FFN Golden Tour in Nancy: Five More Golds for Hosszu on Day 3

FFN Golden Tour Stage Four – Nancy, France

• Friday May 22nd-Sunday May 24th, 2015
• Prelims 9 am GMT+1 (3 am EST/12 am PDT)
• Finals 6 pm (12 pm EDT/9 am PDT), Sunday 3:30 pm (9:30 am EDT/6:30 am PDT)
• Live Video
• Live Results

After stages in Nice, Amiens, Marseille, and now Nancy, the French Federation’s 2015 Golden Tour came to a close on Sunday. Day Three of the Nancy stage was the Katinka Hosszu Show, if ever there’s been one: the Hungarian swam all six events, mounted the podium six times, and pocketed five golds and one silver medal. It was a pretty impressive display of talent and grit, even by Katinka standards.

The finals session began with the 50 back, in which Hosszu clocked a season-best 28.30 to tie for 16th in the world this year. Greece’s Theodora Drakou was second in 28.73, while Mathilde Cini of Valence finished third with 29.34, nearly a second off her time from French Nationals in Limoges in April.

In the men’s event, Florent Manaudou of Marseille won in 24.98, breaking 25 seconds for the second meet in a row (after his third-place finish of 24.77 in Limoges). Only eight swims, including his 24.77, have been faster this season. The silver and bronze medals went to backstroke foes Jérémy Stravius of Amiens (25.05) and Camille Lacourt of Marseille (25.51), respectively. Lacourt (24.56) and Stravius (24.70) lead the rankings with their times from Limoges.

Hosszu came back after a brief break to win the 400 free. Out in under 1:00 for her first 100, Hosszu had already built up about a 10-meter lead, which she continued to extend through the 300. There were three races going on in the “A” final: Hosszu all alone against the clock, Léa Marchal of Besançon battling Ophélie-Cyrielle Etienne of Lille for second, and everyone else. Hosszu finished in 4:08.83, while Marchal earned the silver medal in 4:15.95, coming in just in front of Etienne (4:16.69).

Germany’s Florian Vogel (3:50.48) and Poul Zellmann (3:56.03) went 1-2 in the men’s 400 free, with Simon Guerin of Amiens coming in third with 3:58.39. Marseille’s Clément Mignon, who finished third in both the 100 free and 200 free in Limoges, was fifth with 4:05.50.

Germany’s Franziska Hentke won the 200 fly with 2:07.75, just off the 2:07.05 she went in April at German Nationals, making her the fifth-fastest so far this season. Hosszu was second in 2:09.37, 1.3 behind her eighth-in-world 2:08.00 from Charlotte last weekend. Switzerland’s Martina Van Berkel put up a 2:10.55 for third. Hentke came home in a blazing 31.5 over the last 50 meters, outsplitting Hosszu by 2.1 seconds to assure her victory.

Greece’s Stefanos Dimitriadis led wire-to-wire in the men’s 200 fly, but Hungary’s David Verraszto nearly caught him over the last 50. In the end it was Dimitriadis with 1:58.19 for the win, followed by Verraszto (1:58.34) and French national champion, Jordan Coelho of Vanves, in 1:59.66.

Hosszu was back in the 50 breast after a short medals ceremony, leading the race from start to finish. Hosszu went 32.31 to earn yet another gold medal. Two of France’s rising stars, Nolwenn Herve of Lorraine and Chloé Cazier of Beauvaisis, took second and third, respectively, with 32.70 and 33.00.

The men’s version of the race featured Marseille’s Manaudou, looking for a sweep of the 50 stroke events at Nancy. In the closest race of the meet, Hendrik Feldwehr of Germany won a photo-finish, touching in 27.78. Marseille’s Giacomo Perez Dortona was second in 27.82, and Manaudou rounded out the podium in 27.91. Germany’s Marco Koch was fourth in 27.93.

A familiar face appeared in lane 4 of the women’s 200 IM: Hosszu. The Hungarian clocked her fastest Golden Tour performance yet, swimming more or less alone and coming to the wall in 2:11.69. Although Evelyn Verraszto had finished second in prelims, the entire Nice contingent skipped finals so Hosszu had to race the clock in finals. Germany’s Alexandra Wenk (2:16.36) and Annika Bruhn (2:17.40) took second and third. Hosszu’s 2:08.66 from Charlotte is the season’s top time so far:

Germany’s Philip Heintz and David Verraszto gave the crowd a thrill in the men’s 200 IM final. Heintz had the lead after the fly, but Verraszto narrowed it considerably with his backstroke leg. Verraszto took over in the breast, but Heintz outsplit the Hungarian in the freestyle to get the victory, 2:01.26 to 2:01.34. Germany’s Koch took third in 2:03.89.

Hosszu went out with a bang, winning her fifth gold medal of the day and ninth of the weekend, going 55.60 in the 100 free. Germany’s Paulina Schmiedel (56.06) came in just ahead of Mathilde Cini of Valence (56.20) for the silver.

Marseille’s Mehdy Metella was the victor in the men’s 100 free, going a season-best 48.44. Metella seems to be making a good case for himself vis-à-vis France’s free relays in Kazan this summer. He has been very consistent throughout the season and continues to show impressive strength in his free races. Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev was second in 48.85; Stravius of Amiens was third in 49.16. Stravius won the national title in Limoges with 48.50.

Golden Tour in Nancy – Leaderboard

Golden Tour – Overall Winners