Golden performance for Katerine Savard on Mare Nostrum tour

June, 09, 2012 MONACO – Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., won the gold medal Saturday in the women’s 100-metre butterfly to open the third and final stop on the Mare Nostrum swimming circuit.

Savard clocked 58.89 seconds for the win with Francesca Halsall of Britain second in 58.99 and Emilia Pikkarainen of Finland third in 59.16. Noemie Thomas of Vancouver was sixth in 1:00.20. It was Savard’s fifth medal on the tour and third gold.

Canada added two silver and two bronze.

In the men’s 100 freestyle, Brent Hayden of Mission, B.C., was edged for the gold clocking 49.37 for second place while Yannick Agnel of France was first in 49.14. Hayden has stepped on the podium in all of his five races on the tour so far.

‘’Brent didn’t have much in the tank tonight,’’ said Hayden’s coach Tom Johnson. ‘’He wasn’t happy with the result today but overall it’s been a very good tour. We came here for some tough racing under tough conditions and that’s what we got.’’

In the women’s 200 backstroke, Lizzie Simmonds of Britain dominated the race winning in 2:09.10 with Sinead Russell of Burlington, Ont., second in 2:13.09 and Lauren Lavigna of Vancouver fourth in 2:14.74.

In the men’s 200 IM, Tobias Oriwol of Toronto took the bronze in 2:03.63 beating out Jake Tapp of Langley, B.C., fourth in 2:03.81.

Barbara Jardin of Montreal took third in the 200 freestyle in a hard fought battle for the silver with Charlotte Bonnet of France. Camille Muffatt of France produced a meet record in victory. Jardin is also up to five medals this week.

Charles Francis of Cowansville, Que., was fourth in the men’s 100 backstroke.

Savard, Hayden, Russell, Oriwol, Jardin and Francis are all Olympic team nominees currently preparing for the London Games.