2026 Mare Nostrum Canet: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2026 Mare Nostrum Tour — Canet

• Wednesday May 27 — Thursday May 28, 2026
• Canet-en-Roussillon, France
• Prelims at 9 am local (3 a.m. ET)/Finals 5:30 p.m. local (11:30 a.m. ET)
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Psych Sheets
• Meet Central
• Results
• Live Stream
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap

Salut, mes amies (et mes amis). Je suis triste d’annoncer qu’aujourd’hui est le dernier jour de compétition au Mare Nostrum – Canet. Mais il y aura beaucoup de courses rapides, alors en garde!

Sadly (or fortunately) my Spanish is much worse than my French, so there won’t be any preambles in Spanish from me for the Barcelona Stop, but that’s not because I wouldn’t try, it’s just that my colleague Madeline, will be guiding you through the live recap.

But let’s not jump too far ahead as we have plenty of fast racing on the schedule today. Things kick off with the 50s of breaststroke and freestyle, events which are chock full of stars. The USA’s McKenzie Siroky is the top seed in the first event, and fresh off a new PB in the 100 yesterday, will be looking to break her days old Mare Nostrum record from Monaco. The men’s Canet record holder Ilya Shymanovich, too, will be looking to break his record from last year, but has to first pass by Michael Houlie, who set the top time this morning in prelims.

The women’s 50 free sees the 2nd fastest 100 freestyler ever return to the pool. After ripping a 51.86 yesterday to close out the session, Dutch sprinter Marrit Steenbergen returns to the scene of the crime and will take on the even splashier and dashier 50 free. The Dutchwomen isn’t the top seed and will have to pass by compatriot Milou Van Wijk if she wishes to climb to the top of the podium.

The meet certainly should start with fireworks, but likely will end with them as well as Siobhan Haughey will look to close out the Canet stop with yet another Mare Nostrum record. After breaking the late and great Camille Muffat‘s record in the 200 free in Monaco the Hong Kong Olympian returns to the pool to attempt to do so again. She had a great swim in the 100 freestyle yesterday, that maybe was overlooked by Steenbergen’s performance, but Haughey could certainly be in range of taking over the top time in the world this year.

Between the 50 free and 200 free, there are plenty of events, that too are expected to be exciting. New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather, like Haughey is looking to rebreak her own Mare Nostrum Record from last weekend in the 400 free. So too is Hungary’s Kristof Milak in the 100 fly. The Hungarian will have his hands full as Ilya Kharun, posted the fastest and lone sub-52 time of the morning and is the top seed.

Home nation fans will have their eyes glued to the men’s 1500 as France’s David Aubry and Damien Joly are the top seeds by a wide margin, but Sweeden’s Victor Johansson looked very strong in the 400 free yesterday so could throw a wrench in their plans. Even more local is Canet 66’s own Pauline Mahieu, who is the 2nd seed in the 100 backstroke. The Frenchwomen will have to get around Canada’s Taylor Ruck. Ruck has one of the busiest schedules as not only is she the top seed in the 100 back, but she is the one to beat in the 100 fly, which is slated to go off just two events prior. The Canadian is also the 5th seed in the 50 free at the start of the session.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke – Final

• World record: 29.16 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2023
• Mare Nostrum record: 29.64 – McKenzie Siroky (USA), 2026
• Canet Record: 29.88 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2015

Top 3:

1. McKenzie Siroky (University of Tennessee) – 30.33
2. Skyler Smith (North Carolina) – 30.69
3. Barbara Mazurkiewicz (Poland)/Macarena Ceballos (Argentina) – 30.82

The USA’s McKenzie Siroky got off to a great start and carried that speed all the way to wall, with the University of Tennessee swimmer taking the win in 30.33. While slower than her winning time and Mare Nostrum record from last weekend, the swim is her second time climbing atop the podium this weekend, after having won the 100 breaststroke yesterday in a new personal best.

Charging hard to take 2nd out of lane 7 was Siroky’s compatriot Skyler Smith, who touched the wall in 30.69. Smith placed 2nd to Siroky last weekend in the knockout, going 30.61 in the final.

Poland’s Barbara Mazurkiewicz and Argentina’s Macarena Ceballos tied for 3rd at 30.82, just .01 ahead of Germany’s Anna Elendt.

Men’s 50 Breaststroke – Final

• World record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty (GBR), 2017
• Mare Nostrum record: 26.33 – Felipe Lima (BRA), 2019
• Canet Record: 26.59 – Ilya Shymanovich (NAA), 2025

Top 3:

1. Michael Houlie (South Africa) – 26.63
2. Ivan Kozhakin (Russia) – 26.82
3. Ilya Shymanovich (Belarus) – 26.86

Michael Houlie, like Siroky in the final before had the best start to his race and he rode that momentum to the win. The South African’s time of 26.63 is a strong improvement upon his results from last weekend in Monaco, as Houlie didn’t advance out of the quarterfinal, swimming 27.27 in the first round before placing 6th out of 8 in the next round where he went 27.23.

It was also a stronger swim from Canet record holder Ilya Shymanovich, who like Houlie was eliminated before the semifinal in the 50 knockouts. Today the Belorussian was 26.86 winning the bronze, as he fell just of catching Russia’s Ivan Kozhakin. Kozhakin took the silver tonight, touching in 26.82, a little slower than his winning time from Monaco of 26.69.

Women’s 50 Freestyle – Final

• World record: 23.61 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2023
• Mare Nostrum record: 23.82 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2023
• Canet Record: 23.85 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017

Top 3:

1. Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong) – 24.41
2. Marrit Steenbergen (Netherlands) – 24.46
3. Milou van Wijk (Netherlands) – 24.54

There was a bit of an upset in the women’s 50 free as Siobhan Haughey took the win out of lane 7, beating out the strong Dutch pair of Milou van Wijk and Marrit Steenbergen. A four-time Olympic medalist for Hong Kong, Haughey wasn’t in the lead at the 25 meter mark, but kept up her tempo and surged past Steenbergen who looked to be moving just a little slower at the end to take the win 24.41 to 24.46. Both their times this evening are a little slower than the season best as Haughey was 24.34 at the Malmsten Swim Open and Steenbergen won the knock-outs last weekend in 24.48.

The win is a reversal of yesterday’s result in the 100 free, where Steenbergen blew Haughey (and the rest of the field) out of the water as she recorded the 2nd fastest time ever in the race, while Haughey, 52.36 ranked her 3rd in the world this season.

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Final

• World record: 20.88 – Cameron McEvoy (AUS), 2026
• Mare Nostrum record: 21.31 – Bruno Fratus (BRA), 2019
• Canet Record: 21.64 – Bruno Fratus (BRA), 2019

Top 3:

1. Andrej Barna (Serbia) – 21.57 ***NEW CANET RECORD***
2. Quintin McCarty (Wolfpack Elite) – 21.73
3. Kristof Milak (Hungary) – 21.88

Serbia’s Andrej Barna got some revenge on Quintin McCarty as the 2nd seed took the win this evening the 50 free going 21.57. Barna had the best start of the final and carried that speed into the wall as he erased the seven-year-old Canet record of Bruno Fratus.

Last weekend in Monaco, Barna posted a 21.48 in the quarterfinal (4th in the world) and was the top seed into the semifinals, but was unable to replicate the time and fell to McCarty in the final 21.79 to 21.43. This evening it was McCarty, who had to settle for 2nd after entering as the top seed with the NC State product earning the silver in 21.73, just ahead of Kristof Milak and his 21.88.

Men’s 1500 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• World record: 14:30.67 – Bobby Finke (USA), 2024
• Mare Nostrum record: 14:54.81 – Daniel Wiffen (IRE), 2025
• Canet Record: 14:54.81 – Daniel Wiffen (IRE), 2025

Top 3:

1. Andrei-Theodor Proca (Romania) – 15:00.36
2. Victor Johansson (Sweden) – 15:06.48
3. Damien Joly (Stade de Vanves) – 15:11.46

Victor Johansson of Sweden picked things up where he left them in yesterday’s 400 freestyle win as he was first to the wall at the 200, opening in 1:58.44. However, it wasn’t as unassailable of a lead as he established in the 400 as Romania’s Andrei-theodor Proca and Emile Vincent were just .16 and .60 back. By the 400 turn, Johansson and Proca were still neck and neck, with the Swede flipping in 3:59.16, with the Romanian joining him under 4:00 at 3:59.37.

His win in the 400 yesterday may have taken something out of the Swede as Proca broke Johansson over the next 200 and by the 600, was leading by over a second and by the 800, the Romanian had firmly established himself as the leader, flipping in 7:59.12, with Johansson back by nearly four seconds at 8:02.98. Proca continued his pace and looked to be a man on a mission. He fell just shy of breaking the 15:00 minute mark, but the NC State recruit time of 15:00.36 is a new personal best and appears to be a new national record.

Johansson looked to be struggling around the 1000m mark as France’s Damien Joly briefly passed him, but the Swede recovered and pulled away from Joly to take 2nd 15:06.48 to 15:11.46.

Women’s 400m Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 3:54.18 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 4:01.80 – Erika Fairweather, New Zealand (2026)
• Canet Record: 4:02.97 – Camille Muffat, France (2012)

Top 3:

1. Erika Fairweather (New Zealand) – 4:02.28 ***NEW CANET RECORD***
2. Agostina Hein (Argentina) – 4:05.34
3. Simona Quadarella (Circolo Canottieri Aniene) – 4:06.64

Erika Fairweather jumped out to an early lead in her bread and butter event, the 400m free, as she flipped first at the 100 wall in 57.75. Leading Agostina Hein of Argentina by .72, the Kiwi continued her relentless pace and by the 200 she had ballooned the lead out to 1.68, hitting the halfway point in the lone sub-2:00 time in the field of 1:59.15.

While she was right on her Mare Nostrum pace at the 100 (57.76), she fell off a little at the 200 (1:58.98) and continued to slip back ever so slightly and ended up touching the wall in 4:02.28, and while slower than last weekend by around half a second, her time tonight does break the  14-year-old Canet meet record of Camille Muffat.

Hein took 2nd, like she did in Monaco, and like Fairweather, was just a little slower going 4:05.34 as compared to 4:05.31, but Simona Quadarella, yesterday’s 800 winner, did improve her time going from 4:07.09 to 4:06.64 this evening.

Men’s 200m Breaststroke – Final

• World record: 2:05.48 – Qin Haiyang (CHN), 2023
• Mare Nostrum record: 2:07.23 – Arno Kamminga (NED) – 2021
• Canet Record: 2:07.46 – Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2017

Top 3:

1. Kirill Prigoda (Russia) – 2:10.16
2. Aleksandr Zhigalov (Russia) – 2:10.37
3. Dawid Wiekiera (Poland) – 2:12.86

This race was all Kirill Prigoda at the beginning. The reigning Worlds silver medalist in the 50 breaststroke, used his early speed to build a lead as he was just one of three swimmers out in under :30 and the lone competitor under 1:03.00, as the Russian hit the halfway point in 1:02.75.

Prigoda looked to slowly edge ahead of his compatriot Aleksandr Zhigalov, who was 1:03.14 at the 100. Zhigalov gave a little more ground on the 3rd 50, and despite an inspired last 50, he fell short of catching Prigoda and had to settle for the silver, 2:10.37 to 2:10.16.

Prigoda took silver last weekend, so today’s result is an improvement on the podium, albeit in a slower time as he was 2:09.51 in Monaco. For Zhigalov, his time today is nearly a full second faster than his 2:11.01 bronze medal performance.

Women’s 200m Breaststroke – Final

• World Record: 2:17.55 – Evgeniia Chikunova, Russia (2023)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 2:19.67 – Rikke Moeller Pedersen, Denmark (2014)
• Canet Record: 2:19.67 – Rikke Moeller Pedersen, Denmark (2014)

Top 3:

1. Evgeniia Chikunova (Russia) – 2:22.09
2. Alexanne Lepage (Canada) – 2:24.54
3. Anna Elendt (SG Frankfurt) – 2:25.06

World record holder Evgeniia Chikunova didn’t have a large lead at the halfway point, opening in 1:09.54 with both Marcella Ceballos and Anna Elendt hot on heels, joining her under 1:10 at 1:09.55 and 1:09.56, but it was enough for the Russian to use her back half speed to blow apart the field and cruise to the win. Chikunova closed in 36.19 and 36.36 over the last 100, hit the wall at 2:22.09, nearly a full second faster than her 2:22.92 from Monaco last weekend.

Ceballos struggled to maintain her early speed and came home in 38.43 and 39.25 to finish 5th overall at 2:27.63. Elendt, too fell off Chikunova’s blistering back half, and had to settle for the bronze after being passed in the last 50 by Canada’s Alexanne Lepage. Lepage finished 2nd in the 100 breaststrokes yesterday and was runner-up in the 200 in Monaco, albeit in a faster time (2:24.50).

Men’s 200m IM – Final

• World record: 1:52.69 – Leon Marchand (FRA), 2026
• Mare Nostrum record: 1:56.31 – Hugo Gonzalez (ESP), 2021
• Canet Record: 1:56.82 – Kosuke Hagino (JPN), 2015

Top 3:

1. Alberto Razzetti (Italy) – 1:59.04
2. Jan Čejka (Czech Republic) – 2:00.41
3. Jaouad Syoud (Dauphins Toulouse OEC) – 2:00.64

It was a bit of a sleepy 200 IM final as no swimmer’s time broke into the world’s top 25 this season, however it was strong back half performance from Italy’s Alberto Razzetti that saw Doha Worlds bronze medalist take the win in 1:59.04, the lone sub-2:00 time in the field.

Sixth at the halfway point (57.60), Razzetti trailed early leader Jan Cejka by by nearly two full seconds (55.93), but used an exceptional breaststroke (33.30) to pull himself from 6th to 1st and then used the fastest freestyle split of 28.14 to secure the win. While a slow final, Razzetti’s time is a strong improvement upon his result from last weekend when he won in 1:59.76.

Cejka, despite one of the slowest breaststroke splits (35.69), held off Algeria’s Jaouad Syoud to win the silver in 2:00.41, with Syoud settling for the bronze in 2:00.64. Syoud was nearly pipped at the line by Hungary’s Gabor Zombori, as he finished 4th in 2:00.65, one spot down from his bronze from Monaco, but nearly half a second faster.

Women’s 400m IM – Final

• World record: 4:23.65 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025
• Mare Nostrum record: 4:30.75 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2016
• Canet Record: 4:33.51 – Hannah Miley (GBR), 2015

Top 3:

1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAMO) – 4:34.29
2. Emma Carrasco (Spain) – 4:39.77
3. Camille Tissandie (Canet 66 Natation) – 4:49.17

Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey continued to show why she is one of the best 400 IMers in the world right now as she cruised her way to an impressive 4:34.29 win. The French-Canadian swimmer, who won bronze in the 200 IM in Singapore, was out in 1:02.60 (the fastest in the field) and followed it with the fastest 100 back split (1:10.01) to establish a nearly four second lead over Spain’s Emma Carrasco.

While Carrasco was faster over the breaststroke, (1:17.78 to 1:18.01) it obviously wasn’t enough to close the gap, and Harvey surged home in 1:03.67 to take the win. Her time this evening is much faster than Agostine Hein’s winning time from Monaco, 4:36.21, and stands as a new season best and personal best, bettering her 4:34.37 from the 2026 Giant Open back in March.

For Carrasco, her 4:39.77 is a new season best, and jumps her into the Top 25, ranking her 23rd and sits just two seconds off her PB of 4:37.75 from the 2024 Spanish Winter Championships.

Men’s 100m Butterfly – Final

• World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel, United States (2021)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 50.66 – Kristof Milak, Hungary (2026)
• Canet Record: 51.40 – Maxime Grousset, France (2025)

Top 3:

1. Kristóf Milák (Hungary) – 50.73 ***NEW CANET RECORD***
2. Ilya Kharun (Sun Devil Swimming) – 50.79
3. Roman Shevliakov (Russia) – 52.32

Hungary’s Kristof Milak blasted himself off the blocks and looked to have nearly a half a body’s length lead at the 15 meter mark, but Ilya Kharun and Sweden’s Melker Rosengren reeled him in quickly as they trailed Milak’s 24.10 opening 50 by just .01 and .02 respectively.

Rosengren appeared to be making the race more than the expected showdown between Milak and Kharun, but the Swede couldn’t keep up with their relentless pace and soon fell back into the field. With 25 meters left, Kharun looked to be just a half stroke back of Milak, and coming into the wall it looked like it would be Milak easily but Kharun timed his finish to make it a much closer race, finishing just hundredths of a second back 50.79 to 50.73.

Milak’s time was a little off his 50.66 Mare Nostrum record setting time from Monaco, but it does come at the end of the session, as opposed to at the beginning in Monaco and it does take over half a second out of Maxime Grousset‘s Canet record from last year.

Both Milak and Kharun have been faster this season, with Milak’s 50.22 from last month’s Hungarian National Champs leading the world, and Kharun’s  50.40 from last December’s US Open, sitting 3rd.

Women’s 100m Butterfly – Final

• World record: 54.33 – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2026
• Mare Nostrum record: 55.76 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017
• Canet Record: 55.76 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017

Top 3:

1. Taylor Ruck (Canada) – 57.93
2. Anastasiya Kuliashova (Belarus) – 57.94
3. Lilou Ressencourt (Olympic Nice Natation) – 58.37

Taylor Ruck successfully navigated the first of her back to back events, defending her top seed, but it was a very close race and she took the win by just .01. Out in 26.56, Ruck looked to be in firm control of the race, leading France’s Lilou Ressencourt by over half a second, but the challenge on the back half came from Belarus’s Anastasiya Kuliashova.

Kuliashova was 3rd at the 100, opening in 27.22, but surged off the turn and powered her way to the finish wall in 30.72 to touch in 57.94, just .01 back of Ruck, who faltered in the closing meters, but had enough to get her hands on the wall first at 57.93.

Both times are season bests for the pair as Ruck now ranks 20th in the world and Kuliashova, is just one spot back at 21st.

Men’s 100m Backstroke – Final

• World record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2022
• Mare Nostrum record: 53.00 – Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 2022
• Canet Record: 53.00 – Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 2022

Top 3:

1. Miron Lifintsev (Russia) – 53.33
2. Pavel Samusenko (Russia) – 53.74
3. Jules André (CN Marseille) – 54.22

Monaco champion Pavel Samusenko didn’t quite have enough to repeat as champion as his compatriot Miron Lifintsev, was just too fast on the back end to run down.

Lifintsev, the younger of the two Russians, was out fastest, opening in 25.86, but Samusenko was right on his heels hitting the halfway mark in 25.91. The pair were stroke for stroke over the first 50, but Lifintsev jumped out of the break-out and slowly pulled himself away from his compatriot, splitting 27.47 to hit the wall in 53.33, .41 ahead of Samusenko and his 53.74.

For Lifintsev, the time stands as a new season best and jumps him to 10th in the world, one spot behind Samusenko who was 53.30 at the Russian Swimming Cup.

Women’s 100m Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 57.13 – Reagan Smith, United States (2024)
• Mare Nostrum Record: 58.57 – Kylie Masse, Canada (2022)
• Canet Record: 58.57 – Kylie Masse, Canada (2022)

Top 3:

1. Ingrid Wilm (Canada) – 59.72
2. Pauline Mahieu (Canet 66 Natation) – 59.98
3. Leah Shackley (Wolfpack Elite) – 1:00.15

Perhaps it was too quick of a turn-around for birthday girl Taylor Ruck, but the Canadian didn’t have quite enough left in the tank to defend her 2nd of two top seeds, as she finished 4th in the 100 back in a time of 1:00.56.

Ruck was out fastest, opening in 28.99, and looked to be in good form leading her compatriot Ingrid Wilm by .22, but the energy expended to win the 100 fly soon caught up to her, as did Wilm, Pauline Mahieu and Leah Shackley, as all three passed her in the last lap.

Wilm eventually took the win in 59.72, but was nearly passed by Mahieu, who trains at this very pool, as the Frenchwomen’s last 50 of 30.38 was the fastest in the field, but it wasn’t enough to make up for her slow start, as she took the silver in 59.98.

Wilm’s winning time was a little off her silver medal performance from Monaco, as she touched 2nd to the USA’s Leah Shackley last weekend 59.51 to 59.40. Shackley, for her part finished 3rd this evening, just over the one-minute mark at 1:00.15.

Men’s 200m Freestyle – 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)

Top 3:

1. Patrick Sammon (Sun Devil Swimming) – 1:46.48
2. Gabriel Jett (Cal Aquatics) – 1:46.62
3. Kamil Sieradzki (Poland) – 1:48.06

At the 100 turn, the men’s 200 free looked to be a four-horse race as Spain’s Miguel Perez-Godoy led the field at halfway point, flipping at 52.20, just ahead of the USA’s Patrick Sammon (52.31) and Gabriel Jett (52.33) with Ireland’s Evan Bailey not far back at 52.55.

But the American duo and former PAC-12 rivals soon broke apart from the field and by the 150 turn were locked into a duel as the pair were the lone swimmers to flip under 1:20 and had a lead of a second on the field. Jett, who swam collegiately at California, was leading at the 150 by .07 (1:19.75 to 1:19.82), but Sammon, who won the 100 free yesterday held his composure and out split Jett by .21 to take the win 1:46.48 to 1:46.62.

The results are a reversal from Monaco, where Jett won in 1:46.81m to Sammon’s 1:47.16. For Sammon, an ASU product, the time, while not breaking into the World’s top 25 this season is a new personal best, bettering his 1:46.54 from last summer’s national championships.

Women’s 200m Freestyle – Final

• World record: 1:52.23 – Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2024
• Mare Nostrum record: 1:54.27 – Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 2026
• Canet Record: 1:54.66 – Camille Muffat (FRA), 2012

Top 3:

1. Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong) – 1:54.13 ***NEW MARE NOSTRUM RECORD***
2. Barbora Seemanová (Czech Republic) – 1:55.99
3. Ainhoa Campabadal Amezcua (Spain) – 1:58.47

Good things come to those who wait, and Haughey rewarded those still in the crowd with a new Mare Nostrum Record, breaking her days old 1:54.27 as she went 1:54.13 this afternoon. Expectations were high for Haughey after a strong season-best swim in the 100 free yesterday and surprising performance in the 50 free at the top the session, beating out Dutch star Marrit Steenbergen.

Haughey took the race out fast, opening in a sub-27 first 50 of 26.98 and was 28.82 on the 2nd 50 to hit the halfway point at 55.80. Leading the Czech Republic’s Barbora Seemanova by nearly half a second at this point, Haughey continued to pound her kick and by the 150 the lead had jumped to over a second.

Coming home in strong splits of 29.12 and 29.21, Haughey sliced .14 off her old season best and lowered the record to 1:54.13. At the 150 she was within a second of Titmus’s World Record of 1:52.23, but the Australian’s unworldly last 50 of 28.28, was too much for Haughey to stay with and kept her outside of the 1:53 range. However, her time is just .21 shy of her personal best of 1:53.92 from the Tokyo Olympics.

While it was a one swimmer race at the end, Seemanova had a strong showing for 2nd, hitting the wall in 1:55.99. Her time, like Haughey’s is a little off her best and national record of 1:55.12, but jumps the two time European champion in the event up to 12th in the world, and she currently ranks 2nd among European’s trailing only #4 in the world Freya Colbert and her 1:54.34 from the Aquatics GB Championships back in mid-April.