2019 Mare Nostrum Barcelona: British Swimmers Win Five Events to Close Meet

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Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA

The final day of the final stop of the 2019 Mare Nostrum Barcelona featured 16 total events. The British Swimmers showed out with Adam Peaty (50 breast), Ben Proud (50 free), Anna Hopkin (100 free), Georgia Davies (50 back) and Tom Dean (200 free) winning five events. Hungary won three events on the day with Katinka Hosszu (200 IM), Kristof Milak (100 fly) and Boglarka Kapas (200 fly) winning their respective events.

Men’s 1500 Free

Jan Micka of the Czech Republic led a controlled race in the 1500 as he led from the outset.  Micka swam a 15:03.01 to win the 1500 on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona. He held off a hard charging Daniel Jervis of Great Britain, who was in fifth place throughout the entire race and surged to get second. Jervis touched in the runner-up spot with a 15:04.06, just ahead of Gergely Gyurta (15:04.39). Norway’s Henrik Christiansen (15:05.95) and Hungary’s Akos Kalmar (15:06.93) were also among the lead pack.

Micka (14:48) and Jervis (14:46) have both been quicker in 2019.

Results:

  1. Jan Micka, CZE, 15:03.01
  2. Daniel Jervis, GBR, 15:04.06
  3. Gergely Gyurta, HUN, 15:04.39
  4. Henrik Christiansen, NOR, 15:05.95
  5. Akos Kalmar, HUN, 15:06.93
  6. Wojciech Wojdak, POL, 15:17.45
  7. Victor Johansson, SWE, 15:23.26
  8. Miguel Valente, BRA, 15:47.04

Women’s 50 Back

Georgia Davies won the 50 back on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona stop with a 28.06. She won a tight race that was separated by less than half a second. Italy’s Silvia Scalia (28.18) was second while Hong Kong’s Stephanie Au (28.20) was third. Davies has been quicker this year with a 27.75 in March.

Results:

  1. Georgia Davies, GBR, 28.06
  2. Silvia Scalia, ITA, 28.18
  3. Stephanie Au, HKG, 28.20
  4. Alicja Tchorz, POL, 28.28
  5. Lauren Cox, GBR, 28.31
  6. Phoebe Bacon, USA, 28.38
  7. Zhang Wenwen, CHN, 28.39
  8. Mariia Kameneva, RUS, 28.44

Men’s 50 Breast

Adam Peaty of Great Britain won the second straight events for the Brits with a 26.55 in the 50 breast. It was a new Barcelona meet record for Peaty, who broke his own record of 26.68 from 2016. Peaty won by a half second over Felipe Lima of Brazil (27.02) and Fabio Scozzoli (27.14) of Italy. Peaty sits third in the world for 2019 with his 26.49 from April. Brazil’s Joao Gomes (26.42) and Lima (26.48) sit first and second in the world rankings.

Results:

  1. Adam Peaty, GBR, 26.55 MR
  2. Felipe Lima, BRA, 27.02
  3. Fabio Scozzoli, ITA, 27.14
  4. Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA, 27.31
  5. Bruno Ortiz, ESP, 27.63
  6. Tobias Berg, DEN, 27.69
  7. Nic Fink, USA, 27.80
  8. Fabian Schwingenschlogl, GER, 28.18

Women’s 50 Fly

Canada’s Penny Oleksiak won the 50 fly on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona stop with a 26.06. She won ahead of Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen (26.21), who is having a bit of a comeback to the sport of swimming after having a baby after the 2016 Olympic Games. Hungary’s Beatrix Bordas (26.51) was third.

Oleksiak and Ottesen have both been quicker this year as the Canadian was a 26.00 at the TYR Pro Swim Series in January and Ottesen was a 26.04 in April.

Results:

  1. Penny Oleksiak, CAN, 26.06
  2. Jeanette Ottesen, DEN, 26.21
  3. Beatrix Bordas, HUN, 26.51
  4. Anna Ntountounaki, GRE, 26.70
  5. Sasha Touretski, SUI, 26.70
  6. Lillie Nordmann, USA, 26.76
  7. Anais Arlandis, MON, 27.11
  8. Victoria Fonville, USA,  27.82

Men’s 400 IM

Spain’s Joan Luiz Pons (4:14.81) gave the Barcelona crowd something to cheer about on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum in Spain. Pons had a strong swim and moved up to 15th in the world rankings with his swim. Pons swam in the Olympic Final in 2016 when he placed eighth.

Austria’s Patrick Staber (4:17.36) finished in second while Maxim Schemberev (4:19.28) was third from Azerbaijan.

Results:

  1. Joan Luiz Pons, ESP, 4:14.81
  2. Patrick Staber, AUT, 4:17.36
  3. Maxim Schemberev, AZE, 4:19.28
  4. Brandonn Almeida, BRA, 4:20.10
  5. Max Litchfield, GBR, 4:20.56
  6. Joao Vital, POR, 4:22.66
  7. Mark Szaranek, GBR, 4:22.94
  8. Richard Nagy, SVK, 4:23.20

Women’s 100 Free

Great Britain’s Anna Hopkin won the third event of the day for the Brits in the 100 free on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona stop with a 54.20. Hopkin got her hand on the wall first in a race that was tight between the top five. Canada’s Kayla Sanchez (54.28) finished in second while Sweden’s Michelle Coleman (54.52) was third.

Hopkin has been faster this year with a 54.02 from April, while Sanchez lowered her season best. The Canadian was a 54.22 at the Canadian Swimming Trials in April.

Results:

  1. Ann Hopkin, GBR, 54.20
  2. Kayla Sanchez, CAN, 54.28
  3. Michelle Coleman, SWE, 54.52
  4. Lidon Munoz, ESP, 54.61
  5. Freya Anderson, GBR, 54.82
  6. Mariia Kameneva, RUS, 54.95
  7. Rebecca Smith, CAN, 55.29
  8. Silvia Di Pietro, ITA, 55.45

Men’s 100 Back

Michael Andrew won the 100 back on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum in Barcelona with a 53.85. Andrew was the only one to break 54 seconds in the final as he took down reigning world champion in the 200 back Evgeny Rylov (54.24) who placed third. Brazil’s Guilherme Guido (54.20) was second. The time is a new season best for Andrew, who was a 53.98 in Des Moines.

Results:

  1. Michael Andrew, USA, 53.85
  2. Guilherme Guido, BRA, 54.20
  3. Evgeny Rylov, RUS, 54.24
  4. Apostolos Christou, GRE,  54.57
  5. Luke Greenbank, GBR, 55.39
  6. Craig McNally, GBR, 55.50
  7. Radoslaw Kawecki, POL, 55.68
  8. Martyn Walton, GBR, 56.21

Women’s 100 Breast

Russia’s Yulia Efimova continued her impressive consistency in the 100 breast on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona with a 1:05.75. Efimova has been quicker this year at 1:05.51 from the FINA Champions Series in Indianapolis but is showing she is staying consistent with her swims. Efimova was well in front of second place Martina Carraro (1:07.28), who was just off her 1:07.04 from April. Spain’s Jessica Vall (1:07.40) finished in third, who was just off her 1:07.37 season best.

Results:

  1. Yulia Efimova, RUS, 1:05.75
  2. Martina Carraro, ITA, 1:07.28
  3. Jessica Vall, ESP, 1:07.40
  4. Sophie Hansson, SWE, 1:07.78
  5. Arianna Castiglioni, ITA, 1:07.82
  6. Molly Renshaw, GBR, 1:08.13
  7. Julia Sebastian, ARG, 1:08.34
  8. Kara Hanlon, GBR, 1:09.65

Men’s 50 Free

Great Britain’s Ben Proud won the fourth event of the day for the Brits with a 21.58 in the 50 free for a new Barcelona record at the Mare Nostrum in Spain. Proud lowered Andriy Govorov’s meet record of 21.61 from 2016. He was off Bruno Fratus’ overall Mare Nostrum record of 21.31 from Monaco earlier this year. Proud was also off his season best of 21.48 from the FINA Champions Series in Guangzhou. Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev (21.79) was second and Fratus was third at 21.89.

Results:

  1. Ben Proud, GBR, 21.58
  2. Kristian Gkolomeev, GRE, 21.79
  3. Bruno Fratus, BRA, 21.89
  4. Michael Andrew, USA, 22.31
  5. Marcelo Chierighini, BRA, 22.35
  6. Santo Condorelli, ITA, 22.38
  7. Gabriel Santos, BRA, 22.40
  8. Pedro Spajari, BRA, 22.50

Women’s 200 Back

Canada’s Taylor Ruck had a solid 200 back on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona stop with a 2:08.46. Ruck was in a good race with USA’s Phoebe Bacon (2:09.33), who lowered her in-season best by 0.03 from the Atlanta Classic. Bacon sits 14th in the world rankings Ruck has been faster this year with a 2:06.70 from the Canadian Swimming Trials in April. Katinka Hosszu, the Olympic silver medalist, was third at 2:10.81. Hosszu has been much faster in 2019 with a 2:06.94 from the FINA Champions Series in Indianapolis.

Results:

  1. Taylor Ruck, CAN, 2:08.46
  2. Phoebe Bacon, USA, 2:09.33
  3. Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 2:10.81
  4. Africa Zamorano, ESP, 2:11.87
  5. Zuzanna Herasimowicz, POL, 2:12.45
  6. Lena Grabowski, AUT, 2:12.52
  7. Jess Fullalove, GBR, 2:13.14
  8. Nadine Laemmler, GER, 2:13.91

Men’s 200 Breast

Germany’s Marco Koch won the 200 breast in front of a world class field on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona stop. Koch swam a 2:08.79, which was almost a season best after he swam a 2:08.72 in April. He currently sits in a tie for 12th in the world rankings for 2019. Koch won in Barcelona ahead of Great Britain’s James Wilby (2:09.36),  who was a 2:07 earlier in the year. Wilby has been having a really good year of swimming as he could potentially be the second best breaststroker in the world behind Adam Peaty. Japan’s Shoma Sato (2:10.28) was third.

Results:

  1. Marco Koch, GER, 2:08.79
  2. James Wilby, GBR, 2:09.36
  3. Shoma Sato, JPN, 2:10.28
  4. Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 2:10.98
  5. Ross Murdoch, GBR, 2:11.84
  6. Nic Fink, USA, 2:12.12
  7. Yuta Arai, JPN, 2:12.72
  8. Christopher Rothbauer, AUT, 2:14.38

Women’s 200 Fly

Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas won the 200 fly on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona with a 2:07.98. The time was a good one for Kapas, who was a 2:07.37 at the Hungarian Nationals in March. Kapas won ahead of Alys Thomas of Great Britain (2:09.14), who had the fastest time in the world in 2018. Thomas currently sits ninth in the world rankings for 2019 behind Kapas. Portugal’s Ana Monteiro (2:09.19) was third.

Reigning World and Olympic Champion Mireia Belmonte of Spain (2:13.46) finished eighth. She sits 45th in the world rankings for 2019 at 2:11.05.

Results:

  1. Boglarka Kapas, HUN, 2:07.98
  2. Alys Thomas, GBR, 2:09.14
  3. Ana Monteiro, POR, 2:09.19
  4. Claudia Hufnagl, AUT, 2:10.32
  5. Laura Stephens, GBR, 2:10.55
  6. Lillie Nordmann, USA, 2:12.66
  7. Virginia Bardach, ARG, 2:12.91
  8. Mireia Belmonte, ESP, 2:13.46

Men’s 100 Fly

Hungary’s Kristof Milak won the 100 fly on Sunday at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona with a 52.04. The Hungarian World Junior Champion was a 51.67 at the FINA Champions Series earlier this year in May and sits 11th in the world rankings for 2019. Milak won ahead of Daniel Martin (52.35) and Matthew Josa (52.88).

Results:

  1. Kristof Milak, HUN, 52.04
  2. Daniel Martin, ROU, 52.35
  3. Matthew Josa, USA, 52.88
  4. Vini Lanza, BRA, 52.94
  5. Konrad Czerniak, POL, 53.09
  6. Justin Lynch, USA, 53.19
  7. Shaine Casas, USA, 53.45
  8. Tomoe Hvas, NOR, 54.12

Women’s 200 IM

Katinka Hosszu, swimming in her second event of the day, won Hungary’s third straight gold medal in Barcelona with a 2:09.39 in the 200 IM. Hosszu was in a good race with USA’s Alex Walsh but pulled away in the freestyle leg. Hosszu has the top time in the world this year with a 2:08.50 that she swam a couple weeks ago in Indianapolis at the FINA Champions Series. Walsh was second at 2:11.86, which is a new best time, lowering her 2:12.06 from the Junior Pan Pacs last summer. Walsh now sits seventh all-time in the 17-18 NAG rankings. Switzerland’s Maria Ulgokova (2:13.49) placed third.

Results:

  1. Katinka Hosszu, HUN, 2:09.39
  2. Alex Walsh, USA, 2:11.86
  3. Maria Ugolkova, SUI, 2:13.49
  4. Viktoriya Beliakova, RUS, 2:14.56
  5. Hannah Miley, GBR, 2:15.18
  6. Alexandra Wenk, GER, 2:15.41
  7. Catalina Corro, ESP, 2:17.30
  8. Africa Zamorano, ESP, 2:18.05

17-18 NAG Rankings All-Time:

  1. Elizabeth Pelton, 2:10.02 (2011)
  2. Katie Hoff, 2:10.05 (2006)
  3. Elizabeth Beisel, 2:10.75 (2011)
  4. Dagny Knutson, 2:11.11 (2009)
  5. Meghan Small, 2:11.26 (2015)
  6. Caitlin Leverenz, 2:11.28 (2008)
  7. Alex Walsh, 2:11.86 (2019)
  8. Sydney Pickrem, 2:11.90 (2015)

Men’s 200 Free

Tom Dean picked up Great Britain’s fifth win of the session with a 1:47.30 in the 200 free from lane eight. It was a very close race across the board as Dean out-touched Russia’s Aleksandr Krasnykh (1:47.60) and fellow Brit Duncan Scott (1:47.62). Dean was a 1:46.86 at the British Championships earlier this year and won his second event of the weekend.

Results:

  1. Tom Dean, GBR, 1:47.30
  2. Aleksandr Krasnykh, RUS, 1:47.60
  3. Duncan Scott, GBR, 1:47.62
  4. Fernando Scheffer, BRA, 1:47.69
  5. Breno Correia, BRA, 1:47.94
  6. Luiz Melo, BRA, 1:48.13
  7. Nils Liess, SUI, 1:48.43
  8. Cameron Kurle, GBR, 1:48.66

Women’s 400 Free

The closest finish of the meet had to be the women’s 400 free with Japan’s Miyu Namba winning the event at 4:08.86. Namba out-touched Argentina’s Delfina Pignatiello (4:08.88) and Great Britain’s Holly Hibbott (4:08.93) at the finish. USA’s Emma Weyant (4:10.27) was the early leader and wound up fourth.

Results:

  1. Miyu Namba, JPN, 4:08.86
  2. Delfina Pignatiello, ARG, 4:08.88
  3. Holly Hibbott, GBR, 4:08.93
  4. Emma Weyant, USA, 4:10.27
  5. Aline Rodrigues, BRA, 4:12.39
  6. Barbara Seemanova, CZE, 4:13.10
  7. Reva Foos, GER, 4:13.38
  8. Giulia Salin, ITA, 4:17.40
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