Gold & Silver For Roman Mityukov As Noè Ponti Takes 100 Free At Swiss Championships
Olympic medallists Roman Mityukov and Noè Ponti both topped the podium on day two of the Swiss Long-Course Championships in Sursee.
Etienne Dagon was the first Swiss swimmer to win an Olympic medal when he claimed 200m breaststroke bronze at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. There was a 37-year wait before Jeremy Desplanches (200IM) and Ponti (100 fly) were also third in Tokyo in 2021. Mityukov’s bronze in the 200 back at Paris 2024 was the fourth for Switzerland.
On Friday, half those Olympic medallists were in attendance in Sursee. Mityukov was first up when he won the 50 back in 25.81 ahead of Mael Allegrini (26.05) and Noah Ruben Retzler (26.19).
Noè Ponti: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
He returned for the 100 free in which Ponti had booked lane four with a 49.67 prelims topper. Robin Yeboah led at halfway, 0.23 ahead of Ponti with Mityukov a further 0.04 adrift. However, a 25.63 second 50 propelled Ponti into the wall in 49.52, 0.12 ahead of Mityukov (49.64) with Tiago Behar coming through for third in 49.75 with the trio the only men inside 50secs.
It was a second title in as many days for Ponti who won the 50 fly in 22.81 on the opening day of competition with the 100 fly to come on Saturday when Mityukov takes on the 200 back.
Angélique Brugger led throughout to win the women’s 100 free, adding the title in 56.69 to her 50 fly crown. Manon Richard came from seventh at halfway to come past the field in 28.92 to take silver in 56.83 with Gaia Rasmussen third in 57.03.
It was the second medal of the session for Rasmussen following her outing in the 50 back. Malika Gobet was fastest through prelims and she returned for a clear victory in the final in 29.25 with Rasmussen – also the winner of the 200 free on the opening day – second in 29.55 and Leona Papp third in 29.64.
Kay-Lyn Löhr upgraded her 100m breaststroke bronze to gold over 200m. Löhr – the 2023 European Youth Olympic Festival champion – reached the first turn more than a second ahead of Havana Cueto Cabrera in 33.31 and extended her lead to come home in 2:30.21. Cueto Cabrera – winner of the 100 title in Sursee – was second in 2:33.40 with Rahel Haller adding bronze in 2:36.34 to her 100 silver.
Löhr returned for the 200IM where she bore down on long-time leader Angelina Patt in the second half of the race. Patt, however, had too much in hand as she completed the medley double in 2:19.20 ahead of Löhr (2:19.62) and Linda Hauser (2:21.81).
Vanna Djakovic, sister of Antonio, headed the fastest heat of the 800. She went ahead at the 200m mark, a lead she held throughout to take the win in 8:54.75 with Amelie Bertschi second in 8:56.97. The pair were the only women inside 9mins.
Joris Kerland was 0.44 behind long-time leader Louis Droupy at the final turn of the men’s 200m breaststroke. A 35.97 blast down the last 50 propelled him into the wall in 2:20.09 with Amon Hagen splitting 35.72 to take second in 2:20.43 and Droupy third in 2:20.55.
Marius Toscan enjoyed a dominant victory in the men’s 400IM in 4:18.67 with Maxwell Enrico Seidel second in 4:25.42.
