Katinka Hosszu Closes Epic 2012 With 14 Golds; Britta Steffen Smokes 100 Free

ST. PAUL, Reunion, December 30. HUNGARY's Katinka Hosszu put an exclamation point on what has proved to be a career year in 2012. Not only did she bank more than $150,000 as the FINA World Cup Queen, she also took home world titles from short course worlds in Turkey. Just for good measure, she dominated a pair of end-of-the-year meets at the Salnikov Cup in Russia and this Indian Ocean Meet (being held in short course meter format).

Hosszu started off night three like she's been doing most of the meet, with a win, this time scoring her 11th gold of the meet with a touchout triumph ahead of The Netherlands' Inge Dekker, 26.24 to 26.44, in the women's 50 fly. That win was particularly impressive as Dekker is usually a much more proficient sprint flyer with a seventh-ranked season best of 25.64. Hosszu moved to 23rd in the world this year with her swim and nearly broke the Hungarian record of 26.19 owned by Eszter Dara. France's Cloe Hache rounded out the podium with a third-place 27.33.

Hosszu, who owns the second-ranked time in the world this year in the women's 200 IM with a 2:04.72 to finish behind Ye Shiwen at short course worlds, cruised to her 12th gold of the meet with a 2:10.79, nearly 13 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Mathilde Hoareau wound up second in 2:23.01, while Mauritius' Elodie Poo Cheong took third in 2:24.01. Hosszu and Hoareau then went 1-2 again in the women's 800 free with Hosszu clinching her 13th gold with an 8:41.30. Hoareau placed a distant second in 8:58.93, while Anne-Laure Iscaye picked up third-place honors in 9:24.88.

Having deck-entered all the breaststroke events, Hosszu still managed to sweep them this weekend after clocking a 2:28.52 to win the women's 200 breast tonight for her 14th gold. Geraldine Huffner (2:31.75) and Rachel Mussard (2:48.73) completed the podium in the distance breaststroke event. Hosszu then dropped the women's 100 free to sprint star Britta Steffen of Germany, an Olympic gold medalist, 52.69 to 55.32, giving Steffen a 50-100-200 sweep this weekend. Steffen's time tonight nearly cleared her top-ranked effort of 52.31 from short course worlds. Meanwhile, Hache picked up her second bronze of the night with a 56.23.

Florent Hassambay has been on the top of the men's podium quite a few times this weekend, and tonight was no different as he clocked a 24.72 to win the men's 50 fly. Philippe Arginthe finished second in 25.03, while Julien Bayle claimed third in 25.05. Camille Lacourt drew a disqualification. Hassambay followed that up with a third-place finish in the men's 200 IM with a 2:08.37. Thomas Avetand (2:04.90) and Ambroise Petit (2:05.66) placed first and second in that event. Hassambay doubled up tonight with a 51.29 in the men's 100 free, while Pierre-Yves Desprez finished second in 52.13 and Alann Bobe took third in 52.20.

Benoit Debast dominated the men's 1500 free with a 15:19.27, while Mathieu Bachmann placed second well back in 16:23.79. South Africa's Jamme Delphin picked up third in 17:26.53. Mauritius' Darren Chan Chin Wah topped the men's 200 breast in 2:23.98, while Madagascar's Mamitina Ramanantsoa Tsilavina checked in second with a 2:26.49. France's Dimitri Faubourg placed third in 2:28.57.

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