The Vortex, May 2025: Steenbergen Sails Under 53 For Tenth Time For Giant Win In Paris
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The points performance of Day 2 at the Giant Open in Paris went to Marrit Steenbergen, who made it 10 career voyages inside 53sec in the 100m freestyle with a match of her tenth best: 52.98.
Dutch national record holder in 52.26, the time in which she claimed the Word title at the Doha 2024 intercalated global showcase, Steenbergen was a classic apart in Paris a day after a brace of golds as the meet got started.
Out in 25.79, home in 27.19, Steenbergen's 52.98 is currently third on the global World rankings adrift the best season efforts so far of Americans Gretchen Walsh (52.90) and Torri Huske (52.95). With U.S. and Australian trials, as well as the Dutch selection event, to come, the rankings are a snapshot for the hour not the month, let alone season.
Steenbergen's biggest challenge was the clock and a test of her own speed, the silver to France's Beryl Gastaldello in 54.82, after she had won the 50m back in 28.03.
Here's a reminder of how long the journey can be, a photo snapped by Kees-Jan van Overbeeke and sent to me by Dutch media stalwart Jos van Kuijeren back in 2014, when The Netherlands knew it had a star on its hands in Steenbergen as she clocked 1.59.09 in 200 free and a then Dutch age record of 2.15.86 in the 200IM:
Today, she holds the Dutch senior records in the 100m free (52.26, World tile, 2024); the 200 and 400m medley (2:08.86, 2024; 4:44.28, 2023), as well as the 4x200m free with teammates Esmee Vermeulen, Robin Neumann and Femke Heemskerk (7:52.06, 2016). The Dutch 4x100m standard still dates back to shiny suits in 2009.
The Battle Of The Apostolos Backstroke Aces Hots Up As Siskos Goes 1:55.1
The highlight in the men's events was a 1:55.18 from Greek 200m backstroke No2 Apostolos Siskos, which took the 19-year-old a touch closer to the national record of 1:54.82 set at Paris 2024 by Apostolos Christou, 28, on his way to his country's first Olympic medal in swimming since it all began in Athens back fun 1896.
Siskos' best was the 1:55.42 in which he claimed silver at the European Championships in Serbia last year 0.;03sec shy of Ukrainian Oleksandr Zheltyakov. That rivalry stretches back to their junior days, Zheltyakov having claimed the 2023 European youth title in 1:55.79 in 2023, when France's Merlin Ficher took silver in 1:57.15 and Siskos bronze in 1:58.37 before the champion dedicated his gold to Ukrainian soldiers fending off the illegal presence of illegal invaders from Russia and North Korean.
A season of fast times ahead in the pool before and during the World Championships in Singapore from July 27 but for now, Siuskos tops the global rankings It was his second title in as many days following the 200 fly (1:57.40) and saw him displace Ollie Morgan at the top of the rankings after the Briton went 1:55.55 at last month’s national championships.
France's Yohann Ndoye Brouard, of Dauphins D'Annecy, led the peace unit the last turn in Paris today. As the 2022 European champion reached the half-way mark, he was 0.32sec ahead of Siskos. Not much had changed by the last turn, the rivals split by 0.22sec. Then, the Greek visitor drive off the wall with way more fuel in his tank than the rest: a 28.73 home-comer dealing a knockout blow.
A last-length tussle between French challengers ended too tight to call until the clock stopped in favour of Antoine Herlem, 1:57.62 to 1:57.70 for Ndoye Brouard, their respective last-length splits 30.13 and 31.47. French depth in the event is solid, Mathys Chouchaoui and Alexander Desangles both on 1:58s.
In other events, Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) added another brace of gold medals to the one she grabbed on day 1 (see report below).
Harvey was up for more personal-best efforts from he go: she topped the 400m free in 4:05.42, inside her 4:07.70 from a years ago in Rome at the Sette Colli in Rome. The only Canadians to have swum faster are Paris 2024 star of the women's events, Summer McIntosh (2023 WR of 3:56.08), and Brittany MacLean (4:03.43, heats, Rio 2016).
Within half an hours, Harvey had a day 2 brace of wins to add to her day 1 brace: when the clock stopped at 2:24.22 in the 200m breaststroke, Harvey celebrated her fourth win and third career high of the meet, her best having been the 2:25.14 she clocked at the Canadian Open last month.
The men's 50m free provided plenty of entertainment for the crowd and test of racing skills for the big names in the line-up: Olympic silver medallist Benjamin Proud took the win in 21.90 ahead of France's Maxime Grousset, on 22.01, and American Michael Andrew, who fended off Dutch challenger Renzo Tjon A Joe, by 0.01sec for third, 22.25 to 22.26.
Also in the May Vortex:
- Cameron McEvoy Sets Sights Cielo's 20.9 WR & Sees "No Reason" To Rule Out Brisbane 2032 At 39
- Mary-Sophie Harvey & Marrit Steenbergen At The Double in Paris
- Scotland's Never Too Late campaign sees 152% increase in adult swimming programmes
- Coach Matteo Giunta Defends Federica Pellegrini On "Zero Tolerance" Stance In Sinner Doping Case
- Great Britain Selects 20 For European U23 Championships
- ASU Boss Says College Sports Revenue-Share Announcement Close
- Jordan Crooks Takes A Break From Racing
- Gary Hall Jr's Medals Back From The Flames
- Jon Rudd's Time In Ireland Is Done As He Heads Off To Lead Saudi Performance Program
- Lukas Märtens Makes It 200-400 Double With 1:44.25 Victory At German Nationals
- Gretchen Walsh Joins Sjöstrom In Club Of Sub-25 'Fly Dashers; Irish & Danish Marks For Ellen Walshe & Tomas Koski
- Katie Ledecky Sweeps To Her 2nd Career Fastest 400 Free - 3:56.8
IN OTHER COVERAGE -
May 4:
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
