In the last stop of the 2018 Mare Nostrum, Japan had a stellar first day in Monte-Carlo, Monaco with Rikako Ikee and Ippei Watanabe swimming the fastest times of 2018 in their respective events. American Kathleen Baker also put together a solid swim in the 200 back final.
Women’s 100 Fly
Japan’s Rikako Ikee swam the world’s leading time in the 100 fly with a 56.23. She moves ahead of Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (56.35) as she swam faster than her 56.40 from Barcelona. Ikee is another star to watch for the future as she is going to turn 18 on July 4 and will be swimming the Pan Pacs and the 2020 Olympics in her home country.
Ikee is now sixth all-time in the 100 fly with her swim on Saturday in Monaco and is the second fastest Asian of all-time.
She finished ahead of Russia’s Svetlana Chimrova (57.80) and Sweden’s Louise Hansson (58.96).
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.23
- Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 57.80
- Louise Hansson, SWE, 58.96
- Liliana Szilagyi, HUN, 59.05
World Rankings
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.23
- Sarah Sjostrom, SWE, 56.35
- Emma McKeon, AUS, 56.78
- Maddie Groves, AUS, 57.19
All-Time Rankings
3. Liu Zige, CHN, 56.07 (2009)
4. Emma McKeon, AUS, 56.18 (2017)
5. Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.23 (2018)
5. Jess Schipper, AUS, 56.23 (2009)
7. Kelsi Dahlia, USA, 56.37 (2017)
Men’s 200 Breast
In a race that featured all three medalists from the 2017 World Championships in Budapest last summer, it was world record holder Ippei Watanabe from Japan who won the 200 breast final. Watanabe went out and took the race from the start as he swam the world’s leading time in Monaco on Saturday with a 2:07.56.
Watanabe held off a strong finish from the reigning World Champion Anton Chupkov of Russia (2:08.94). Fellow Japanese swimmer Yasuhiro Koseki was third with a 2:08.99 after staying with Watanabe through 150 meters.
Both Watanabe and Koseki are looking dangerous as we move toward the Pan Pacs later this summer in Japan as well as the Tokyo Olympics where they will be home favorites.
- Ippei Watanabe, JPN, 2:07.56
- Anton Chupkov, RUS, 2:08.94
- Yasuhiro Koseki, JPN, 2:08.99
- Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 2:09.93
World Rankings
- Ippei Watanabe, JPN, 2:07.56
- Anton Chupkov, RUS, 2:07.81
- James Wilby, GBR, 2:08.05
- Matthew Wilson, AUS, 2:08.31
- Ross Murdoch, GBR, 2:08.32
- Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 2:08.32
Men’s 400 Free
Norway’s Henrik Christiansen started the night with a dominating win in the 400 free. The Norwegian won the final after leading from start to finish with a 3:51.07. He held off a late charge from Malaysia’s Welson Sim (3:52.37). Cal postgrad Jeremy Bagshaw (3:53.66) finished in third place for his native Canada.
Christiansen is one of the best young distance swimmers in Europe as he has quietly made A-finals at the last few major international meets. He has a chance to win his first medal this summer at European Championships in Glasgow.
- Henrik Christiansen, NOR, 3:51.07
- Welson Sim, MAS, 3:52.37
- Jeremy Bagshaw, CAN, 3:53.66
- Shogo Takeda, JPN, 3:54.64
Women’s 400 IM
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu won the 400 IM final to start off her night with a 4:38.46. She won handily over fellow countrywoman and veteran Zsuzsanna Jakabos (4:41.45). Argentina’s Virginia Bardach, who might be a little disappointed after she watched her country only manage a draw against Iceland in the FIFA World Cup, finished in third at 4:45.85.
Hosszu continues her dominance over the rest of the world in the 400 IM as she has not lost a major international race in the 400 IM since taking fourth in the 2012 London Olympics.
- Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 4:38.46
- Zsuzsanna Jakabos, HUN, 4:41.45
- Virginia Bardach, ARG, 4:45.85
- Rebecca Meder, RSA, 4:49.69
Women’s 100 Breast
In another race that featured two of the three podium finishers from Budapest, it was Russian Yuliya Efimova who won the 100 breast final well ahead of 2017 World Championship silver medalist Katie Meili.
Efimova ran away with the final as she swam an underwhelming 1:06.66 for the win. She finished well ahead of Japan’s Kanako Watanabe (1:07.97) and Sweden’s Sophie Hansson (1:08.30). Hansson will be headed to NC State next year.
American Katie Meili finished well back in sixth at 1:09.17.
- Yuliya Efimova, RUS, 1:06.66
- Kanako Watanabe, JPN, 1:07.97
- Sophie Hansson, SWE, 1:08.30
- Macarena Ceballos, ARG, 1:08.66
- Katie Meili, USA, 1:09.17
Men’s 100 Free
Japan’s Katsumi Nakamura won his third straight Mare Nostrum in the 100 free as he swam a 48.80 to win the final ahead of fellow countryman Katsuhiro Matsumoto (49.41). Russian backstroker Kliment Kolesnikov finished in third at 49.47 just ahead of American Ryan Held (49.48).
Nakamura is another swimmer that could turn some heads later this summer at the Pan Pacs in his home country. Nakamura is 24 years of age.
- Katsumi Nakamura, JPN, 48.80
- Katsuhiro Matsumoto, JPN, 49.41
- Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS, 49.47
- Ryan Held, USA, 49.48
Women’s 200 Free
France’s Charlotte Bonnet won the 200 free final handily on Saturday in Monaco as she swam a 1:57.65 for the win. She was ahead of Russia’s Viktoria Andreeva in second at 1:59.69. American Missy Franklin finished in third at 2:00.36 in her comeback tour.
Bonnet already has the fourth fastest time in the world this year with her 1:55.53 from the French Championships in May. If she can keep that up, she could vie for some medals at the European Championships at the end of the summer.
- Charlotte Bonnet, FRA, 1:57.65
- Viktoria Andreeva, RUS, 1:59.69
- Missy Franklin, USA, 2:00.36
- Hang Yu Sze, HKG, 2:03.15
Men’s 200 Fly
Denmark’s Viktor Bromer won the 200 fly final with a 1:56.29. He was probably trying to swim as fast as he could so he could watch Denmark take on Peru in the World Cup, but it was a good swim regardless. Bromer finished ahead of Japan’s Nao Horomura (1:58.32). India’s Sajan Prakash finished in third just getting under two minutes (1:59.79).
- Viktor Bromer, DEN, 1:56.29
- Nao Horomura, JPN, 1:58.32
- Sajan Prakash, IND, 1:59.79
- Paul Espernberger, AUT, 2:01.57
Men’s 100 Back
Australia’s Ben Treffers won the 100 back final from lane 1 with a 54.70. Treffers is a bit of a veteran in the sport as he is 26 years of age and still swimming at a high level. Treffers won the final ahead of Hungary’s Gabor Balog (55.57) and South Africa’s Martin Binedell (55.68).
- Ben Treffers, AUS, 54.70
- Gabor Balog, HUN, 55.57
- Martin Binedell, RSA, 55.68
- Nikita Ulyanov, RUS, 55.71
Women’s 200 Back
American Kathleen Baker won the 200 back final in Monaco in dominating fashion with a 2:07.02. Baker is now fourth in the world this year as Canada’s Kylie Masse still leads the world rankings with her 2:05.98 from the Commonwealth Games in April.
Baker finished well ahead of China’s Luo Si (2:10.78) and Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu (2:12.44).
Baker was a little off her 2:06.48 she swam to win bronze last summer in Budapest but a 2:07 is a very solid in-season time for her. She is coming off a pretty good college season where she broke the American Record in the 200 SCY back at the NCAA’s in March.
- Kathleen Baker, USA, 2:07.02
- Luo Si, CHN, 2:10.78
- Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 2:12.44
- Andrea Berrino, ARG, 2:12.50
Men’s 200 IM
Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches won the 200 IM as he was the only one to break two minutes in the final in Monaco at the Mare Nostrum with a 1:58.46. He was ahead of Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov (2:01.22) and Andrey Zhilkin (2:02.22)
- Jeremy Desplanches, SUI, 1:58.46
- Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS, 2:01.22
- Andrey Zhilkin, RUS, 2:02.22
- Raphael Stacchiotti, LUX, 2:05.07
The following events are similar to the 50 knockouts at the TYR Pro Swim Series in the United States. But the top four will swim tomorrow in the semi-finals before the finals session starts. The top two will then go to swim mano-a-mano at the end of the session.
Men’s 50 Fly Quarter Finals
Ukraine’s Andrii Govorov swam the world’s leading 50 fly with a 22.69 to move on to tomorrow. His time was faster than the 22.75 that Great Britain’s Ben Proud swam last summer to win World Championship gold. Govorov will be joined in tomorrow’s semi-finals by Michael Andrew, Oleg Kostin and Mathys Goosen.
Govorov tied his best time with that swim and remains fourth all-time in the event. Spain’s Rafael Munoz might be on the lookout for his world record as his 22.43 could be under threat tomorrow.
- Andrii Govorov, UKR, 22.69
- Michael Andrew, USA, 23.31
- Oleg Kostin, RUS, 23.74
- Mathys Goosen, NED, 24.00
Women’s 50 Fly Quarter Finals
Japan’s Rikako Ikee continued her strong showing at the Mare Nostrum in Monaco as she won the 50 fly quarters with a 26.61 ahead of Russia’s Rozaliya Nasretdinova (26.80) and Viktoria Andreeva (26.95).
Sweden’s Louise Hansson (27.08) is the fourth seed going in to tomorrow.
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 26.61
- Rozaliya Nasretdinova, RUS, 26.80
- Viktoria Andreeva, RUS, 26.95
- Louise Hansson, SWE, 27.08
Men’s 50 Back Quarter Finals
All four guys who continued on to tomorrow in the 50 back quarters broke 26 seconds as it was Russia’s Nikita Ulyanov out in front ahead of 100 back champ Ben Treffers of Australia. American Ryan Held and Egypt’s Mohamed Samy also advanced.
- Nikita Ulyanov, RUS, 25.65
- Ben Treffers, AUS, 25.68
- Ryan Held, USA, 25.81
- Mohamed Samy, EGY, 25.87
Women’s 50 Back Quarter Finals
Russian veteran Anastasia Fesikova had the fastest 50 back in the quarters in Monaco as she will be joined in the semis tomorrow by Finland’s Mimosa Jallow, Russia’s Maria Kameneva and Austria’s Caroline Pilhatsch. Notably, Denmark’s Mie Nielsen missed the semi finals as she was fifth.
- Anastasia Fesikova, RUS, 27.97
- Mimosa Jallow, FIN, 28.05
- Maria Kameneva, RUS, 28.09
- Caroline Pilhatsch, AUT, 28.16
Men’s 50 Breast Quarter Finals
Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki moved on to the semis in the 50 breast but he will not be joined by his teammate Ippei Watanabe as he placed fifth in the quarters. Koseki will be joined by Arno Kamminga and Kirill Prigoda and Lawrence Palmer.
- Yasuhiro Koseki, JPN, 27.23
- Arno Kamminga, NED, 27.73
- Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 27.77
- Lawrence Palmer, GBR, 27.93
Women’s 50 Breast Quarter Finals
American Molly Hannis and Russian Yuliya Efimova were well out in front of the field in the 50 breast as they will be joined in the semis by Macarena Ceballos and Faith Knelson.
- Molly Hannis, USA, 30.46
- Yuliya Efimova, RUS, 30.49
- Macarena Ceballos, ARG, 31.00
- Faith Knelson, CAN, 31.01
Men’s 50 Free Quarter Finals
Brazil’s Bruno Fratus had the fastest 50 free in the quarters as the veteran will be joined tomorrow in the semis by Michael Andrew, Maxim Lobanovskij and Shinri Shioura.
100 champ Katsumi Nakamura did not advance.
- Bruno Fratus, BRA, 21.89
- Michael Andrew, USA, 22.24
- Maxim Lobanovskij, HUN, 22.26
- Shinri Shioura, JPN, 22.28
Women’s 50 Free Quarter Finals
2016 Olympic Champion Pernille Blume moved on to the 50 free semis as she will be joined by Japan’s Rikako Ikee, France’s Charlotte Bonnet and the Netherlands’ Kim Bush. American Victoria Fonville was eighth in the quarters.
- Pernille Blume, DEN, 24.50
- Rikako Ikee, JPN, 24.91
- Kim Bush, NED, 25.01
- Charlotte Bonnet, FRA, 25.06
In the comment on 100 Fly for women there is a listing of the All-time leading swims, with 200 Fly WR holder Liu Zige on top at :56.07. There may be others as well, but at least Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) and Dana Vollmer (USA) have been under :56.00. Please edit.
Liu is listed on that list at 3 as I put Ikee in the middle to show who she is closest to in the rankings.