2024 World Championship silver medalist Helena-Rosendahl Bach claimed her second 200 butterfly win of the series after winning the same race in Canet. Bach was just off of her own Danish record (2:06.93) with her time of 2:07.31.

Dalma Sebestyen solidified Hungary’s stronghold over this event with a 2:09.53 runner-up performance. Mexico’s Maria-Jose Mata Cocco managed to hit a time of 2:10.37 for third.

Men’s 200 Backstroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 1:54.34, Ryosuke Irie (JPN)

Top 3:

1. Lee Juho (KOR) – 1:56.40
2. Apostolos Christou (GRE) -1:57.62
3. Hidekazu Takehara (JPN) – 1:58.25

Apostolos Christou held a commanding lead over the field through the first 100 meters of the race, flipping nearly a bodylength ahead of everyone else. That didn’t stop Korea’s Lee Juho from making a move at the 100 mark, as Juho slowly chipped away at Christou’s lead. By the 150 mark, Juho led by .02. He then took it home over the final 50 meters, claiming first in a time of 1:56.40.

Christou faded over the final 50 meters, but was able to fend off Japan’s Hidekazi Takehara for second in a 1:57.62. Takehara took third with a 1:58.25.

Women’s 100 Backstroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 58.57, Kylie Masse (CAN)

Top 3:

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 59.58
2. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 1:00.14
3. Rio Shirai (JPN) – 1:00.71

Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko secured her 7th win of the series, nearly besting her own National Record  in the 100 backstroke in the process. Gorbenko, who has been on a tare across multiple events this series, posted a winning time of 59.58. Ingrid Wilm, who recently qualified to represent Canada at the 2024 Olympic Games, touched 2nd with a 1:00.14. Japan’s Rio Shirai took third in a time of 1:00.71.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 58.15, Adam Peaty (GBR)

Top 3:

1. Yu Hanaguruma (JPN) – 59.46
2. Arno Kamminga (NED) – 59.58
3. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 59.73

In one of the closest finishes of the night so far, Yu Hanaguruma managed to solidify a series sweep of the 100 breaststroke, winning in a time of 59.46. The victory did not come easy for Hanaguruma as the entire field was within a body length of each other, with all 3 of the top 3 swimmers finishing under a minute. Arno Kamminga made a late push along with Caspar Corbeau, the two swimmers settled for second and third, respectively, with times of 59.58 and 59.73.

Women’s 200 Breaststroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 2:19.67, Rikke Pedersen (DEN)

Top 3:

1. Tes Schouten (NED) – 2:23.46
2. Kotrtna Teterevkova (LTU) – 2:25.46
3. Kristyna Horska (CZE) – 2:26.48

Tes Schouten reaped her second 200 breaststroke win of the series, claiming victory by exactly 2 seconds over the field in a time of 2:23.46. From the start, it was clear that Schouten would walk away with the vitory. However, the race for second and third was a little closer as she was followed by Kotrtna Teterevkova (2:25.46) and Kristyna Horska (2:26.48)

Men’s 200 Freestyle Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 1:44.74, David Popovici (ROU)

Top 3:

1. Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) – 1:46.23
2. Lee Hojoon (KOR) – 1:46.63
3. Kregor Zirk (EST) – 1:47.89

In one of the most highly anticipated events of the meet, the race did not disappoint. Hwang Sunwoo, the favorite in the event, was the clear leader through the first 100 meters of the race, closely followed by teammate Lee Hojoon. Kristof Milak then made a huge push on the 3rd 50, but fell off the pace into the final turn. On the final 50, it was a duel between Sunwoo and Hojoon to the wall, with Sunwoo touching 1st in a time of 1:46.23. Hojoon had the fastest final 50 of the field with a 26.93 closing leg but settled for 2nd (1:46.63). Despite falling off of the leaders, Kregor Zirk held off Milak for 3rd (1:47.89).

Women’s 100 Freestyle Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 52.08, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE)

Top 3:

1. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 52.72
2. Marie Wattel (FRA) – 54.33
3. Nagisa Ikemoto (JPN) – 54.63

Yesterday, Siobhan Haughey swept the series in the 200 freestyle. Today, she repeated the feat in the 100 freestyle becoming the first swimmer to do so this year. Haughey was far ahead of the field, claiming first in a time of 52.72. Her closest competitor was runner-up Marie Wattel of France, who finished in 54.33. Japan’s Nagisa Ikemoto managed a 3rd place finish in a time of 54.63.

Women’s 200 IM Finals

• Mare Nostrum Record: 2:08.49, Katinka Hosszu (HUN)

Top 3:

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:09.19
2. Hiroko Makino (JPN) – 2:11.66
3. Shiho Matsumoto (JPN) – 2:11.74

For the second event in a row, a swimmer solidified a clean sweep of the series as Anastasia Gorbenko led the field in the 200 IM. Though she was slightly off of her national record set earlier this week, Gorbenko led the field the entire race with a final time of 2:09.19.

The Japanese duo of Hiroko Makino and Shiho Matsumoto led a 2-3-4 finish for the nation, with times of 2:11.66 and 2:11.74, respectively.

Men’s 50 Butterfly Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 22.53, Andrii Govorov, Ukraine

Results:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 23.36
2. Thomas Vergoeven (NED) – 23.47
3. Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 23.62
4. Stergios-marios Bilas (GRE) – 23.68

In his second race of the night, Olympic medalist Noe Ponti claimed the men’s 50 butterfly. Ponti touched in a time of 23.26, just ahead of Thomas Vergoeven.

Women’s 50 Butterfly Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 24.76, Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden

Results:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.95
2. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 26.13
3. Tessa Giele (NED) – 26.16
4. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA) – 26.79

To nobody’s surprise, Sarah Sjostrom took the top spot here, nearly matching her meeet record of 24.89 with a 24.95 performance. Sjostrom finished far ahead of the field and was followed by Swedish teammate Louise Hansson (26.13).

Men’s 50 Backstroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 24.45, Michael Andrew (USA)

Results:

1. Apostolos Christou (GRE) – 24.79
2. Kai Fan Westering (NED) – 25.10
3. Michele Lamberti (ITA) – 25.19
4. Anastasios Kougkoulos (GRE) – 25.34

After finishing 2nd in the 200 backstroke earlier in the session, Apostolos Christou claimed a comfortable victory in the 50 backstroke with a winning time of 24.79. Kai Fan Westering led a closer race for 2nd place, touching in a 25.10.

Women’s 50 Backstroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 27.24, Kylie Masse (CAN)

Results:

1.  Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 27.90
2. Fanny Teijonsalo (FIN) – 28.34
3. Emma Harvey (BER) – 28.44
4. Mireia Pradell Carrasco (ESP) – 28.65

Canadian Ingrid Wilm claimed her second victory of the week, winning the 50 backstroke by almost a half second. Wilm was the clear frontrunner for the entire race, with Fanny Teijonsalo leading the rest of the field for a runner-up finish (28.34).

Men’s 50 Breaststroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 26.33, Felipe Lima (BRA)

Results:

1. Arno Kamminga (NED) – 27.15
2. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 27.32
3. Taku Taniguchi (JPN) – 27.42
4. Denis Petrashov (KGZ) – 27.46

After taking 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, Arno Kamminga led a 1-2 sweep for the Netherlands in the 50 breaststroke, winning in a time of 27.15. His countrymate Caspar Corbeau took second in the race with a 27.32.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 29.75, Lara Van Nierkerk, South Africa

Results:

1. Skyler Smith (USA) – 30.55
2. Reona Aoki (JPN) – 30.59
3. Lara Van Niekerk (RSA) – 30.88
4. Mikaela Goelst (RSA) – 31.95

Skyler Smith, the only American to attend the Mare Nostrum tour this year, claimed her first victory of the meet in this 50 breaststroke. Smith, who swims at UNC, posted a personal best 30.55, just holding off Japan’s Reona Aoki (30.59).

Men’s 50 Freestyle Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 21.31, Bruno Fratus (BRA)

Results:

1. Ian Ho (HKG) – 21.86
2. Renzo Tjon A Joe (NED) – 21.95
3. Kenzo Simons (NED) – 22.13
4. Alberto Mestre (VEN) – 22.23

Ian Ho finished just off of his Hong Kong National Record in the 50 freestyle, taking first in the event with a 21.86. Ho was just ahead of Renzo Tjon A Joe from the Netherlands, who posted a 21.95.

Women’s 50 Freestyle Final

• Mare Nostrum Record: 23.82, Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden

Results:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 23.84
2. Michelle Coleman (SWE) – 24.48
3. Perta Senanszky (HUN) – 24.57
4. Florine Gaspard (BEL) -24.83

Just coming off of her 50 butterfly victory, Sarah Sjostrom showed why shes considered  the best sprinter in the world, winning the 50 freestyle in a blistering 23.84. With her swim, Sjostrom came within .02 of her Mare Nostrum record and only .21 off of her own World Record. Michelle Coleman made it a 1-2 finish for Sweden with a runner-up time of 24.48.