The last night of the 2018 Mare Nostrum series in Monaco did not disappoint as Andrey Govorov nearly broke a world record in the 50 fly as he became the second fastest performer in history with his swim. Yasuhiro Koseki, Anastasia Fesikova and Pernille Blume moved to second in the world with their respective swims tonight as well.
Men’s 50 Fly
Andrey Govorov of the Ukraine nearly broke the world record in the men’s 50 fly on the last night of the Mare Nostrum in Monaco with a 22.53 in the 50 fly shootout final. Govorov nearly broke the world record held by Rafael Munoz of Spain at 22.43. Govorov is now second all-time in the event as he tied himself for fourth last night in the quarters at 22.69.
Govorov won the shootout final ahead of American Michael Andrew.
- Andrey Govorov, UKR, 22.53
- Michael Andrew, USA, 23.16
World Rankings:
- Andrey Govorov, UKR, 22.53
- Ben Proud, GBR, 22.96
- Nicholas Santos, BRA, 22.97
- Oleg Kostin, RUS, 23.14
- Henrique Martins, BRA, 23.15
All-Time Rankings:
- Rafael Munoz, ESP, 22.43 (2009)
- Andrey Govorov, UKR, 22.53 (2018)
- Nicholas Santos, BRA, 22.61 (2017)
- Milorad Cavic, SRB, 22.67 (2009)
- Henrique Martins, BRA, 22.70 (2017)
Men’s 100 Breast
The Japanese breaststrokers have been on fire at the Mare Nostrum in Monaco this weekend. A day after Ippei Watanabe swam the world’s fastest 200 breast, Yasuhiro Koseki returned with the second fastest 100 breast of the year with a 58.78. Koseki sits only behind world record holder Adam Peaty (58.59).
Koseki was well out in front of the field as no one else broke a minute in the final, not even 2017 World Championship bronze medalist Kirill Prigoda. This is also a best time for Koseki as he is now eighth all-time in the event moving ahead of Australia’s Christian Sprenger (58.79, 2013) and just behind Norway’s Alexander Dale Oen (58.71, 2011).
- Yasuhiro Koseki, JPN, 58.78
- Arno Kamminga, NED, 1:00.04
- Anton Chupkov, RUS, 1:00.17
- Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 1:00.63
World Rankings:
- Adam Peaty, GBR, 58.59
- Yasuhiro Koseki, JPN, 58.78
- Anton Chupkov, RUS, 59.15
- Andrew Wilson, USA, 59.19
- Yan Zibei, CHN, 59.26
All-Time Rankings:
6. Igor Borysik, UKR, 58.67 (2009)
7. Alexander Dale Oen, NOR, 58.71 (2011)
8. Yasuhiro Koseki, JPN, 58.78 (2018)
9. Christian Sprenger, AUS, 58.79 (2013)
10. Cody Miller, USA, 58.87 (2016)
11. Kosuke Kitajima, JPN, 58.90 (2012)
Men’s 400 IM
Norway’s Henrik Christiansen used a strong breaststroke leg to go by Japan’s Shogo Takeda on the third leg and never looked back. Christiansen is more known as a distance freestyler but got to show off his range with the 400 IM on Sunday in Monaco. Russia’s Andrey Zhilkin finished third.
- Henrik Christiansen, NOR, 4:22.60
- Shogo Takeda, JPN, 4:23.99
- Andrey Zhilkin, RUS, 4:26.25
- Joan Ballester Puig, ESP, 4:32.19
Women’s 400 Free
After a lengthy delay for the timing system, China’s Bi Wenxin won the 400 free final with an official time of 4:12.41. She finished ahead of Hong Kong’s Ho Nam Wai and South Africa’s Rebecca Meder.
- Bi Wenxin, CHN, 4:12.41
- Ho Nam Wai, HKG, 4:16.35
- Rebecca Meder, RSA, 4:17.34
- Chen Yejie, CHN, 4:17.95
Men’s 100 Fly
“It’s a tie for the gold!” The Netherlands had two swimmers in the final of the men’s 100 fly at the Mare Nostrum in Monaco and they ended up touching the wall at the exact same time. Mathys Goosen and Joeri Verlinden swam a 53.09 to finish in a tight field ahead of Jeremy Desplanches and Viktor Bromer.
- (t)Mathys Goosen, NED, 53.09
- (t)Joeri Verlinden, NED, 53.09
- Jeremy Desplanches, SUI, 53.19
- Viktor Bromer, DEN, 53.25
Women’s 200 Fly
Russia’s Svetlana Chimrova was dead even with Hungary’s Liliana Szilagyi but pulled away on the last 50 as Chimrova swam a 2:07.53 to win the 200 fly final on Sunday in Monaco. Szilagyi was second ahead of Hungarian teammate Zsuzsanna Jakabos.
Chimrova’s time keeps her at fifth in the world for 2018 as she was a 2:07.50 in Barcelona at the Mare Nostrum.
- Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 2:07.53
- Liliana Szilagyi, HUN, 2:08.54
- Zsuzsanna Jakabos, HUN, 2:09.30
- Zhang Chenyao, CHN, 2:12.41
Men’s 200 Back
17-year-old Kliment Kolesnikov is one of the best young talents in the world of swimming as he was fourth at World Championships in the 200 back last summer and set the world record in the 100 SCM back in December last year as well.
Kolesnikov won the 200 back with a full beard on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum with a 1:58.59. He was pushed by Martin Binedell of South Africa the whole way as he was second. Kolesnikov swam a 1:55 earlier this year as he is one to watch as we move closer to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
- Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS, 1:58.59
- Martin Binedell, RSA, 1:59.05
- Gabor Balog, HUN, 2:02.56
- Bernhard Reistshammer, AUT, 2:03.67
Women’s 100 Back
American Kathleen Baker continued her winning ways at the Mare Nostrum in Europe as Baker swam a solid time ahead of some good competition in Monaco on Sunday. Baker was slightly slower in Monaco than she was in Barcelona but it was good enough for a win as she swam a 59.33. She just out-touched Russia’s Anastasia Fesikova (59.45) and Denmark’s Mie Nielsen (1:00.13).
Baker earlier this week swam a 58.77 in Barcelona which is third in the world for 2018 behind Canada’s Kylie Masse (58.54) and Australia’s Emily Seebohm (58.66). Baker will be racing against both of those girls at the Pan Pacs in Japan later this summer so the world record by Masse (58.10) could be under serious threat as we are now less than eight weeks away from the Pan Pacific Championships.
- Kathleen Baker, USA, 59.33
- Anastasia Fesikova, RUS, 59.45
- Mie Nielsen, DEN, 1:00.13
- Kira Toussaint, NED, 1:00.38
Women’s 200 Breast
The last two World Champions in the women’s 200 breast squared off in Monaco on Sunday in the 200 breast final with 2017 champion Yuliya Efimova pulling away over the back half with a 2:23.80 for the win. 2015 World Champion Kanako Watanabe led early but finished in second at 2:24.22.
World record holder Rikke Pedersen of Denmark finished in fifth place with a 2:27.04.
- Yuliya Efimova, RUS, 2:23.80
- Kanako Watanabe, JPN, 2:24.22
- Marina Garcia, ESP, 2:25.80
- Julia Sebastian, ARG, 2:26.08
Men’s 200 Free
Japan continued its strong night in Monaco with a win in the men’s 200 free from Katsuhiro Matsumoto (1:48.73). He finished just ahead of Malaysia’s Welson Sim (1:49.54) and Dutch swimmer Kyle Stolk (1:49.77).
- Katsuhiro Matsumoto, JPN, 1:48.73
- Welson Sim, MAS, 1:49.54
- Kyle Stolk, NED, 1:49.77
- Jeremy Bagshaw, CAN, 1:51.06
Women’s 100 Free
Another 17-year-old that is taking the world by storm is Japan’s Rikako Ikee who moved to fifth all-time last night in the 100 fly here in Monaco. Ikee followed that up with a 100 free win on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum with a 53.64. She ran down France’s Charlotte Bonnet in the final as Bonnet was a 53.92 for second after leading at the 50.
Russia’s Maria Kameneva also ran down the Netherlands’ Kim Bush for third place as Kameneva finished at 55.05, just one one-hundredth ahead of Bush.
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 53.64
- Charlotte Bonnet, FRA, 53.92
- Maria Kameneva, RUS, 55.05
- Kim Bush, NED, 55.06
Women’s 200 IM
The reigning Olympic and World Champion Katinka Hosszu of Hungary had some serious pressure from Japan’s Miho Teramura but Hosszu showed why she hasn’t been beaten in the 200 IM in a major race since 2012. Hosszu touched first with a 2:10.06, moving her up to sixth in the world for 2018. She has a little ways to go to catch South Korea’s Kim Seoyeong who leads the world rankings at 2:08.61.
Teramura was second in the final at 2:10.85.
- Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 2:10.06
- Miho Teramura, JPN, 2:10.85
- Virginia Bardach, ARG, 2:16.88
- Rebecca Meder, RSA, 2:17.36
Women’s 50 Fly
Japan’s Rikako Ikee continued her impressive weekend with a 50 fly shootout final win at 25.53. Ikee looked a little exhausted after the final as she has had a big week of racing across Europe. She has less than eight weeks to get tuned up for the Pan Pacific Championships in her home country of Japan. She beat Sweden’s Louise Hansson in the shootout final.
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 25.53
- Louise Hansson, SWE, 26.69
Men’s 50 Back
Russia’s Nikita Ulyanov won the men’s 50 back shootout final ahead of American Ryan Held who is not normally known as a backstroker. Held was leading at the 25, but Ulyanov surged to the finish and out-touched the American with a 25.03, just two tenths ahead of Held.
- Nikita Ulyanov, RUS, 25.03
- Ryan Held, USA, 25.23
Women’s 50 Back
Russian veteran Anastasia Fesikova swam the second fastest 50 back of 2018 as she won the shootout final with a 27.37. Fesikova sits only behind China’s Fu Yuanhui in the world rankings as she was a 27.16 at the Chinese Nationals. Fesikova was also just off her personal best that is a 27.31 she set at the 2009 World Championships in Rome when she swam as Anastasia Zueva.
Fesikova won the shootout ahead of Russia’s Maria Kameneva and Finland’s Mimosa Jallow.
- Anastasia Fesikova, RUS, 27.37
- Maria Kameneva, RUS, 27.73
- Mimosa Jallow, FIN, 27.81
World Rankings:
- Fu Yuanhui, CHN, 27.16
- Anastasia Fesikova, RUS, 27.37
- Liu Xiang, CHN, 27.40
- Olivia Smoliga, USA, 27.43
- Chen Jie, CHN, 27.60
Men’s 50 Breast
Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki continued his stellar night with a win in the 50 breast shootout, winning handily over Russia’s Kirill Prigoda. Koseki swam a 26.94 and was hardly challenged by Prigoda, who swam a 27.47.
Koseki is a little off the world’s number one time of 26.49 set by Adam Peaty at the Commonwealth Games.
- Yasuhrio Koseki, JPN, 26.94
- Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 27.47
Women’s 50 Breast
American Molly Hannis had a big tussle with Russian Yuliya Efimova in the shootout final of the 50 and originally touched first at 30.12. But after the race it was revealed Hannis was disqualified for a false start, thus giving the win to Efimova by default.
- Yuliya Efimova, RUS, 30.17
- Molly Hannis, USA, DQ
Men’s 50 Free
Brazil’s Bruno Fratus won the 50 free shootout final against Michael Andrew, who swam his second shootout final of the night. Fratus swam a 21.64 as he was a little off his 21.35 from the Maria Lenk Trophy earlier this year that puts him second in the world this year behind Ben Proud of Great Britain (21.30).
Andrew was second at 21.92.
- Bruno Fratus, BRA, 21.64
- Michael Andrew, USA, 21.92
Women’s 50 Free
Denmark’s Olympic Champion Pernille Blume swam a very stellar 50 free final in Monaco to close the meet out with a 24.05. Blume moved to second in the world for her swim as it was faster than she swam to win the Olympics in 2016. She was just off her best time of 24.00 from last summer’s World Championships where she was fourth.
Blume won ahead of a very tired Rikako Ikee of Japan who swam a 25.18.
- Pernille Blume, DEN, 24.05
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 25.18
World Rankings:
- Cate Campbell, AUS, 23.78
- Pernille Blume, DEN, 24.05
- Sarah Sjostrom, SWE, 24.08
- Bronte Campbell, AUS, 24.22
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED, 24.25
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