Noe Ponti & Anastasia Kirpichnikova Seal Trebles As 2024 Meeting Nice Camille Muffat Concludes
Noe Ponti and Anastasia Kirpichnikova secured respective fly and free trebles as the four-day 2024 Meeting Nice Camille Muffat, Giant Series concluded.
The Giant Series moves on to Saint-Germain-en-Laye – a suburb of Paris – over the coming weekend with the four-day Nice meet having served as qualification for the Finale Giant Open.
Ponti added the 200 fly to his victories over 100 (51.37) and 50 (23.15), leading for all but the first 50m when Chad Le Clos was first in 25.91 to 25.96.
The Swiss reached halfway in 55.63, with a 0.57 lead over Noyan Taylan before the Frenchman reduced the deficit to 0.18 at the 150 mark.
However, a 29.87 final 50 propelled Ponti away and into the wall in 1:56.38 with Taylan (1:57.27) and Le Clos (1:58.40) next home.
Anastasia Kirpichnikova: Photo by Patrick B. Kraemer / MAGICPBK
Kirpichnikova topped the 400 (4:10.14) and 1500 (16:03.54) before adding the 800 on the final day of competition in Nice.
The 23-year-old led from the outset, tracked by Anna Egorova and was 1.61secs ahead at halfway, a lead she extended to 2.17secs by 500m.
Come the 700m mark and Kirpichnikova led by 3.01secs with a final 50 of 31.72 steering her home in 8:32.98, 3.34secs ahead of Egorova (8:36.32) with Australian Maddie Gough third in 8:42.35.
Maxime Grousset led throughout to win the 100 free in 48.39 with the 2022 world silver medallist followed home by Brazilian pair Marcelo Chierighini (49.32) and Breno Correia (49.36).
Ahmed Jaouadi posted a sizeable PB en-route to victory in the 400 free.
The 18-year-old’s time of 3:45.95 sliced 1.80secs from his previous best of 3:47.75 set at the Hortillons Meet in France in December last year.
It was 3.90secs swifter than the 3:49.85 in which he finished 25th at last month’s World Championships in Doha, elevating him third in the all-time Tunisian rankings behind only Ahmed Hafnaoui and Ous Mellouli.
Joris Bouchaut (3:48.51) and Tommy-Lee Camblong (3:51.26) followed the teenager home.
Michael Andrew concluded his meet with victory in the 50 back in 25.05 with Yohann Ndoye Brouard adding silver in 25.11 to his 100 back and 200IM golds, Alexandre Desangles third in 25.54.
Mewen Tomac didn’t appear for the semifinals after topping the heats in 25.21.
Melanie Henique: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Melanie Henique took the women’s 50 free in 24.70 ahead of the Netherlands Valerie van Roon (24.91) and Belgian Florine Gaspard, who added to her 50/100 breaststroke double in 25.02.
Mary-Sophie Harvey recorded a new PB, going 1:57.06 as she added 200 free gold to her 400IM title.
Nikolett Padar was second to the Canadian in 1:58.89 with Ainhoa Campabadal of Spain third in 2:00.22.
Pauline Mahieu was 0.41 outside her French 100 back record as she touched in 59.71 ahead of Mary-Ambre Moluh (59.91) with 200 winner Emma Terebo third in 1:00.22.
Lisa Mamie claimed the second Swiss victory of the evening, leading the 200m breaststroke throughout to win in 2:26.95.
Jessica Vall of Spain (2:27.59) and Frenchwoman Adele Blanchetiere (2:28.78) also reached the podium.
