David Popovici, Siobhan Haughey Lower Meet Records at Sette Colli Trophy
Day two of racing at Rome’s Foro Italico for the annual Sette Colli trophy saw reigning World Male Swimmer of the Year David Popovici enter the pool for his first event, and he posted a comfortable win in the men’s 100 freestyle while Siobhan Haughey returned from a 200 free performance Friday that ranked fourth in the world to post another impressive performance in the 100 free.
In a deep men’s final, Lorenzo Zazzeri owned the halfway lead in 23.03, just ahead of a tie between Popovici and Italy’s Alessandro Miressi at 23.07, but Popovici turned on the jets coming home, as he did while breaking the world record in the event last year, and that gave him a slight advantage at the finish. Popovici touched in 48.10, lowering the previous meet record of 48.14 set by Thomas Ceccon two years ago.
Miressi held off fast-finishing Brit Matt Richards for second, 48.27 to 48.28. Four other men broke 49: Tom Dean (48.59), Manuel Frigo (48.65), Zazzeri (48.71) and Filippo Megli (48.86), with Duncan Scott (49.03) ending up eight.
In the women’s race, Haughey won in 52.64, just off her season-best time of 52.50 that ranks second globally behind Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan. Haughey beat the previous meet record of 52.72 set by Pernille Blume in 2018. Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who holds the world record in the event at 51.71, took second in 53.05, and the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen touched in 53.49 for third.
In addition to Haughey, four other swimmers won their second individual races of the meet. Switzerland’s Noe Ponti trailed Italy’s Giacomo Carini for most of the distance in the men’s 200 butterfly, but Ponti split 30.27 on the last 50 to take over the lead and secure the win. Ponti finished in 1:55.39 after previously topping the 100 fly. Carini placed second in 1:55.72, and Hungary’s Richard Marton took third in 1:57.10.
Canada’s Kylie Masse added to her 50 backstroke win Friday by holding off Great Britain’s Lauren Cox in the 100 back. Masse finished in 59.73, with Cox second in 59.79 and the Netherlands’ Kira Toussaint third in 1:00.33. Ceccon already won the 100 back, and he topped the 50 back in 24.69, followed by Greece’s Apostolos Christou (24.92) and Germany’s Andrei-Mircea Anghel (24.98).
Italy’s Simona Quadarella was the last double-winner of the day as she finished exactly four seconds clear of the field in the 800 free. Quadarella touched in 8:22.04, while Hungary’s Anja Kesely pulled away from the rest of the field to take second (8:26.04). Italy’s Noemi Cesarano was third (8:33.19).
Sweden’s Louise Hansson led wire-to-wire in the women’s 100 fly, touching in 57.25 for the win. Germany’s Angelina Koehler (57.65) and Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki (57.75) placed second and third, respectively. In the women’s 400 IM, Great Britain’s Katie Shanahan pulled ahead of the field on the backstroke leg, and she held off Italy’s Sara Franceschi on the final length, 4:36.92 to 4:37.37. Britain’s Freya Colbert took third (4:38.56). The men’s 400 IM also went to a British swimmer with Max Litchfield topping the field comfortably in 4:11.36 ahead of Italy’s Alberto Razzetti (4:13.58) and Hungary’s Gabor Zombori (4:15.73).
Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte crushed the field in the women’s 50 breaststroke in 29.79, with Italy’s Anita Bottazzo (30.23) and Ireland’s Mona McSharry (30.59) rounding out the top three. Italy’s Simone Cerasuolo edged out countryman Nicolo Martinenghi in the men’s 50 breast, 26.76 to 26.90, with another Italian, Ludovico Viberti, placing third in 27.31. Finally, Italy’s Luca De Tullio beat the field in the men’s 800 free by three seconds, touching in 7:47.63. Ireland’s Dan Wiffen took second (7:50.64), and Spain’s Carlos Garach Benito was third (7:53.88).