The 43rd Meeting International de Natation de Monte-Carlo brought world-class swimming back to the Principality this weekend as Monaco hosted the opening stage of the 2026 Mare Nostrum circuit at the Prince Albert II Nautical Centre inside the Stade Louis-II…
As every year, the prestigious meeting attracted many of the sport’s top international swimmers for two days of high-level competition across multiple disciplines. One of the standout attractions remained Monaco’s famous speed tournament, a spectacular knockout-format sprint event contested over 50 metres and decided through direct elimination rounds culminating in a final duel.
The first day of finals produced several impressive performances and tightly contested races, setting the tone for another strong edition of the competition. Among the weekend’s highlights was Belgian swimmer Roos Vanotterdijk, who claimed victory in the women’s 50m butterfly final in 25.75 seconds.
The event was broadcast live on Monaco Info, with commentary provided by Frédéric Helion alongside Olivier Nicolas, manager of the French national swimming team.
Following the Monaco leg, the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour now moves to Canet-en-Roussillon before concluding in Barcelona, continuing one of Europe’s most respected annual swimming circuits.
Image: Phillipe Fitte