2021 French Olympic Trials: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2021 French Elite Swimming Championships

• Tuesday, June 15 – Sunday, June 20, 2021
• Piscine de l’Odyssée, Chartres, France
• Long Course Meters (50M)
• Olympic Selection Event
• French Olympic Qualifying Procedures
• Meet Site (LIVE FFN)
• List of Entrants
• Live Results
• Television rights: beIN SPORTS

Today begins the six-day French National Championships which is serving as the second of two Olympic qualifying opportunities for the Hexagon’s swimmers. At the first selection meet in December 2020, four swimmers pre-qualified for France’s Olympic team by clearing the times set out by the Fédération Française de Natation (FFN) for Tokyo: Florent Manaudou (men’s 50m free – 21.73), Melanie Henique (women’s 50m free – 24.34), Beryl Gastaldello (women’s 100m free – 53.40), and Marie Wattel (women’s 100m fly – 57.40).

In this second selection meet, swimmers have to hit one time standard in prelims and a second, faster, standard in the A-final in order to make the team. France will take up to two qualified swimmers for each Olympic event.

French national record-holder and Arizona State commit Léon Marchand will make his first appearance since pulling out of the European Championships with a sprained finger in his signature event, the 400 IM, this morning. He will need to swim 4:21.46 in prelims and 4:15.84 in finals in order to hit the qualifying standard for Tokyo. Sweden’s Louise Hansson, now swimming for Loughborough, is top seed in the women’s 100 fly (56.73). Wattel leads the French contingent with a seed time of 57.00. Gastaldello, with 57.69, has a shot at picking up a second event for Tokyo, having already qualified in the 100 free.

David Aubry (3:47.06) and Joris Bouchaut (3:48.14) are the top two entrants in the men’s 400 free, but both will have to go much faster to make the squad, as the QT is 3:46.78 in the A final. In the women’s 200 IM Fantine Lesaffre (2:11.70) and Cyrielle Duhamel (2:12.12) in the women’s 200 IM who are looking at a standard of 2:12.56 in the A final after a minimum of 2:16.54 in prelims.

2016 Olympian Théo Bussière (59.86) and Antoine Viquerat (1:00.99) are the only two entrants in the men’s 100 breast with sub-1:01 seeds; their goal time will be 1:01.73 in prelims and 59.93 in finals. Finally, in the women’s 1500 free, it will take 16:51.71 in today’s prelims and 16:21.21 in Wednesday’s A-final to make the Tokyo team. The top entrant in that event, Lara Grangeon-de Villele, comes in with 16:18.63.

Men’s 400 Individual Medley – Prelims

• French Record: 4:14.97 – Léon Marchand (2021)
• Olympic Qualifying Standards: 4:21.46 in prelims and 4:15.84 in A-final

A-Final qualifiers:

1. MATTENET Emilien ( CHARLEVILLE-MÉZIÈRE… ) – 04:19.08
2. SYOUD Jaouad ( OLYMPIC NICE NATATION ) – 04:20.58
3. MARCHAND Léon ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 04:20.70
4. BIDARD Clément ( MULHOUSE ON ) – 04:22.97
5. REMY Tom ( CHARLEVILLE-MÉZIÈRE… ) – 04:23.01
6. COLOMAS Baptiste ( STADE CLERMONT NATATION ) – 04:24.80
7. NDOYE BROUARD Y. ( DAUPHINS D’ANNECY ) – 04:25.02
8. RENARD Geoffrey ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 04:27.29

Hungary’s Gergely Gyurta, who swims for Montpellier Métropole, won heat 1 by more than 18 seconds in 4:22.50. Backstroker Yohann Ndoye Brouard from Dauphins d’Annecy took over 8 seconds off his seed time to win heat 2 in 4:25.02. Heat 3 went to Emilien Mattenet from Charleville-Mézière with 4:19.08. Algeria’s Jaouad Syoud (Olympic Nice) was second in the heat with 4:20.58 ahead of Clément Bidard (Mulhouse) (4:22.97).. As only one international swimmer can compete in the A final, Syoud’s swim bumped Gyurta into the B final.

The last heat went to Léon Marchand (Dauphins Toulouse) in 4:20.70. He was followed by Baptiste Colomas from Stade Clermont (4:24.80), who dropped 3.6 seconds to land in the A final.

Mattenet and Marchand both met the first hurdle for selection by swimming faster than 4:21.46 in prelims. Their goal will be 4:15.84 in the A final tonight.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Prelims

• French Record: 56.89 – Aurore Mongel (2009)
• Olympic Qualifying Standards: 59.66 in prelims and 57.92 in A-final

A-Final qualifiers:

1. HANSSON Louise ( LOUGHBOROUGH… ) – 00:57.61
2. WATTEL Marie ( CN MARSEILLE ) – 00:57.88
3. GASTALDELLO Béryl ( CN MARSEILLE ) – 00:59.46
4. BONNET Charlotte ( OLYMPIC NICE NATATION ) – 00:59.63
5. DELMAS Lucie ( CNO ST-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE ) – 01:00.29
6. MOREL Emma ( A ASEC NATATION… ) – 01:01.15
7. GUIRADO Lou ( CN ANTIBES ) – 01:01.36
8. HEIDEYER Mika ( CN ANTIBES ) – 01:01.40

15-year-old Eleanore Aubin of Angers kicked things off with a 1.8-second drop to win heat 1 in 1:03.60. Berangere Ferron of Bourges improved her seed time by .3 to take heat 2 in 1:03.48. Switzerland’s Fanny Borer was nearly a full second faster than her entry time with 1:02.76 in heat 3. Laly Ansart (Denain) dropped .8 to win heat 4 with her first sub-1:02 going 1:01.79.

Beryl Gastaldello (CN Marseille) won the first circle-seeded heat in a casual 59.46 (her seed time was 57.69). She was followed by 16-year-old Tabatha Avetand (Beauvaisis) in 1:01.55. Marie Wattel (CN Marseille) took the next heat in 57.88. Lucie Delmas (CNO St Germain en Laye) touched second in 1:00.29, while Emma Morel from A ASEC Natation was third in 1:01.15.

The final heat went to Louise Hansson (Sweden/ Loughborough) in 57.61. Charlotte Bonnet (Olympic Nice) came improved her seed time by .03 to land second in 59.63. Mika Heideyer (CN Antibes) was third in 1:01.40.

Wattel, already qualified for the Games in this event, Gastaldello, and Bonnet all made it under the time standard for prelims. Gastaldello and Bonnet will need 57.92 or better in the final to join Wattel in the individual event in Tokyo.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims

• French Record: 3:43.85 – Yannick Agnel (2011)
• Olympic Qualifying Standards: 3:53.58 in prelims and 3:46.78 in A-final

A-Final qualifiers

1. BOUCHAUT Joris ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 03:50.84
2. CAMBLONG Tommy-Lee ( CANET 66 NATATION ) – 03:51.59
3. OLIVIER Marc-Antoine ( DUNKERQUE NATATION ) – 03:51.64
4. HAFNAOUI Ayoub ( TUNISIE ) – 03:52.04
5. D’ORIANO Nicolas ( CN ANTIBES ) – 03:52.42
6. FONTAINE Logan ( C VIKINGS DE ROUEN ) – 03:53.16
7. TAYLAN Noyan ( CSM CLAMART ) – 03:53.67
8. AUBRY David ( MONTPELLIER METROPOLE… ) – 03:55.13

Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches (Olympic Nice), entered without a seed time, won heat 1 in 3:53.22. Roméo Boileau (CN Antibes) dropped 3.8 seconds to win heat 2 with 4:00.46. Alexis Vandevelde (SN Versailles) eked out the win in a tightly-contested heat 3 with 3:59.85, a PB by a tick. Maxime de Paoli (Grenoble Alp’38) edged Marin Debril (Vikings de Rouen) for second place, 4:00.53 to 4:00.64. The final heat before the circle seeds went to Lucas Balsier (Montpellier) in 3:57.88, an improvement of 1 second from his entry time. Greece’s Asterios Daldogiannis (Loughborough) also notched a PB with his second-place finish of 3:58.22.

In the first circle-seeded heat, Joris Bouchaut (Dauphins Toulouse) took it out very fast and managed to hang on for the win (3:50.84), holding off a charging Tommy-Lee Camblong (Canet 66) who took second in the heat with 3:51.59. Both made the first cut for Tokyo qualification, as did the third-place finisher Logan Fontaine (Vikings de Rouen, 3:53.16).

The final heat had a ton of moving parts, including a false start DQ for Damien Joly (Montpellier Metropole) who came in with the 7th-fastest seed time (3:51.99). Marc-Antoine Olivier (Dunkerque) pocketed the win in 3:51.64. Ayoub Hafnaoui of Tunisia knocked Desplanches out of the A final with 3:52.04. Nicolas D’Oriano (CN Antibes) dropped 3 seconds to make the first cut of the qualifying process with 3:52.42. And Noyan Taylan (CSM Clamart) was just off his entry time and finished 4th in the heat with 3:53.67, missing the consideration standard by .09.

Women’s 200 Individual Medley – Prelims

• French Record: 2:09.37 – Camille Muffat (2009)
• Olympic Qualifying Standards: 2:16.54 in prelims and 2:12.56 in A-final

A-Final qualifiers:

1. LESAFFRE Fantine ( CN ANTIBES ) – 02:13.80
2. DUHAMEL Cyrielle ( STADE BÉTHUNE… ) – 02:13.85
3. HALL Candice ( LOUGHBOROUGH… ) – 02:15.24
4. DAUBA Camille ( CN SARREGUEMINES ) – 02:15.97
5. COUSSON Bertille ( STADE BÉTHUNE… ) – 02:19.37
6. URBANIAK Anastasia ( CN CHALON-SUR-SAONE ) – 02:20.38
7. CUCUMEL Romy ( CSM CLAMART ) – 02:20.49
8. BOURSE Claire ( CN BREST ) – 02:20.87

Melanie Lenoir of CN Melun Val de Seine went just about at her seed time to win heat 1 of the women’s 200 IM in 2:25.34. Lou-Anne Guiton (Alliance Dijon) dropped 1.4 seconds to win heat 2 in 2:23.09, coming in .58 ahead of Candice Saxod (Daphins d’Annecy) in a battle of the outside lanes.

Great Britain’s Candice Hall (Loughborough) kicked off the circle seeds with 2:15.24, about 1.6 seconds off her seed time. She was followed by Anastasia Urbaniak (CN Chalon-sur-Saone) in 2:20.38 and her Loughborough teammate Rachel Anderson (2:22.01).

Cyrielle Duhamel (Stade Béthune) went 2:13.85 won the following heat and sailed under the first part of the qualifying process for Tokyo. Her teammate Bertille Cousson followed in 2:19.37, about .9 off her entry time.

Fantine Lesaffre (CN Antibes) wrapped it up with a heat 5 win in 2:13.80. Camille Dauba (CN Sarreguemines) was second in 2:15.97. They both cleared the first hurdle of 2:16.54. Romy Cucumel (CSM Clamart) was third in 2:20.49.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• French Record: 58.64 – Hugues Duboscq (2009)
• Olympic Qualifying Standards: 1:01.73 in prelims and 59.93 in A-final

A-Final qualifiers:

1. VIQUERAT Antoine ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 01:00.65
2. BUSSIERE Theo ( CN MARSEILLE ) – 01:01.28
3. DESPLANCHES Jeremy ( OLYMPIC NICE NATATION ) – 01:01.52
4. AITKACI Carl ( ETOILES 92 ) – 01:02.09
5. MARC Antoine ( MULHOUSE ON ) – 01:02.56
6. BOURSAC CERVERA LORTET T. ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 01:02.72
7. VALOUR Julien ( CN MARSEILLE ) – 01:02.81
8. FITZPATRICK Brendan ( CN AVIGNON ) – 01:02.89

Tobias Melin (CNO Courbevoie) notched a PB of 1:06.11, 1.2 seconds better than his seed time, to win heat 1 of the 100 breast. Lubin Viano (Villefranche-en-Beaujolais) won a tight battle in heat 2, where all three of the top finishers broke 1:05 for the first time. Viano led with 1:04.51; he was followed by Alexandre Azra (ES Vitry) in 1:04.62 and Millian Boucher (Dauphins Toulouse) in 1:04.91.

The next heat was equally tight. Hugo Lemesle (Olympic Nice) edged Emmanuel Limozin (CN Marseille) and his teammate Maxence Bumsel (CN Marseille), 1:04.32 to 1:04.46 to 1:04.74. All three swam personal bests, and Lemesle won from lane 8.

Swiss Olympian Jeremy Desplanches (Olympic Nice) took care of the first circle-seeded heat in 1:01.52 ahead of Carl Aitkaci (Etoiles 91, 1:02.09) and Antoine Marc (Mulhouse ON, 1:02.56). Aitkaci came in with a seed time of 1:01.39 which, had he swum that, would have passed the first step of the qualification process.

Antoine Viquerat (Dauphins Toulouse) took .3 off his seed time to dominate the penultimate heat with 1:00.65 ahead of teammate Thomas Boursac Cervera Lortet (1:02.72). Boursac Cervera Lortet is another who had a seed time (1:01.68) under the step 1 standard but did not get there in prelims.

Theo Bussiere (CN Marseille) won the final heat in 1:01.28, beating Poland’s Kacper Pastua (ES Vitry) by .61. Bussiere’s teammate Julien Valour (CN Marseille) touched out Tunisia’s Adnane Beji, 1:02.81 to 1:02.93 for third place in the heat.

Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Prelims

• French Record: 16:03.01 – Laure Manaudou (2006)
• Olympic Qualifying Standards: 16:51.71 in prelims and 16:21.21 in A-final

A-Final qualifiers:

1. GRANGEON-DE VILLELE L. FRA ( AAS SARCELLES… ) – 16:37.03
2. FURST Adeline FRA ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 16:37.48
3. MULLER Aurélie FRA ( CN SARREGUEMINES ) – 16:41.36
4. POU Lisa FRA ( AS MONACO NATATION ) – 16:47.72
5. EGOROVA Anna RUS ( CS CLICHY 92 ) – 16:56.24
6. BARNIET Lou-Anne FRA ( SAINT-RAPHAEL NATATION ) – 16:57.16
7. CATTEAU Madelon FRA ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 17:02.73
8. KUNTZMANN Marie FRA ( DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC ) – 17:08.10

Lara Grangeon-de Villele (AAS Sarcelles) cruised to an easy win with 16:37.03 in heat 1 of the 1500 free. She only needed 16:51.71 in prelims to be considered for Tokyo, and with another round to take place on Wednesday, she swam about 19 seconds off her seed time but made the cut by 14.7 seconds. Aurélie Muller (CN Sarreguemines) touched second in the heat (16:41.36), also clearing the hurdle. Lou-Anne Barniet (Saint-Raphael) touched 3rd in 16:57.16, 14 seconds off her seed time.

Heat 2 went to Adeline Furst (Dauphins Toulouse) in 16:37.48, just 2.2 seconds off her entry time. Lisa Pou (AS Monaco), who won her 3rd consecutive 25km national title at French Open Water Nationals last week, touched second in 16:47.72. Top-seeded Anna Egorova from Russia (CS Clichy 92) was about 30 seconds off her time with a 3rd-place finish in 16:56.24.

While four swimmers cleared the first bar of 16:51.71 for prelims, they will need to beat 16:21.21 in finals to qualify for Tokyo.