Martina, Komornikov in Impressive Wins at Canet Mare Nostrum Meet

CANET, France, June 17. MARTINA Moravcova and Dmitri Komornikov provided most of the fireworks today, the first day of the final stop on the 2003 Mare Nostrum tour, in Canet, France.

Slovakia's Moravcova, 27, an SMU graduate, swam a sparkling 54.79 to win the women's 100m free on a night that saw very few world-class efforts, in stark contrast with the previous three Mare Nostrum meets. Belarus' Alena Popchenka was second in 55.02 with Britain's Melanie Marshall third in 55.92.

Komornikov, 22, who set the world record in the 200 meter breaststroke three days ago in Barcelona, cranked out another awesome swim in the double century — a 2:10.62, the ninth fastest time in history. The 22 year-old Russian now owns three of the nine fastest swims ever in the 200m breast.

Russia's Alexander Popov won the men's 100 free for the second time in a row, though his 49.64 was a bit slower than the 49.35 he swam a few days ago in Barcelona. French newcomer Germain Cayette was second in 50.36, ahead of Algeria's Salim Iles, 50.48.

Britain's Stephen Parry, a Florida State alum, took the men's 200 fly in a swift 1:56.93, beating Romania's Ioan Gherghel, two-time NCAA champ for Alabama, who touched in 1:58.14. Russia's Anatoli Poliakov was third in 1:59.38.

Italy's Paola Cavallino pulled a major upset when she came storming from behind to out-touch Yana Klochkova in the women's 200 fly, 2:11.79 to 2:11.90. Fifth at the 50, fourth at the 100 and third at the 150, Cavallino swam a 33.40 final 50 to Klochkova's 34.96 to nip the Ukrainian. France's Aurore Mongol was third in 2:14.14.

The men's 400 IM was even closer as Romania's Cezar Badita and South Africa's Terence Parkin tied at 4:22.38. Israel's Mickey Halika was third, 4:25.72.

Though she was out-sprinted in the 200 fly, all was not lost for Yana Klochkova. The pride of Ukraine won her specialty, the 400 IM in 4:46.16 — more than eight seconds slower than her world-leading 4:38.26 swum in Barcelona, but still a very comfortable four seconds ahead of Italy's Laura Porchianello (4:50.07).
Belarus's Hanna Scherba was third in 4:52.90.

France's Laure Manaudou won a fast women's 100m backstroke, Leading all the way, the 17 year-old touched in 1:01.92. Russia's Stanislava Komarova was right behind at 1:02.13 while France's Roxanna Maracineanu, 1998 world champ at 200 meters, was third in 1:03.20.

The men's 100 back went to Israel's Yoav Gath, who came from third place at the 50 to win in 56.33. Russia's Arkady Vyatchaninin was second, 56.50, followed by France's Simon Dufour, 56.66.

Austria's Mirna Jukic breezed in the women's 200 breast, touching in 2:26.37, more than four-and-a-half seconds ahead of Russia's Elena Bogomazova, 2:30.91.

Russia's young distance hope, Yuri Prilukov, negative split the 400 free to win in 3:51.26. Fourth at the 200, he moved into second place 100 meters later, then took the lead with just over 50 meters to go. Romania's Dragos Coman was second in 3:52.18, with Sergei fesenko third (3:55.20).

France's Laure Blomme won the women's 1500 free in 16:50.96 with Italy's Elisa Passini 20 seconds back (17:10.91). Most notably, South Africa's Natalie du Toit, who lost a leg in an auto accident two years ago, was third in 17:37.46.

2003 MARE NOSTRUM
Canet, France
June 17-18, 2003

50 meter pool

RESULTS
Day One: June 17, 2003

WOMEN

100 METERS FREESTYLE
1 54.79 Moravcova Martina,76,SVK
2 55.02 Popchenko Elena,79,BLR
3 55.92 Marshall Melanie,82,GBR

1500 METERS FREESTYLE
1 16:50.96 Blomme Laura,82,FRA
2 17:10.91 Pasini Elisa,81,ITA
3 17:37.46 du Toit Natalie,84,RSA

100 METERS BACKSTROKE
1 1:01.91 Manaudou Laure,86,FRA
2 1:02.13 Komarova Stanislava,86,RUS
3 1:03.20 Maracineanu Roxana,75,FRA

200 METER BREASTSTROKE
1 2:26.37 Jukic Mirna,86,AUT
2 2:30.91 Bogomazova Elena,82,RUS
3 2:33.51 Haiden Ingrid,85,RSA

200 METER BUTTERFLY
1 2:11.79 Cavallino Paola,77,ITA
2 2:11.90 Klochkova Yana,82,UKR
3 2:14.14 Mongel Aurore,82,FRA

400 METER INDIVIDUALMEDLEY
1 4:46.16 Klochkova Yana,82,UKR
2 4:50.07 Porchianello Laura,81,ITA
3 4:52.90 Scherba Hanna,82,BLR

MEN

100 METER FREESTYLE
1 49.64 Popov Alexander,71,RUS
2 50.36 Cayette Germain,83,FRA
3 50.48 Iles Salim,75,ALG

400 METER FREESTYLE
1 3:51.26 Prilukov Yuri,84,RUS
2 3:52.18 Coman Dragos,80,ROM
3 3:55.20 Fesenko Sergiy,82,UKR

100 METER BACKSTROKE
1 56.33 Gath Yoav,80,ISR
2 56.50 Vyatchanin Arkadi,84,RUS
3 56.66 Dufour Simon,79,FRA

200 METER BREASTSTROKE
1 2:10.62 Komornikov Dimitri,81,RUS
2 2:17.89 Parkin Terence,79,RSA
3 2:18.39 Wold Anders,81,NOR

200 METER BUTTERFLY
1 1:56.93 Parry Stephen,77,GBR
2 1:58.14 Gherghel Ioan,78,ROM
3 1:59.38 Poliakov Anatoli,80,RUS

400 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
1 4:22.38 Parkin Terence,79,RSA
2 4:22.38 Badita Cezar,79,ROM
3 4:25.72 Halika Michael,78,ISR

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