2025 Mare Nostrum – Canet-en-Roussillon: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2025 MARE NOSTRUM – CANET-EN-ROUSSILLON

• Saturday, May 24th – Sunday, May 25th
• Prelims at 9am local (3am ET)/Finals at 5:30pm local (11:30m ET)
• Centre Nautique Europa
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets (PDF)
• Results
• Live Stream ($)

Day 1 A-Finals Heat Sheet

The final stop of the 2025 Mare Nostrum tour is about to get underway. Canet-en-Roussillon plays host this year, after the two previous stops in Monaco and Barcelona. With all the events packed into just two days, it’s going to be an action-packed finals session.

The session starts off with some speed as the 50s of back and free are up first. Two French Women lead the way as Mary-Ambre Moluh and Beryl Gastaldello will occupy lane four in their respective events. On the men’s side Jules Andre posted the fastest 50 back time, but will have both Mewen Tomac and Yohann Ndoye-Brouard looking to chase him down as well as World Record holder Kliment Kolesnikov.

From their we move into the longer races as the final heat of the women’s 800 free and the men’s 400 free take to the pool. Britain Fleur Lewis leads the way in the 800 and Sweden’s Victor Johansson will look to hold off World Short Course Champion in the 1500, Ahmed Jaoudi.

Tomac returns to the pool in the men’s 200 back but will first have to get by his compatriot Antoine Herlem. Fellow French Olympian Pauline Mahieu is in a similar position as she finds herself in a tight duel with Anastasia Shkurdai.

The 100s of breaststroke have a very strong field. Kara Hanlon and Kirill Prigoda lead their respective fields, but each has a difficult trip to the top of the podium, as the likes of Anna Elendt, Yuliya Efimova, and Ilya Shymanovich stand in their way.

The Women’s 200 IM and Men’s 400 IM sees Anastasia Gorbenko, who had a banner year last year on the Mare Nostrum as the top seed, while Frenchmen Valentin Trevillot will look to hold off reigning World Champ Lewis Clareburt.

The day concludes with the 100 fly and 200 free, Sweden’s Louise Hansson and Dutch star Tessa Giele were both under 59 this morning and will look to push each other to greater heights, while France’s Maxime Grousset put in a controlled morning swim of 52.54 to sit third in tonight’s final. Mare Nostrum Record holder Siobhan Haughey, too, lurks as the 3rd seed in the 200 free, as she will look to chase down top seed Barbora Seemanova.

Women’s 50 Back – Final

• World Record: 26.86 – Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 27.24 – Kylie Masse, Canada (2024)
• Canet Record: 27.43 – Kylie Masse, Canada (2024)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 28.22

Top 3

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 27.76
2. Danielle Hill (IRL) – 27.84
3. Pauline Mahieu (FRA) – 27.91

The first race of the evening was a fast and quick affair. Many of these swimmers have competed against one another over the week at the previous two stop in Monaco and Barcelona. Ireland’s Danielle Hill looked like she had a strong start, but France’s Mary-Ambre Moluh, the top seed, had a strong closing finish to push the 2024 European champion. Isreal’s Anastasia Gorbenko who won this race in Monaco and Canada’s Ingrid Wilm were just behind the early leader, but they too closed the gap.

It looked like Hill took the win, but it appears as if the timing system did not record any touches, so there are no official results as of yet.

After a few minutes results were published with the win going to Gorbenko by just .08 ahead of Hill, 27.76 to 27.84. Gorbenko had recorded a PB of 27.55 in Monaco last week. France’s Pauline Mahieu swimming out of lane 2 snuck into the medals, placing 3rd in 27.91, just .01 ahead of Wilm.

Men’s 50 Back – Final

• World Record: 23.55 – Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2023)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 24.4 – Michael Andrew, USA (2019)
• Canet Record: 24.75 – Pieter Coetze, South Africa (2022)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 25.11

Top 3

1. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA) – 25.12
2. Kliment Kolesnikov (NAB) – 25.24
3. Jules Andre (FRA) – 25.47

After qualifying just in 3rd this morning with a prelims time of 25.53, French Olympic medalist Yohann Ndoye-Brouard used a strong finish to surge into the lead taking the win away from the World Record holder Kliment Kolesnikov. Swimming under the neutral athlete banner, Kolesnikov won this event in Monaco with a time of 24.44 (which broke the Mare Nostrum Record) and again in Barcelona in 24.75, but in the windy conditions here in France, had to settle for the silver, as Ndoye-Brouard’s 25.12 was just faster than his 25.24.

Top seed Jules Andre improved upon his prelims swim by .04 to take the bronze medal.

Women’s 50 Free – Final

• World Record: 23.61 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 23.82 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• Canet Record: 23.85 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 24.86

Top 3

1. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) -24.86
2. Petra Senanszky (HUN) – 24.87
3. Analia Pigree (FRA) – 25.12

It was a strong field in the women’s 50 free, but the win went the way of home nation’s Beryl Gastaldello. The French Olympian placed 2nd in the finals of the skins race in Monaco, going 24.87, but bettered that result tonight by .01 as she took the win in 24.86. After the race, Gastaldello said she was very happy with the race, knowing it was going to be a tight  affair and is looking forward to the 100 tomorrow.

Taking 2nd was Hungary’s Petra Senanszky, who was just out-touched by Gastalldello by .01.

Men’s 50 Free – Final

• World Record: 20.91 – Cesar Cielo, Brazil (2009)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 21.31 – Bruno Fratus, Brazil (2019)
• Canet Record: 21.64 – Bruno Fratus, Brazil (2019)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 22.05

Top 3

1. Ian Ho (HKG) – 22.17
2. Sean Niewold (NED) -22.18
3. Elias Persson (SWE) – 22.20

Young French sprinter Falemana Tuufio exploded out to a strong start in lane 7 and led the field through the halfway point, but the experience of the field showed, as Ian Ho and Sean Niewold emerged from the field to touch the wall in first and second.

Ho, who swam collegiately for Virginia Tech, competes for Hong Kong internationally. Earlier in the week, he finished 2nd in Barcelona with a time of 22.15, and while today he was .02 slower, he moved up one place to stand atop the podium. Right below him on the podium was Niewold, who touched just .01 back. The Dutch sprinter was much faster than his time from Monaco, where he was 22.48.

Women’s 800 Free – Fastest Heat

• World Record: 8:04.12 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2025)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 8:19.86 – Rebecca Adlington, Great Britain (2012)
• Canet Record: 8:20.68 – Jazmin Carlin, Great Britain (2012)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 8:34.62

Top 3

1. Sarah Dumont (BEL) – 8:40.90
2. Fleur Lewis (GBR) – 8:42.63
3. Francisca Soares Martins (POR) – 8:42.69

Portugal’s Francisca Soares Martins attacked the race from the get-go and had a strong lead at the 300-meter turn. At the halfway mark, Soares Martins flipped at 4:18.46, but what was nearly a two-second lead had dropped to just 1.03 seconds over Sarah Dumont. The Belgian star continued her push and took over the lead at the 500-meter turn.

Over the next 100, Dumont had flipped the table and had opened a nearly two-second lead over Soares Martin. Dumont would continue to build her lead and took the win in 8:40.90.

Well back at the 400, Great Britain’s Fleur Lewis, the top seed, slowed, moved up through the field on the back half, and ran down the early leader Soares Martins to nab the silver in 8:42.63. The Portuguese swimmer finished in third, .06 back.

Men’s 400 Free – Final

• World Record: 3:39.96 – Lukas Martens, Germany (2025)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 3:41.71 – Ian Thorpe, Australia (2001)
• Canet Record: 3:46.93 – Aleksandr Krasnykh, Russia (2017)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 3:48.15

Top 3

1. Ahmed Jaouadi (TUN) – 3:46.60 *** NEW CANET RECORD***
2. Victor Johansson (SWE) – 3:48.43
3. Rami Rahmouni (TUN) – 3:50.85

Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi, who burst onto the scene with two finals appearances at the Paris Olympics jumped out to an early lead in this race, opening it up in 54.57 with top seed Sweden’s Victor Johansson flipping second, over a second back at 55.68. Jaouadi, who won the gold medal in the 1500 at the Short Course World Champs, extended that lead to about a body length at the 200 as he hit the wall in 1:52.12 with the Swede slipping further back, to trail by 1.5 seconds.

Jaouadi, who was 3:53.38, this morning looked smooth and in control and went to his legs in the last 50 to hold off any push from Johansson to take the win in 3:46.60, erasing the eight year old Canet record of 3:46.93. The time stands as a new season best improving upon his 3:47.58 from Barcelona, and is less than a second off his PB of 3:45.95.

After the race, Jaouadi said it was a good time as he is not tapered and hope that it will be better by Singapore.

Women’s 200 Back – Final

• World Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 2:06.66 – Emily Seehbohm, Australia (2017)
• Canet Record: 2:06.66 – Emily Seehbohm, Australia (2017)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 2:11.08

Top 3

1. Pauline Mahieu (FRA) – 2:10.31
2. Anastasia Shkurdai (NAA) – 2:11.85
3. Aissia-Claudia Prisecariu (ROU) – 2:14.03

Top seeds Anastasia Shkurdai and Pauline Mahieu, the top two seeds, were neck and neck through the opening of the race with Shkurdai just .08 ahead at the halfway turn, as the Belorussian, competing under a Neutral banner flipped in 1:03.41. Mahieu, who earlier claimed bronze in the 50 back and swimming in her home club’s pool tried to close the gap but slipped a little and was .3 back with just a 50 left.

Shkurdai used a strong last turn to further open a lead upon the hometown star, but Mahieu, wearing the Gold and Green Cap of Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, drastically increased her tempo and surged past the competition to take the win in 2:10.31. The win is an improvement upon the 2:11.58 she swam in Barcelona and is just over a second off her PB of 2:09.28 from French Trials last summer.

Men’s 200 Back – Final

• World Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Piersol, USA (2009)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 1:54.34 – Ryosuke Irie, Japan (2011)
• Canet Record: 1:54.54 – Ryosuke Irie, Japan (2011)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 1:58.07

Top 3

1. Jan Cejka (CZE) – 1:58.15
2. Antoine Herlem (FRA) – 1:59.07
3. Mewen Tomac (FRA) – 2:00.88

The Czech Republic’s Jan Cejka, the winner in Barcelona, opened up the 200 back this evening in 57.94, ahead of France’s Antoine Herlem (58.29) and Mewen Tomac (58.73). Over the next 50, Cejka and Herlem pulled away from the bearded Tomac and had dual over the last 60 meters.

Cejka went to the legs a little sooner than Herlem, and leading from start to finish, he grabbed the win in 1:58.15, exactly equalling his time from Barcelona. Herlem also dipped under 2:00 , touching in 1:59.07, slicing .06 off his prelims time. Tomac held onto the bronze, taking the last podium spot in a time of 2:00.88.

Women’s 100 Breast – Final

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, USA (2017)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 1:04.82 – Yuliya Efimova, Russia (2017)
• Canet Record: 1:04.82 – Yuliya Efimova, Russia (2017)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 1:06.87

Top 3

1. Anna Elendt (GER) – 1:06.33
2. Alina Zmushka (NAA) – 1:07.49
3. Kara Hanlon (GBR) – 1:07.58

In a battle between multiple gold medalists from over the past week, Germany’s Anna Elendt had the best start opening up the race in 31.18, the only swimmer under 32.00.  Elendt, who swam collegiately for the University of Texas, won the 100 at both the Monaco and Barcelona stops of the tour.

Touching 2nd at the 50 turn was the 200 breaststroke champion from Barcelona, Alina Zmushka. She hit the wall in 32.02, just .05 ahead of Italy’s Arianna Castiglioni. Over the backhalf, the German, continued to build her lead and stormed into the wall to claim her third victory in the event in as many meets, taking the win in 1:06.33. The time is her fastest of the week as her previous wins were with times of 1:07.10 and 1:06.55. Zmushka improved upon her bronze from Barcelona, taking the silver tonight in a time of 1:07.49, fending off a very late charge from top seed Kara Hanlon, who took the bronze in 1:07.58.

Men’s 100 Breast – Final

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 58.15 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• Canet Record: 58.92 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 59.75

Top 3

1. Kirill Prigoda (NAB) – 59.67
2. Shin Ohashi (JPN) – 59.88
3. Ilya Shymanovich (NAA) – 1:00.15

The only two swimmers with prelims times under 1:01, the race looked to come down between the top seeds Kirill Prigoda and Ilya Shymanovich. However, Japan’s Shin Ohashi, Japan’s rising star looked to upset the status quo. Shymanovich, the world record holder in the short course version of the race, opened the race up quick hitting the 50 wall in 27.68. Ohashi and Prigoda weren’t too far back at 27.80 and 27.96, however.

The Japanese youngster and Prigroda, used their 200 training to zoom past Shymanovich over the backhalf with the Russian, competing under a neutral banner taking the win in 59.67, his first time under 1:00 this week. Joining him under 1:00 was Ohashi. In Barcelona, Ohashi finished in 5th at 1:00.55, but tonight’s performance blew that time out of the water, literally, as the 16-year-old hit the wall in 59.88 to claim the silver.

Women’s 200 I.M. – Final

• World Record: 2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2015)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 2:08.49 – Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2017)
• Canet Record: 2:08.57 – Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2019)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 2:12.83

Top 3

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:11.19
2. Sara Franceschi (ITA) – 2:11.53
3. Emma Carrasco Cadens (ESP) – 2:11.78

Another race and another win for Anastasia Gorbenko. The Israeli National Record holder, took the race out fast, opening a lead of .35 at the 50 turn. Gorbenko, one of the most versatile swimmers in the world, won the 50 back earlier in the evening, but started to give up ground on the 2nd 50 as Emma Carrasco Cadens pulled within .15 and by the 150 turn had opened up a lead of .2.

Italy’s Sara Franceschi used a strong breaststroke leg to pull herself to within a second of Carrasco Cadens, and the top three had a drag race over the freestyle leg, with Gorbenko taking the win over Franceschi and Carrasco Cadens.

The time tonight was the slowest of her three wins in the 200 IM, as she was 2:10.18 in Monaco and 2:09.85 in Barcelona, however, the win tonight was her 6th of the week.

Men’s 400 I.M. – Final

• World Record: 4:02.50 – Leon Marchand, France (2023)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 4:07.96 – Laszlo Cseh, Hungary (2008)
• Canet Record: 4:07.96 – Laszlo Cseh, Hungary (2008)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 4:17.48

Top 3

1. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) – 4:14.29
2. Emilien Mattenet (FRA) – 4:20.72
3. Emanuele Potenza (ITA) – 4:22.73

Lewis Clareburt, the reigning World Champion, entered as the #2 seed but quickly dispelled any notion of being second fiddle as he had a nearly three-second lead after the butterfly leg, opening the race up on 56.81. Top seed Valentin Trevillot was 2nd to the 100 wall, splitting 59.55. The New Zealand native, Clareburt, continued to build his lead, as by the halfway point the gap was almost four and half seconds.

With just the freestyle left and a lead of 6.01 seconds, the win was all locked up, but a tight battle for second was brewing between Emilien Mattenet and Emanuele Potenza, who used a strong breaststroke leg to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

It wasn’t the swiftest time, but Clareburt cruised to win, taking the 400 IM in 4:14.29, winning by over six seconds ahead of France’s Mattenet.

Women’s 100 Fly– Final

• World Record: 54.60 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2025)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 55.76 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• Canet Record: 55.76 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 58.33

Top 3

1. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 58.11
2. Anastasiya Kuliashova (NAA) – 58.59
3. Tessa Giele (NED) – 59.03

Olympic Finalist Louise Hansson showed early speed in the Women’s 100 fly, as the Swede was the only swimmer to hit the halfway mark in under 27.00. Out in 26.97, the champion in Monaco, Hansson led Anastasiya Kuliashova, a neutral Belorussian, and fellow Swede Sara Junevik, by .30.

Over the last 50, Hansson kept her lead and hit the wall in 58.11, to win her second 100 fly of the week, after taking the silver in Barcelona. The time tonight is an improvement upon her 58.39 from Thursday, but was a little slower than her time from Monaco, where she dipped under 58, taking the title in Monaco in 57.91.

Tessa Giele, the #2 seed and who was under 59 this morning, did her best to move up through the field but couldn’t catch Kuliashova and had to settle for the bronze in 59.13

Men’s 100 Fly – Final

• World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 50.75 – Kristof Milak, Hungary (2024)
• Canet Record: 51.42 – Naoki Mizunuma, Japan (2022)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 51.77

Top 3

1. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 51.40 ***NEW CANET RECORD***
2. Adilbek Mussin (KAZ) – 51.82
3. Roman Shevliakov (NAB) – 51.93

Sporting a nice mustache and goatee combo, 2023 World Champion Maxime Grousset, who was third fastest this morning, was the quickest to the 50 meter turn, as he opened up the race in 23.79. The only swimmer under 24, Grousset used a strong turn to start his last 50 and he never looked back as he took the win with a time of 51.40. The time erases the Canet record set back in 2022 by Naoki Mizunuma, by .02.

2nd seed Roman Shevliakov and 8th seed Thomas Verhoeven were an equal 2nd at the 50, opening in 24.13, but each couldn’t match the backhalf speed of Adilbek Mussin, who surged into the silver medal position with a time of 51.82, out touching Shevliakov by .11, with Verhoeven fading into 8th place with a time of 53.20

Women’s 200 Free– Final

• World Record: 1:52.23 – Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2024)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 1:54.53 – Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong (2024)
• Canet Record: 1:54.66 – Camille Muffat, France (2012)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 1:58.23

Top 3

1. Barbora Seemanova (CZE) – 1:56.05
2. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:56.42
3. Minna Abraham (HUN) – 1:58.91

The 200 free final tonight was a tight race between top seed Barbora Seemanova of the Czech Republic and Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong. Haughey took the win in Monaco with a time of 1:56.45, but Seemanova’s appearance in Barcelona and her 1:55.84, bumped the Olympic bronze medalist off the top of the podium.

The pair started off well with Seemanova flipping in 27.69 to Haughey’s 27.81. Each trailed home crowd favorite Marina Jehl, who opened in 27.46, but the experience of the two saw them take the lead at the 100 mark as Haughey’s 57.62 saw her just .03 ahead of her Czech rival. By the 150 mark, Haughey has just inched ahead, leading by .1.

However, Seemanova, like in Barcelona got the better of Haughey as she dropped a hammer of a last 50, going 28.39 to take the win in 1:56.05, with Haughey settling for a second silver with a time of 1:56.42.

Early leader Jehl paid for her early speed as she fell to finish 7th in a time of 2:00.86. However, the French woman should be happy with the time as it’s within a second of her PB and a strong improvement upon her 2:02.00 from Monaco.

Men’s 200 Free – Final

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 1:44.74 – David Popovici, Romania (2024)
• Canet Record: 1:44.97 – Ian Thorpe, Australia (2001)
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 1:46.70

Top 3

1. Miguel Perez Godoy (ESP) – 1:49.16
2. Roman Fuchs (FRA) – 1:49.41
3. Hoe-Yean Khiew (MAS) – 1:49.85

Aurelien Descamps took the race out quickly to lead the field at the first 50 with a split of 25.11. The Frenchman was still at the front of the pack at the halfway turn flipping in 52.75. Miguel Perez Godoy joined Descamps under 53.00 as the Spaniard flipped in 52.87.

Perez Godoy took over the lead on the backhalf and never looked back as he took the win 1:49.16, a time that is just .30 off his personal best and an improvement upon his 1:50.28 from Barcelona. French Olympian Roman Fuchs, who was 3rd at the 100-meter turn (53.07), also passed a flagging Descamps and challenged Perez Godoy for the title but ultimately settled for the silver with a time of 1:49.41.  Malaysia’s Hoe-Yean Khiew, who was 5th at the 100, had the fastest last 100, splitting 55.92, to move himself up into the bronze medal position with a time of 1:49.85.