Mare Nostrum, Canet: Therese Alshammar Doubles

CANET, France, June 8. THE second stop of the Mare Nostrum series began with day one long course meter swimming in Canet, France.

Therese Alshammar hit the wall in 24.47 to win the women's 50 free title and jump to second in the world rankings in the sprint free. Only Ranomi Kromowidjojo has been faster with a 24.35 from Eindhoven in April. Veronika Popova finished second in 25.10 to move to 18th in the rankings, while Marieke Guehrer earned third in 25.32.

Alshammar doubled up with a 58.48 to win the women's 100 fly. That time came up a bit shy of her 13th-ranked best of 58.31. Martina Granstrom finished second in 59.05, while Jessicah Schipper earned third in 59.18.

Jennie Johansson picked up the women's 50 breast title in 30.95, bettering her sixth-ranked season best of 30.98. She did not, however, eclipse Rebecca Soni's fifth-ranked time of 30.89. Samantha Marshall touched second in 31.62, while Satomi Suzuki earned third in 31.79. Marshall moved to 21st with her swim, while Suzuki already stands 14th with a 31.40 this year.

Aya Terakawa, who is the top-ranked swimmer in the world in the women's 100 back with a 59.17 from April, touched out Anastasia Zueva, 1:00.22 to 1:00.34, for the win tonight. Zueva is the second ranked swimmer with a 59.35 from April. Sinead Russell claimed third this evening in 1:00.56 to move to 19th in the rankings.

Cameron van der Burgh, who is the top-ranked swimmer in the men's 50 breast with a 27.24 from April, won tonight in 27.72. Ryo Tateishi placed second in 27.88 to move into sole possession of 15th in the world rankings. Aleksandr Triznov touched third in 28.05.

Tateishi captured the men's 200 breast title in 2:11.73, off his seventh-ranked effort of 2:10.44 from April. Michael Jamieson finished second in 2:12.28, while Grigory Falko snared third in 2:12.35.

Ryosuke Irie captured the men's 100 back crown in a meet-record 53.72. That swim fell well short of his second-ranked season best of 53.10 from April. Jeremy Stravius finished second in 53.94, just off his fifth-ranked 53.59 from March. Meanwhile, Junya Koga snagged third in 54.49. Koga has been faster with an eighth-ranked time of 53.91.

Yannick Agnel turned in a 1:47.05 for the win in the men's 200 free. His fastest time this year is a second-ranked 1:45.47 from March. Takeshi Matsuda touched second in 1:48.02 for 20th in the rankings, while Tommaso D'Orsogna wound up third in 1:49.80.

Takuro Fujii stopped the clock in 52.24 to win the men's 100 fly. He's been much faster this year with a third-ranked 51.84 from April. Kaio Almeida took second in 52.81, short of his sixth-ranked 52.11. Chad Le Clos posted a 52.91 for third to tie for 21st in the world.

Laszlo Cseh nearly bettered his sixth-ranked season best of 1:58.94 in the men's 200 IM, but settled for victory in 1:58.99. Kenneth To took second in 1:59.89 for 20th in the rankings, while Dinko Jukic placed a distant third in 2:01.35.

Matt Targett won the men's 50 free in 22.19, just off his 12th-ranked season best of 22.15 from April. Roland Schoeman placed second in 22.49, while Cameron Prosser and Evgeny Lagunov tied for third with matching 22.54s.

Gabrielle Fagundez posted a meet-record time of 1:57.99 in the women's 200 free to grab 17th in the world rankings. Camille Muffat picked up second in 1:58.19, well off her third-ranked season best of 1:55.95 from March. Sarah Sjostrom earned third in 1:58.35, also short of her fifth-ranked season best of 1:56.91.

Yosuke Miyamoto topped the men's 400 free in 3:54.18, while Evgeny Kulikov took second in 3:55.57. Lewis Smith snared third in 3:55.61.

Joline Hostman tied Emily Selig for the women's 200 breast title with matching 2:27.27s, while Marina Garcia Urzainqui wound up third in 2:27.71. Lara Grangeon snagged the women's 200 IM crown in 2:14.52, while Ida Marko Varga took second in 2:15.76. Kathryn Meaklim placed third in 2:16.46.

Michelle Weber clocked an 8:49.68 for the win in the women's 800 free. Grangeon took second in 8:55.45, while Mie Ostergaard Nielsen finished third in 8:56.86.

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