National Open of Montpellier: Camille Muffat Clocks Lifetime Best in 400 Free

MONTPELLIER, France, February 4. Montpellier has been kind to Camille Muffat, as she has clocked a pair of scintillating times in just two days. Tonight, at the National Open of Montpellier, Muffat posted a lifetime best.

A day after placing second in the world rankings in the 200 free, Camille Muffat threw down the gauntlet in the women's 400 free with a smoking time of 4:03.21. That swim smashed the previous pacesetter of 4:05.90 set by Allison Schmitt at the Austin Grand Prix last month, and is better than Muffat's lifetime best time last year of 4:03.23 that ranked her third overall in 2011 and eighth all time. She didn't better Schmitt's lifetime best seventh-ranked 4:02.51 to move up the all-time rankings, but Muffat inched closer to doing so. Femke Heemskerk took second in 4:09.36 to move into the top 10 this year, while Charlotte Bonnet finished third in 4:15.61.

Inge Dekker threw down a 24.96 in the women's 50 free. That time pushed her to second in the world rankings, behind Jeanette Otteseen (24.91) and ahead of Svitlana Khakhlova (25.07). Anna Santamans took second in 25.87, while Beryl Gastaldello earned third in 26.37.Dekker doubled up with a 58.77 to win the women's 100 fly. That effort pushed her into the top 10 in the world rankings. Maria Ugolkova touched second in 1:00.47, while Diane Bui Duyet placed third in 1:00.95.

Yannick Agnel moved to fourth in the early world rankings in the men's 400 free with a 3:47.80. Only China's Sun Yang (3:42.89), Li Yunqi (3:45.49) and Hao Yun (3:45.69) have been faster in the middle distance event this year. Xavier LePretre took second in 4:02.72, while Sebastien Vigroux picked up third in 4:03.57.

Clement Lefert dominated the men's 100 fly in 53.01. That time pushed him into the top 10 in the world rankings. Thomas Vilaceca (55.43) and Aurelien Leveaux (55.55) rounded out the top three.

Florent Manaudou claimed the men's 50 free title in 22.52. Fabien Gilot (22.64) and Gregory Mallet (23.14) picked up second and third in the sprint free. Andrea Baudry claimed the women's 100 breast title in 1:11.59, while Carmella Kitching took second in 1:12.63. Adeline Williams placed third in 1:13.75.

Nabil Kebbab touched first in the men's 100 breast with a 1:02.88. Maxime Bussiere took second in 1:03.48, while Geoffrey Ferrari finished third in 1:06.20. Marie Jugnet cruised to victory in the women's 200 back with a 2:18.58. Laetitia Perez finished second in 2:22.33, while Lucia Delcourt placed third in 2:22.68.

Camille Lacourt snatched the men's 200 back title in 2:03.50. Manuel Delcourt (2:10.62) and Thibault Longuemart (2:10.75) took a distant second and third. Claire Polit snared the women's 200 IM in 2:24.24, while Emilie Desquiens placed second in 2:25.40. Arielle Liminana picked up third in 2:27.67.

Guillaume Strohmeyer won the men's 200 IM in 2:06.50. Valerio Coggi (2:08.68) and Colin Bridier (2:10.36) placed second and third.

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