Paris Open: First Finals Session Complete

PARIS, France, June 18. THE second day of swimming at the Paris Open began with a morning of finals action.

South Africa's Wendy Trott opened the first morning of finals competition with a distance victory. She hit the wall in 8:28.48 to claim the women's 800 free title, while Spain's Erika Villaecija finished second in 8:29.15. Great Britain's Rebecca Adlington placed third in 8:30.38.

Spain's Rafael Munoz Perez followed in the men's 50 fly with a touch-out triumph over Greece's Stephanos Dimitriadis, 24.23 to 24.38, while France's Antoine Galavtine finished third in 24.50.

While not as fast as her evening prelim swim of 2:09.84, Elizabeth Simmonds of Great Britain had more than enough to win the women's 200 back in 2:10.89 during the morning. French-record holder Laure Manaudou settled for second in 2:13.36, while Spain's Escarlata Bernard finished third in 2:14.35.

Hugues Duboscq, who already owns the French record with a 2:09.27 in the men's 200 breast, cruised in the event to win in 2:12.71. Ukraine's Valeriy Dymo finished second in 2:16.25, just holding off France's Christophe Richard (2:16.68).

Malia Metella just missed her French record of 24.83 from April with a winning time of 24.87 in the women's 50 free, while Sweden's Therese Alshammar touched second in 24.98. France's Alena Popchanka rounded out the top three in 25.38.

Camille Muffat, the French-record holder with a 2:11.15 from earlier this year, topped the women's 200 IM in 2:13.08. Spain's Mireia Belmonte took second in 2:14.74, while France's Cylia Vabre placed third in 2:15.54.

In the men's 200 fly, France's Christophe Lebon won the race in 1:58.51. Ukraine's Sergiy Advena finished second in 1:59.39, while Great Britain's Michael Rock comprised the rest of the podium in 1:59.82.

Nina Zhivanevskaya took a run at her Spanish record of 28.11 with a 28.43 in the women's 50 back, while Italy's Elena Gemo took second in 29.57. Manaudou finished in third with a 29.70, well off her French record of a 28.50.

Randall Bal of the U.S. ripped off a time of 53.95 to win the men's 100 back, while Great Britain's Liam Tancock touched well behind in second with a time of 55.34. South Africa's Gerhard Zandberg placed third in 56.26.

France's Aurore Mongel snared the women's 100 fly title in 59.19, while South Africa's Amanda Loots took second in 59.33. Popchanka, who has the French record with a 58.33, took third in 59.45.

In the women's 100 breast, Great Britain's Kate Haywood picked up the victory in 1:09.66, while Russia's Elena Bogomazova finished second in 1:10.25. France's Sophie De Ronchi and Sweden's Rebecca Ejdervik tied for third with matching 1:10.71s.

In a head-to-head battle in the men's 50 breast, South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh touched out Duboscq, 27.80 to 27.82, while Dymo placed third in 28.42.

Muffat followed with a triumph in the women's 200 free with a time of 1:59.06. Great Britain's Caitlin McClatchey took second in 1:59.70, while Adlington finished third in 1:59.84.

The men's 100 free finished with a French 1-2. Alain Bernard, the global record holder with a 47.50 to his credit, won in 48.20. Compatriot Amaury Leveaux finished second in 48.85, while Sweden's Stefan Nystrand took third in 49.16.

In the women's 400 free relay finale, Metella, Hanna Shcherba Lorgeril, Popchanka and Celine Couderc won in 3:43.15.

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