Mary-Sophie Harvey Wraps Up Five-Star Meet With 200IM Rankings-Rattler In Paris
Mary-Sophie Harvey won the 200IM to leave the Olympic Aquatics Centre Métropole du Grand Paris with a haul of five titles as the Giant Open wrapped up after three days of racing.
The Canadian won the 400IM and 200 free on the opening day – catapulting herself into the world top five in the former – before continuing her gold rush in the 400 free and 200m breaststroke on Saturday, both in personal best times.
Mary-Sophie Harvey: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The two-time world relay bronze medallist returned to the pool on the final day for the short medley where she stopped the clock in 2:09.44 to slice 0.13 from her previous best of 2:09.57 from the 2024 Olympic trials for her fourth PB of the meet. She propelled herself to fifth in the 2025 rankings topped by fellow Canadian and Olympic champion Summer McIntosh who posted 2:07.42 at the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont in March.
Speaking through the French federation, Harvey said: “I’m extremely happy. Last year I also won this title and I enjoyed this competition. It was important to come back and put in some good performances. The conditions were perfect and I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better four weeks before our World Championships in Singapore. I didn’t expect to improve my best times in four of my five races. I felt like I was 15 years old, when I was improving my times with each race. It’s good for morale. I loved swimming in this pool. I love coming to swim in France, there’s always a great atmosphere. The facilities are ideal and it’s a very nice complex to host a competition like this.”
Cyrielle Duhamel (2:12.40) and Bertille Cousson (2:14.79) joined her on the podium.
Ndoye Brouard & Gastaldello At The Double
Yohann Ndoye Brouard clinched the 50/100 back double when he led from start to finish to win the longer race in 53.39. The bronze medallist at the 2020 and 200 European Championships added the 100 title to his joint gold alongside Michael Andrew in the 50 and bronze in the 200. Alexandre Desangles was second in 54.09 with Apostolos Siskos third in 54.79 a day after he went top of the 200 rankings with a PB of 1:55.18.
Yohann Ndoye Brouard: Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia D’Alberto – LaPresse
Beryl Gastaldello was the only woman inside 1min in 59.70 to add to her 50 title. Maaike de Waard was second in 1:00.83 with fellow Netherlands swimmer Marrit Steenbergen third in 1:01.02. Steenbergen has also had a fine meet with golds in the 50 and the 100 free – where she went third in the rankings in 52.98 – as well as the 100m breaststroke.
Maxime Grousset added the 100 fly title to his 100 free gold with a comprehensive victory in 51.23, the 2023 world champion well clear as a tussle unfolded behind him. Lukas Edl of Austria got the touch for second in 52.56 ahead of Jorge Eliezer Otaiza Hernandez of Venezuela (52.62) with Ndoye Brouard returning a little under a half hour after his backstroke endeavours to finish fourth in 52.77.
Lilou Ressencourt completed the 100/200 fly double with victory in 58.60, 1.13 ahead of Lili-Rose Berthelot (59.73) with Maty Ndoye Brouard – sister of Yohann and winner of the 50 fly – third in 1:00.09.
Kirpichnikova Completes Distance Double
Olympic silver medallist Anastasia Kirpichnikova dominated the 1500 free in 16:22.05 for a winning margin of more than 26secs over Anna Egorova (16:48.77). Kirpichnikova also won the 800 and took silver behind Harvey in the 400. Rani Rahmouni of Tunisia won the men’s title in 15:05.43.
Michael Andrew won the 50m breaststroke title in 27.35 with Adele Blanchetiere claiming the women’s gold in 32.23.
Jaouad Syoud of Algeria took the men’s 200IM title in 2:00.62 with Tom Remy adding silver to his 400IM gold with a final-50 charge in 2:00.82.
