Marrit Steenbergen Pops Personal Best to Win 100 Freestyle at Mare Nostrum Stop in Monaco
The opening day of the Monaco stop of the Mare Nostrum Series supplied several swift performances, including a 1:54-low showing from Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey in the 200-meter freestyle. Meanwhile, American McKenzie Siroky fired off a trio of sub-30 efforts in the early rounds of the 50 breaststroke, highlighted by a 29.64 mark in the Round of 16. What will the second day of competition in Monaco bring?
Here is a recap of the Day Two action:
Marrit Steenbergen Lights Up 100 Freestyle
In the final event before the sprint disciplines wrapped up the competition in Monaco, the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen popped a spectacular performance in the women’s 100 freestyle. Dueling with Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, Steenbergen set a meet record of 52.13, a mark which also generated a personal best. Prior to Sunday, Steenbergen’s top time in the event stood at 52.26.
A two-time world champion in the 100 freestyle, Steenbergen opened with a split of 25.51, but trailed Haughey (25.36) at the turn. Down the last length, Steenbergen pulled even and then ahead of Haughey, who finished in 52.67. Haughey was the winner of the 200 freestyle on Saturday. Steenbergen is the No. 9 performer in history and pushing close to a sub-52 performance, which could come at this summer’s European Championships.
Steenbergen returned to the pool later in the evening and won the 50 freestyle in 24.27, which was well ahead of the 24.75 of Slovenia’s Neza Klancar.
Erika Fairweather Continues Roll
New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather has enjoyed a strong 2026 campaign, highlighted by a national record in the 200 freestyle at the recent National Championships. Her positive momentum continued in Monaco, as Fairweather established a Mare Nostrum record with a mark of 4:01.80 in the 400 freestyle. That time ranks Fairweather No. 4 in the world and supplied a comfortable margin over runnerup Agostina Hein of Argentina, who touched in 4:05.31. Third place went to Italian Simona Quadarella (4:07.09).
Fairweather owns a best of 3:59.44 in the 400 freestyle, a swim she registered at the 2024 World Championships in Doha. Earlier this month, Fairweather turned in a time of 1:55.06 in the 200 freestyle, which was good for a New Zealand record. Given her recent performances, the veteran appears poised for a strong showing at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Kristof Milak Shines in 100 Butterfly
A little more than a month after opening eyes at the Hungarian Championships with a dominant victory in the 100 butterfly, Kristof Milak turned in another superb performance in the event. Milak won the 100 fly in Monaco in 50.66, not far off his 50.22 that currently tops the world rankings. Milak has been sub-51 on three occasions during 2026, his Mare Nostrum triumph arriving over Switzerland’s Noe Ponti (51.11). France’s Maxime Grousset followed in 51.49.
While Milak has established himself as a two-time Olympic champion, once each in the 100 fly and 200 fly, the Hungarian has been an enigma at time, disappearing from training and competition. Based on his recent performances, including a Monaco win in the 100 freestyle, he seems intent on being in top form at this summer’s European Championships in Paris.
Ilya Kharun Highlights Sprint Events
Ilya Kharun, in the middle of changing his sporting nationality from Canada to the United States, dazzled in the final of the 50 butterfly, where he beat Russia’s Oleg Kostin in commanding fashion. After navigating the first four rounds with comfort, Kharun ripped his best performance when it counted, going 22.64 for the top time in the world this year. The effort was also a personal best by .04. Kostin placed second in 22.95.
For the fourth time in five rounds, the United States’ McKenzie Siroky broke the 30-second barrier in the 50 breaststroke. Behind an outing of 29.86, Siroky beat fellow American Skyler Smith, who checked in with a time of 30.61. Siroky had a best of 29.64 during the weekend, a swim that made her the sixth-fastest performer in event history.
American Quintin McCarty delivered a personal best of 21.43 to win the 50 freestyle and move to No. 2 in the world with Chris Giuliano for 2026. McCarty defeated Serbian Andrej Barna (21.79) in the Monaco final and is now tied with Giuliano as the seventh-fastest American in history.
In a rematch of the final of the 100 backstroke from earlier in the session, the United States’ Leah Shackley topped Canada’s Ingrid Wilm in the 50 backstroke. Shackley sped to a time of 27.38, followed by Wilm in 27.68. Less than an hour earlier, Shackley got the best of Wilm in the 100 back, 59.40 to 59.51.
Russia’s Ivan Kozhakin made it a double in the breaststroke events during Sunday competition, as he won the one-lap event over countryman Kirill Prigoda, 26.69 to 27.21. Kozhakin was also the winner of the 100 breaststroke, going 59.68 to defeat the Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau (59.78).
In the women’s 50 butterfly, Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk cracked the 26-second barrier by touching in 25.75, well ahead of the 26.18 of France’s Melanie Henique. Meanwhile, in the men’s 50 backstroke, Russia’s Pavel Samusenko was easily in 24.29, with Czechia’s Miroslav Knedla placing second in 24.57. Samusenko set a Mare Nostrum record of 24.23 during the semifinals.
In Other Action…
Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov controlled his prime event, as he won the 200 backstroke in 1:56.35, with second place going to Czechia’s Jan Cejka in 1:57.06. Mityukov is the reigning Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 back and has twice medaled in the event at the World Championships.
Russian Evgeniia Chikunova, the world-record holder in the event, emerged with the title in the 200 breaststroke, behind a swim of 2:22.92. That effort was quick enough to defeat Canadian Alexanne Lepage (2:23.40), who won the 100 breaststroke on Saturday. Third place went to Dutchwoman Tes Schouten in 2:24.50.
The United States trio of Gabrielle Jett, Patrick Sammon and Jack Dahlgren went one-two-three in the men’s 200 freestyle, Jett touching for the victory in 1:46.81. Sammon followed with a time of 1:47.16 while Dahlgren was third in 1:48.63. Meanwhile, Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey won the women’s 200 individual medley in 2:09.77.
Hungarian Gabor Zombori prevailed in the men’s 400 individual medley, clocking 4:16.68 to finish ahead of Italian Alberto Razzetti (4:17.28). In the women’s 200 butterfly, victory was claimed by France’s Lilou Ressencourt in 2:09.62.
