Paris Open: Plenty of Doubles, Australian Record Nearly Falls

PARIS, France, June 20. THE first night of finals action at the Paris Open featured plenty of swimmers winning two gold medals at the long course meter meet. Additionally, a national record from Australia nearly met its match.

Australia's Libby Trickett smoked the field in the women's 50 free en route to a winning time of 24.21. The effort is not far off her Aussie record of 23.97, considering she'll likely peak at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. The Netherlands' Marleen Veldhuis, the world-record holder with a 23.96 to her credit, finished second in 24.69, while compatriot Ranomi Kromowidjojo snared third in 24.76.

Trickett completed the double with another commanding victory – this time in the women's 100 free. She hit the wall in 53.20 for the win, not too far from her world record time of 52.88. The Netherlands' Femke Heemskerk took second in 53.88, while Hungary's Evelyn Verraszto finished third in 54.57.

France's Fred Bousquet surfaced from a stocked men's 50 free finale with a winning time of 21.83. Compatriot Alain Bernard placed second in 22.10, while Australia's Eamon Sullivan took third in 22.24.

France went 1-2 in the men's 200 free as Clement Lefert touched in 1:48.47 for the win. Teammate Amaury Leveaux finished second in 1:49.64, while Tunisia's Ahmed Mathlouthi placed third in 1:49.83.

Brazil's Fabiola Molina broke 29 for a win in the women's 50 back. She touched in 28.72, while Kromowidjojo placed second in 29.27. France's Esther Baron placed third in 29.34. Molina doubled up in the women's 100 back with a triumphant time of 1:02.38. Baron claimed second in 1:02.55, while France's Alexianne Castel took third in 1:02.75.

Randall Bal of the U.S. crushed the men's 50 back finale with a 25.04. Brazil's Guilherme Guido finished second in 25.40, while France's Camille Lacourt took third in 25.44. France went 1-2 in the men's 200 back with Jeremy Stravius taking the title in 2:01.79. He downed teammate Pierre Roger, who finished second in 2:01.90. Nick Driebergen of The Netherlands placed third in 2:01.93.

Australia's Leisel Jones ripped off a 30.96 to win the women's 50 breast. Italy's Roberta Panara finished second in 31.51, while The Netherlands' Moniek Nijhuis placed third in 31.79. Australia dominated the women's 200 breast led by Jones completing her own double with a 2:24.21. Teammates Tessa Wallace (2:29.29) and Rebecca Kemp (2:29.69) rounded out the top three.

Brazil's Joao Luiz Gomes Jr. touched out Italy's Fabio Scozzoli, 27.69 to 27.70, in the men's 50 breast. Brazil's Felipe Franca da Silva took third in 27.81. Scozzoli, however, captured the men's 100 breast in 1:01.73. Lithuania's Giedrus Titenis placed second in 1:02.06, while Kristopher Gilchrist picked up third in 1:02.13.

In a head-to-head battle, Veldhius touched out Sweden's Therese Alshammar, 25.92 to 25.96, in the women's 50 fly. The Netherlands' Hinkelien Schreuder finished third in 26.29. France's Aurore Mongel topped the women's 200 fly in 2:08.68 with Hungary's Agnes Mutina finishing second in 2:09.96. Kim Vandenberg of the U.S. wound up third in 2:11.28.

Up until last night, Andrew Lauterstein's winning time of 23.27 in the men's 50 fly would have cleared his national record of 23.30 set in March. Matt Targett, however, topped the mark with a 23.17 at the Quebec Cup last night. Leveaux finished second in 23.43 with Serbia's Milorad Cavic placing third in 23.47. Lauterstein doubled up with a men's 100 fly victory in 51.44. Brazil's Gabriel Mangabeira placed second in 52.14 while Cavic took third in 52.48.

France's Camille Muffat picked up the women's 400 IM in 4:39.43, while Brazil's Joanna Maranhao (4:44.07) and Italy's Fran Segat (4:48.39) touched second and third. Hungary's David Verraszto claimed the men's 400 IM in 4:16.55. France's Sebastian Rouault placed second in 4:21.90 with Brazil's Diogo Yabe touching third in 4:24.90.

In the distance events, Denmark's Lotte Friis cruised to victory in the women's 800 free with an 8:31.34. France's Sophie Huber (8:38.67) and Coralie Balmy (8:42.99) completed the podium. Denmark swept the distance swims as Mads Glaesner won the men's 1500 free in 15:08.44. The Netherlands' Job Kienhuis placed second in 15:18.44 to hold off Rouault (15:18.46).

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