Olympic silver medallist Siobhan Haughey went top of the 100 free rankings in 52.50 with the third-swiftest swim of her career at the Mare Nostrum in Barcelona.
- Link to results
- Top Stars Ready To Race At Mare Nostrum Stop In Barcelona
- Siobhan Haughey Blasts Fourth-Fastest 100 Free Of Her Career In 52.85
The 25-year-old from Hong Kong split 25.33/27.17 to finish 0.95 ahead of European champion Marrit Steenbergen who clocked 53.45 with Cate Campbell third in 54.07.
Haughey displaced Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack – who went 52.63 and 52.64 at the Australian Championships – to sit proudly atop the 2023 rankings.
It was a sixth journey inside 53secs for Haughey who has gone quicker on just two occasions, both at the Tokyo Olympics, where she won silver in an Asian record of 52.27 following 52.40 in the semis and followed her 52.85 at last weekend’s Mare Nostrum stop in Canet.
It would have been good enough for gold at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, won by O’Callaghan in 52.67.
Jacoby Dominant In Meilutyte’s Absence
Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby dominated the 100 breaststroke in Barcelona although the much-anticipated match-up with Ruta Meilutyte didn’t materialise.
Lydia Jacoby: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Jacoby won the Olympic title in Tokyo at 17, nine years after the Lithuanian was crowned champion aged 15 at London 2012.
While the American headed the prelims, Meilutyte came in 12th in 1:08.91 and failed to reach the A final.
Come the final and Jacoby was out in 31.31 – 0.12 behind Commonwealth champion Lara van Niekerk – but her second 50 of 34.53 – the only sub-35 of the field – propelled her home in 1:05.84, the fourth-fastest time of the year.
World bronze medallist Martina Carraro came from joint fifth at halfway to take second in 1:06.87 with Van Niekerk completing the podium in 1:07.08.
Ippei Watanabe went sixth in the 200br rankings with a dominant win in 2:08.48.
It was the Japanese swimmer’s second fastest time of the season following his 2:07.73 at last month’s national championships and followed his victory in Canet.
David Wiekiera (2:12.14) and Lucien Vergnes (2:12.27) were the next men home.
Manaudou On Top As Andrew Makes Two Podium Trips
Florent Manaudou was the only man inside 22secs as he topped the 50 free podium in 21.88.
Florent Manaudou: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Szebasztian Szabo (22.00) was second with Michael Andrew next home in 22.20.
It was a second trip to the podium of the day for Andrew after winning the 50br in 27.36 ahead of Italian pair Nicolo Martinenghi (27.42) and Simone Cerasuolo (27.46) with Thomas Ceccon – 100 back world record-holder – sixth in 28.13.
Katsuhiro Matsumoto led from start to finish to win the men’s 200 free in 1:46.48.
Matushita Leads Japanese 400IM Clean Sweep; Gorbenko Dominant
Tomoyuki Matsushita came from 0.46 down at the final turn to blast past Riku Yamaguchi with a 28sec final 50 and take victory by the merest of margins in 4:12.42.
Yamaguchi clocked 4:12.43 with Tomoru Honda third in 4:16.15 and Canet double medley champion So Ogata fourth in 4:16.52.
Anastasia Gorbenko propelled herself into the world top-10 after leading from start to finish to win the 200IM in 2:09.47.
Mary-Sophie Harvey was second (2:10.63) and Steenbergen – fresh from her 100 free silver – took third in 2:10.78.
Pudar, Ponti & Henique Fly To The Top
A second-50 32.30 saw European champion Lana Pudar pull away from Airi Mitsui and take the victory in 2:08.36 despite the best efforts of the Japanese swimmer who finished in 2:08.82.
Noe Ponti won the men’s 100 fly in 51.71, the only man inside 52 while Melanie Henique won the women’s 50 in 25.67 – 0.50 – outside her French record – ahead of Rikako Ikee (25.77) and Maaike de Waard (25.88) with Maggie MacNeil fourth in 26.05.
Lana Pudar: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Lorenzo Mora headed the men’s 100 back in 54.76, narrowly holding off Ksawery Masiuk by 0.03 despite the Pole making up 0.41 on the second 50.
Laura Bernat took the women’s 200 title in 2:09.86 ahead of Africa Zamorano Sanz (2:10.16) while Ingrid Wilm won the 50 back in 27.76 ahead of Danielle Hill (27.83) and Adela Piskorska (27.98).
Ella Jansen won the women’s 400 free in 4:08.28 with Valentine Dumont (4:08.81) and Boglarka Kapas (4:10.20) also on the podium.
The programme in Barcelona opened with the men’s fastest 1500 free heat topped by Ayoub Hafnaoui in 15:02.85 ahead of Dan Jervis (15:09.28) and Henrik Christiansen (15:16.70).
the pride of Hong Kong.