PARIS, France, June 27. THE two-day Paris Open held over long course meters did not disappoint as the second day produced two more top-ranked times in the world this year. Meanwhile, a plethora of other world-ranked times were witnessed by the fans in attendance.
France's Yannick Agnel, 17, shaved time off his top-ranked time in the men's 200 free while also serving up USA's Michael Phelps a loss in the freestyle event. Agnel touched in 1:46.30, eclipsing his previous top time in the world of 1:46.35 set in April. The Netherlands' Sebastiaan Verschuren placed second in the race with a 1:46.97 to move into third in the world rankings. Germany's Paul Biedermann holds the second spot with a 1:46.82, while Korea's Tae Hwan Park (1:46.98) is the only other man under 1:47 this year. Phelps finished a surprising third with a time of 1:47.54. His time did, however, better his season best of 1:47.73 to move into a tie for seventh in the world with China's Zhang Lin.
Brazil's Cesar Cielo scorched the men's 50 free with a top-ranked time of 21.55. That performance cleared the previous top time of the year set by Fred Bousquet with a 21.71 at the French Long Course Nationals in April. Cielo's previous season best had been a second-ranked time of 21.80 from the Brazilian Long Course Nationals in May. France's Fabien Gilot (21.83) and Bousquet (21.95) also cleared 22 seconds to take second and third. Gilot improved upon his season best of 21.97, but remained third in the rankings. USA's Nathan Adrian finished fourth with a 22.01 to move to fifth in the world and well ahead of Josh Schneider (22.21) and Garrett Weber-Gale (22.24) as the fastest American this year.
Phelps bounced back in the men's 200 IM with a dominant time of 1:58.95. He finished shy of his second-ranked season best of 1:58.35 set at the Charlotte UltraSwim in May. NBAC teammate Todd Patrick took second in 2:00.81 to jump to 16th in the world. Italy's Federico Turrini grabbed third in 2:02.31.
Sweden's Therese Alshammar dominated the women's 50 fly with a time of 25.76. She's already been faster this year with a top-ranked effort of 25.49 from the Barcelona stop of the Mare Nostrum. France's Melanie Henique finished second in 26.41, while The Netherlands' Hinkelien Schreuder placed third in 26.60. Henique moved into 10th in the world with her time, while Schreuder improved to 19th.
In a star-studded battle, France's Camille Lacourt captured the men's 50 back in 24.82. He just missed his third-ranked season best of 24.81 set at the Monaco stop of the Mare Nostrum. USA's Randall Bal took second in 25.24, while top-ranked Liam Tancock of Great Britain finished in third with a 25.43. Both Bal (24.97) and Tancock (24.52) have been under 25 seconds this year.
France went 1-2 in the women's 400 free with Coralie Balmy touching out teammate Camille Muffat, 4:05.40 to 4:05.49. Both times are among the fastest in the world this year with Balmy and Muffat now moving to second and third overall in the rankings. Only Italy's Federica Pellegrini has been faster with a 4:03.12 from the Sette Colli meet earlier this month. Australia's Bronte Barratt (4:05.50), Great Britain's Rebecca Adlington (4:05.50) and China's Li Xuanxu (4:05.77) are the only other swimmers to have cleared 4:06 this year. USA's Allison Schmitt rounded out the top three tonight with a 4:08.30 to move to 14th in the world rankings.
The Netherlands' Ranomi Kromowidjojo beat teammate Femke Heemskerk, 54.08 to 54.25, in the women's 100 free. Great Britain's Fran Halsall earned third overall in 54.98. Kromowidjojo has the top-ranked time this year with a 53.44 from March, while Heemskerk is second with a 54.19 from the Sette Colli meet. Halsall has also been faster with a fourth-ranked 54.52 from the Duel in the Pool in February.
Venezuela's Albert Subirats vaulted to sixth in the world rankings in the men's 100 fly with a winning effort of 52.11. The Netherlands' Joeri Verlinden edged Poland's Konrad Czerniak, 53.20 to 53.28, for second-place honors.
USA's Elizabeth Pelton became just the seventh swimmer this year under the 1:00 mark in the women's 100 back with a winning time of 59.99. She improved upon her previously 11th-ranked season best of 1:00.64. She also pulled off a bit of an upset as second-ranked Elizabeth Simmonds of Great Britain finished second in 1:00.65. Simmonds trails only Emily Seebohm (59.21) in the world rankings this year with a 59.43 from the British Long Course Nationals in March. France's Alexianne Castel took third overall in 1:01.66. The strong weekend from Pelton continued a run of the Morning Swim Show Magic as she swam extremely well just days after appearing on the show.
In an exciting finish, USA's Mark Gangloff held off Norway's Alexander Dale Oen and Italy's Fabio Scozzoli in the men's 100 breast. Gangloff won the race in 1:00.73 to move to eighth in the world, while Dale Oen took second in 1:00.84. Dale Oen's time pushed him to ninth in the world this year behind Gangloff. Scozzoli completed the close contest with a third-place 1:00.95 to grab 11th in the world.
USA's Kim Vandenberg leapfrogged to eighth in the world rankings in the women's 200 fly with a victorious 2:08.53. Her previous season best had been a 20th-ranked 2:10.13 from April. France's Aurore Mongel took second in 2:09.04, just beating her 12th-ranked season best of 2:09.05. Teammate Magali Rousseau wound up third in the race with a 2:12.59.
The Netherlands' Moniek Nijhuis touched out Great Britain's Kate Haywood, 31.74 to 31.86, in the women's 50 breast. Nijhuis came up shy of her 12th-ranked season best of 31.65 set in March, while Haywood improved to 25th in the world rankings. Switzerland's Stephanie Spahn wound up third overall in 32.09.
France's Lara Grangeon claimed the women's 400 IM in 4:42.91, while Ireland's Grainne Murphy earned second in 4:43.47. France's Marie Jugnet picked up third-place honors in 5:01.33. Serbia's Nadja Higl won the women's 200 breast in 2:28.11, while Russia's Alena Alexeeva took second in 2:28.72. France's Coralie Dobral garnered third in 2:31.00. He might have added some time on from his 2:00.92 to lead prelims of the men's 200 back, but France's Eric Ress had enough room with his 2:00.95 to win the finale. USA's David Russell took second in 2:01.39, while France's Benjamin Stasiulis pocketed third in 2:01.91.