PESCARA, Italy, June 29. TUNISIA's Ous Mellouli provided an African record during the third day of long course meter swimming at the Mediterranean Games.
Mellouli clocked a time of 4:10.53 in the men's 400 IM to cut more than a second from Riaan Schoeman's African standard of 4:12.07. Italy's Luca Marin finished second in 4:13.58, while compatriot Luca Angelo Dioli placed third in 4:15.13.
Serbia's Miroslava Najdanovski lowered her national record in the women's 100 free when she won the event in 55.09. The effort crushed her previous top time of 55.88 set in June 2008. Greece's Theodora Drakou placed second in 55.65, while Spain's Maria Fuster Martinez claimed third in 55.80.
France's Alain Bernard cleared 48 seconds en route to a triumphant time of 47.83 in the men's 100 free. Meanwhile, Italy's Filippo Magnini took second in 48.27 with Algeria's Nabil Kebbab completing the podium in 48.89.
France's Coralie Dobral held off Italy's Chiara Boggiatto, 2:26.41 to 2:26.84, for the women's 200 breast crown. Greece's Angeliki Exarchou clocked a third-place 2:29.05 to drop her national record of 2:29.44 set in 2005.
Spain's Melquiades Alvarez gained his second national record of the meet after taking the Spanish standard in the 100 breast earlier in the competition. Alvarez clocked a 2:09.69 in the men's 200 breast to demolish his previous best of 2:11.18 set in April 2009. Italy's Edoardo Giorgetti turned in a second-place 2:10.11, while Greece's Romanos-Iasonas Alyfantis finished third in 2:11.54. Alyfantis' effort smashed his former national record of 2:14.57 set in June 2007.
Slovenia's Anja Klinar followed with a winning time of 4:39.48 in the women's 400 IM. Italy's Francesca Segat placed second in 4:42.27, while France's Lara Grangeon claimed third in 4:43.54.