Noe Ponti Goes Second in 100 Fly Rankings, Rattles Swiss Record In 50.93 At Finale Giant Open
Noe Ponti went second in the 100 fly rankings as he went 50.93 at the Finale Giant Open 2024 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Ponti split 24.10/26.83 to nudge his national record of 50.74 set en-route to bronze at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
It was the fourth-fastest time of the Swiss athlete’s career with only Matthew Temple of Australia having gone quicker this year in 50.61 at the NSW State Open Championships last week.
Maxime Grousset was second in 51.66 with Michael Andrew pipping Chad Le Clos by 0.16secs in 52.32 to 52.48.
Prize money totalling 100,000 euros is awarded to the medallists in each race plus the three best performances in the World Aquatics rankings.
It is the second time the Giant Open tour has been staged following the inaugural edition in 2023 which was held across Marseille, Nice and Paris with the Meeting Nice Camille Muffat earlier this week having served as qualification.
Gastaldello At The Double
Beryl Gastaldello claimed two titles, winning the women’s 50 fly in 26.24 ahead of backstroke specialist Mary-Ambre Moluh (26.49) and Maty Ndoye Brouard (26.96).
Beryl Gastaldello: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Gastaldello then returned to take the 100 free in the final event of the evening in 54.41, pulling away from Marie Wattel on the second 50 who took second in 54.52.
Mary-Sophie Harvey was third (54.60) to claim her second medal of the night after winning the 400IM in 4:38.00 ahead of Cyrielle Duhamel (4:42.00).
Joris Bouchaut won the opening race of the evening, clocking 7:53.25 for the touch in the 800 free ahead of Logan Fontaine (7:58.28) and Ahmed Jaouadi (7:59.28).
Florent Manaudou was the only man inside 22secs as he won the 50 free in 21.98 with Grousset taking his second silver of the night in 22.05 as Andrew once more took bronze in 22.10.
Yohann Ndoye Brouard came from 0.26 adrift of Mewen Tomac at halfway to summon up a 27.37 second 50 and claim the 100 back title in 53.20.
Tomac took second in 53.43 with Roman Mityukov of Switzerland third in 54.58.
Nans Mezellier led throughout to win the men’s 200 free in 1:47.78 with Breno Correia pipping Roman Fuchs in 1:48.77 to 1:48.86 for silver after the Frenchman led by 0.01 at the final turn.
Emma Terebo won the first women’s title of the weekend, with 2:08.88 good enough for gold in the 200 back.
It was her first journey inside 2:09 and sliced 0.20secs off her PB of 2:09.08 from the Euro Meet in January.
Pauline Mahieu also set a PB of 2:09.62 in second with Bertille Cousson third in 2:12.39.
Analia Pigree was the only woman to break 28 as she won the 50 back in 27.76 with Mahieu claiming her second medal of the evening in 28.06 and Moluh taking bronze in 28.11.
Kirpichnikova Enjoys Dominant Win
Anastasia Kirpichnikova: Photo by Patrick B. Kraemer / MAGICPBK
Anastasia Kirpichnikova enjoyed a clear victory by almost three seconds in the 400 free, clocking 4:09.36 ahead of Anna Egorova who touched in 4:12.32.
Maddie Gough of Australia took third in 4:13.02.
Zsuzsanna Jakabos shows no sign of slowing down as she won the 200 fly in 2:11.26, two weeks ahead of her 35th birthday.
Juliette Marchand took silver in 2:12.66 with Tabatha Avetand third in 2:13.13.
Beryl Gastaldello took the women’s 50 fly in 26.24 ahead of backstroke specialist Moluh (26.49) and Maty Ndoye Brouard (26.96).
Lisa Mamie was the second Swiss athlete to top the podium as she took home the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:08.43 with Adele Blanchetiere overhauling Justine Delmas on the second 50 to take second in 1:09.10 to 1:09.12.
Lucien Vergnes took the men’s 200 breaststroke title in 2:10.68 as Antoine Marc (2:11.32) and Antoine Viquerat (2:11.52) followed him home.
Joao Gomes Jnr and Viquerat were the only men inside 28 in the 50 breast, the Brazilian winning in 27.48 to 27.79 while Jeremy Desplanches won the 200IM in 2:00.59