French Swimming Nationals Coverage Continued

***Thanks to my friend, Guillaume Deutsh, we have a first person account of all the action. While English is clearly Guillaume's second language, I have elected to keep his "text" mostly as is. I think it adds a flair and authenticity to his coverage of the French Short Course National Championships***

What a first day we FRENCH had!!! The pool closed with Fred "Tattoo" Bousquet winner in 50 free over Amaury Levaux and Alain Bernard. So for this second day, we all wait for 50 fly duel between Fred Bousquet and Amaury Leveaux. And we were not disappointed. The pool of Angers was fire on Saturday!

In the morning, Amaury Leveaux swam his 50 fly in 22.73, a new FRENCH RECORD! That make crowd stand up. FRENCH fans were PASSIONATE! Only a few minutes later, Fred Bousquet answer back in the next heat with a 22.72. Both 50 fly swims looked very easy, so people and fans start to speak about something even greater in the finals of the 50 fly that evening.

FRENCH FINALS, SATURDAY, DAY TWO:

The first French Olympic Gold medalist, Laure Manaudou, won 100 back in 57.99, followed by her rival, Alexiane Castel, in 58.85. Laure took control of race from beginning for her first victory in Angers.

Then the men's 100 back was the game of Camille Lacourt from Marseille, who won with 50.94. Lacourt is now first FRENCH swimmer under 51 seconds in that event!

Breastroker, Hugues Duboscq, swam also fast in the 200, in 2.06.00, 

the 6th best performer ever in that distance!

Diane Buy-Duyet, a short course specialist, swam 25.56 to win the women's 50m fly, in new a French National Record! And Diana got "mise en bouche" before the men's 50 fly duel between Frederick Bousquet and Amaury Leveaux.

MEN 50 FLY BATTLE:

As all men wait behind blocks, the man from Mulhouse, Amaury Leveaux, remove ad panel between line 4 and line 5, throwing it in the way of Fred Bousquet. At that moment, Amaury Leveaux had "EYE OF TIGER." Leveaux was starving for victory!

And in only 22.29 Amaurg Leveaux blasted Matthew Jaukovic's world record! All fans were passionate, standing up for world record! And that was not it. Raphael Munoz, from Spain, also swam under the world record, in 22.37, and third was Fred Bousquet in 22.63!

Here is video of race end:

What a race... And the pool could not cool down after that. The pool was still fire!

On next race, Coralie "Coco" Balmy swam a 1.53.18 to remove the 2005 Lisbeth Lenton World Record ( 1.53.29), and by the way, the Laure Manaudou European Record (1.53.48).

Here is Coralie in video story of her life as swimmer:

FRENCH NATIONALS, DAY THREE, SUNDAY (the day of Alain Bernard's WR)

Those two first days were fantastic! It looks like we FRENCH are finally self-confident. That's pretty new, and we all expect even
more now... WE ARE STARVING FOR VICTORY!

WOMEN 400 FREE:`
Coralie "Coco" Balmy, the new world record holder in 200 free yesterday, can expect, WE CAN EXPECT, something great in 400 free. The fan stood for her, standing ovation for her... "GO COCO!" 

In line FIVE, Romanian, Camelia Potec, was good help (good competition). It took long time for Camelia to be on the blocks (meaning she had a slow start), and Coco took the lead in 27.63 from the first 50 meters. At the 100 meters Coco was a 57.38.  At the 150, Coco was 1.27.38, just off world record pace, but Coco love to finish strong. At 200 meters, 1.57.23, at 300 meters, 2.57.27. And this, with 100 meters left, was where Coco started her race. WOW!!!! At 350, Coco was a 3.27.38.  Every fan was behind her! And Coca tried more! The fans stood up for Coco! Coco's time: 3.56.35. 

The world record was not broke. World Record still belong to Laure Manaudou. Second was Camille Muffat, also under 4 minutes, in 3.59.80.

Does Coco love the sevens, or what? 

27.63, 57.38, 1.27.38, 1,57,23, 2.27.16, 2.57.27, 3.27.38

MEN 400 FREE:

It was yoyo race between Clement Lefert, Sebastien Rouault, Nicolas Rostoucher.  

Sebastien and Nicolas shared the lead position after each turn. Clement Lefert was strongest at end. Clement win: 3.43.59.

WOMEN 200 FLY:
Aurore Mongel, European Champion in Debrecen arrive, a smile on the face, with no stress after she gets the national best this morning in 2.06.27.
Aurore enjoy the race final, with fantastic finnish in 2.04.97, cutting French record by more than a second.

MEN 200 FLY:
Yes! You see? We have several WORLD RECORDS now, and 200 fly is the
oldest, a 1.50.73 It belongs to Franck Esposito (set December, 2002). Franck is now coaching Christophe Lebon from Antibes. Chris breath on the side (not straight ahead like traditional butterflyers). Franck breath on the side also. Christophe win with 1.52.36, the second best 200 fly in European this year.

WOMEN 50 BACK:
Laure Manaudou was faster than Alexianne Castel. Laure win with 27.30. The question was: will Laure swim in Arena or something else? And the answer was: BLUESEVENTY.

MEN 50 BACK: 
23.60 for Camille LaCourt, a new French record. Laure Manaudou watched 

race, supporting her little brother, Florent, who was fourth with 24.95. Laure's smiling mum and dad were at the award ceremony. We FRENCH love to see Laure with glory and victory... that correspond to her so well.

WOMEN 50 BREAST:
The Angers' pool showed the main French weakness, the woman
breaststroke. 31.80 for Fanny Babou to win the title.

MEN 50 BREAST:
Hugues Duboscq was disturbed this morning, losing his French Record to Giacomo Perez Dortona in 27.18. We FRENCH all support both swimmers.( I am not uncommitted saying that). A late start for Hugues, but good turn. It was very close, but a bad touch at the end for the guy from le Havre (Hugues), 27.09, new national best. James Gibson, from UK, was first in 27.04, swimming with no branded suit. (Gibson can be French Champion. He is from the UK.) So Hugues was the winner. Perez Dortona took silver.

WOMEN 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY:
Camille Muffat, just out of her 400 free final, win race in 2.07.94, a new French Record! Camile took a long time to recover before her TV interview.

Camile say to TV: "We can count on one hand the race with no record falling"  She's right! 

Did I mention that French Nationals are live on Eurosport TV? They are! :)

MEN 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY:
Christophe Soulier win in 2.00, very far from the 1.51.56 of Ryan Lochte. (We cannot be too fond of good swim.) The French best still belongs to Xavier Marchand, silver medalist in PERTH (World Championships) in 1999. 

AND FINALLY, 100 FREE...

LADIES FIRST:

Alena Popchenka won with 53.68. 

NOW THE MEN:
It is not Beijing here, but the race must be fast!

In the morning (prelim), Leveaux swims 46.41. Gilot swims 46.74. Alain Bernard swims 46.99. Mallet swims 47.15. Fred Bousquet swims 47.25. In the morning, all men swam raising foot in the last 25 meters (meaning they all kicked hard on the last lap). 

Alain Bernard swam under control, 21.96 in the first 50, and 24.28 in second 50, knowing he had to win the heat to be in final.

The pool was ready now.

FINAL, MEN 100 FREE:

From the start, Leveaux, Bernard, Gilot, and Bousquet are hot! They are fast. First 50, Bousquet is 21.68. At the finish, Alain Bernard is 45.68! 

A NEW WORLD RECORD! BERNARD IS BOSS!

"It can be possible..... I thought it was possible.... I just do it..." Bernard tells Eurosport TV.

Here is Bernard's 100 free on video:

 

****Thank you, Guillaume! I am awed by your bravado. I can barely speak English. I can't imagine reporting the US National Championships in another language*****

If you read Guillaume's first report and liked his photos, go to his flickr account and view dozens of photos from French National Championships.

Comments

[goldmedalmel]

Stein, I saw that pic with the caption..... Pretty &%#$ funny.

Robin, we don't swim fifty strokes because they are not on the OLYMPIC schedule. USA Swimming is focused entirely on performing at the OLYMPICS.
(If any one else has an explanation, I'd like to hear it. I'm 99% sure my answer is correct.)

[maly]

swimming is getting more coverage on french tv since 2004 and the 3 medals of laure manaudou , since 2006 , the french public tv has shown live the evening session of the europeen long course championship and since melbourne in 2007 we are getting the evening session of the world championship live. this weekend , the french public tv will be showing live the evening session for the first time instead of on their web site. eurosport have signed with the french swimming federation to show the long and short course championship to 2012. i am glad tha swimming is getting more coverage on french tv.

[Megan]

Wow! Has France always been this into swimming? Or is it a new found appreciation since Beijing like it is here in the US?

The men's 50 fly...whoa! Serious competition there. Now *that* is exciting. Same with the 100 free. So many records fell and I can feel the buzz that France is making in the swimming world.

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing this and writing with such passion! I felt like I was there! :)

[Robin]

Pardon my newbie ignorance, but why do the French (or is it all the Europeans?) race 50m sprints in the strokes besides freestyle, and we don't in the U.S.? Just curious and I'm having a hard time finding anything with the search terms I've tried.

[Stein]

Well, this photo certainly had the most accurate title.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guyomedw/2842413089/

Stein