Mary-Sophie Harvey Into 400IM Top Five In 2025 As She & Marrit Steenbergen Enjoy Double Gold In Paris
Mary-Sophie Harvey and Marrit Steenbergen each made two trips to the top of the podium on day one of the Giant Open in Paris.
Harvey enjoyed a medal-laden meet at the 2024 edition and she returned to the French capital to post 4:35.73 in the 400IM as she sliced 0.75 from her previous best of 4:36.48 that had stood for almost eight years since the Sette Colli meet in 2017.
Mary-Sophie Harvey: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Her fellow Canadian and Olympic champion Summer McIntosh leads the 2025 rankings with her 4:26.98 from the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont in March, almost seven seconds swifter than Paris bronze medallist Emma Weyant who posted 4:33.95 last week in Fort Lauderdale. Harvey though has propelled herself into the realm of the 4:35s where she joins Irish record-holder Ellen Walshe (4:35.32) and Mio Narita (4:35.39).
The two-time world relay bronze medallist moved fourth in the all-time Canadian rankings behind McIntosh and her shuddering WR of 4:24.38, Emily Overholt (4:32.52) and Sydney Pickrem (4:32.88).
Out in 29.17, Harvey reached the first turn 1.14secs ahead of her nearest challenger Cyrielle Duhamel who finished in 4:41.28 with the pair the only women inside 5mins as Sthélyna Mongin took bronze in 5:06.02.
She returned for the 200 free in the final event of the evening. There Harvey led throughout to enjoy a comfortable victory in 1:56.76, 10 months after missing the Olympic podium by one place and 0.74. Lucile Tessariol was more than three seconds adrift in second (1:59.99) with Lilou Ressencourt third in 2:00.97.
The three-day meet is being held at the Olympic Aquatics Centre Métropole du Grand Paris, which staged the diving and artistic swimming at Paris 2024, and plays host to next year’s European Championships.
Steenbergen Clinches Double Gold; Victories For Proud & Grousset In Paris
First up for Steenbergen was the women’s 50 free which she won in 24.68, 0.06 ahead of Beryl Gastaldello who clocked 24.74 with the pair well clear of the Netherlands’ Sam van Nunen (25.29).
Marrit Steenbergen: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
The double gold medallist at the Doha World Championships returned for the 100m breaststroke in which she posted a PB to enjoy a clear victory in 1:08.86. Adele Blanchetiere (1:09.95) and Louann Soulard (1:10.79) joined her on the podium.
Ben Proud headed the men’s 50 fly with the 2017 world champion stopping the clock in 23.51 although the home crowd were denied the chance to see Maxime Grousset with the 2022 and 2023 world bronze medallist DQd in the semis. Lukas Edl of Austria was next home in 23.64 with Alexandre D’Agata third in 23.68.
Grousset did appear for the 100 free final where he posted 48.25 for a clear victory ahead of Ali Sayed of Qatar (49.74) and Corentin Pouillart (49.98).
Ndoye Brouard & Andrew Share The Spoils
Yohann Ndoye Brouard – who led off the French men’s 4×1 medley quartet that claimed bronze in Paris last year – shared the 50 back title with Michael Andrew in 25.18. Bernhard Reitshammer of Austria was next home in 25.26.
The evening session got underway with the women’s 800 free which featured Anastasia Kirpichnikova, the Olympic silver medallist in the 1500. Imani de Jong led in the early stages before the Frenchwoman went ahead by the 200m mark and pulled away in the second half of the race for victory in 8:35.14. Anna Egorova (8:39.39) and De Jong (8:41.96) claimed the minor spoils.
David Aubry moved past Swann Plaza on the fifth 50 of the men’s 400 to come home in 3:51.14 with Plaza second in 3:52.46 and Romain Raguenaud third in 3:52.89.
Apostolos Siskos of Greece won the men’s 200 fly in 1:57.40 with Noyan Taylan the first Frenchman home in 1:59.68, Antoine Marc took the men’s 200m breaststroke title in 2:10.84 and Bertille Cousson won the women’s 200 back (2:10.89).