2023 FRENCH ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, June 11th – Friday, June 16th
- Rennes, France
- LCM (50m)
- World Championships Qualifier
- FFN Selection Criteria
- Meet Central
- Entries
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- Day 1 Prelims Recap / Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap
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The second day of the 2023 French Elite Championships saw Leon Marchand swim another lifetime best during morning prelims, this time in the 200-meter freestyle with a 1:48.70 that shaved over five seconds off his previous mark.
But the 21-year-old Arizona State star will likely need another sizable drop to top the podium tonight as 25-year-old Roman Fuchs led the heats two seconds ahead of Marchand with a personal-best 1:46.70 that snuck under the French qualifying time in the event. For one possible point of reference, Marchand’s best 200-yard freestyle time is a 1:30.77 from March, which converts to a 1:43.95 in long course meters.
Racing on Monday night in Rennes will get started with a tight battle in the women’s 100 backstroke final, where Analia Pigree (1:01.05), Pauline Mahieu (1:00.50), and Emma Terebo (1:00.48) were all within a second of top seed Mary-Ambre Moluh (1:00.11). Two-time Olympian Beryl Gastaldello (1:01.27) is also lurking not far behind as the fifth seed.
Yohann Ndoye-Brouard paced the men’s 100 back prelims with a Fukuoka qualifying time of 53.95, with three other swimmers also finishing under the 55-second threshold. Clement Secchi logged 54.37 to flank Ndoye-Brouard, Mewen Tomac will be on the other side in 54.51, and Antoine Herlem is in the mix as well with a morning time of 54.91.
In the women’s 200 breaststroke, national record holder Justine Delmas cruised to the top seed in prelims (2:26.88) nearly three seconds ahead of Charlotte Bonnet (2:29.54), who was the only other swimmer under the 2:30 barrier.
After Fuchs and Marchand face off in the men’s 200 free, the session will conclude with the women’s 1500 free, where Anastasia Kirpichnikova will try to add another event to her Worlds schedule after becoming the first Frenchwoman in seven years to qualify internationally for the 400 free.
Stay tuned for live updates below:
Women’s 100 Backstroke – Final
- French Record: 59.50, Laure Manaudou (2006)
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 1:00.29
Top 8:
- Pauline Mahieu – 59.66
- Analia Pigree – 59.79
- Mary-Ambre Moluh – 59.80
- Emma Terebo – 1:00.09
- Nina Kost – 1:01.79
- Bertille Cousson – 1:02.04
- Aela Janvier – 1:02.85
- Lou-Anne Guiton – 1:02.89
Pauline Mahieu pulled out the victory in a tight finish as three other swimmers were within a half second of her. The 24-year-old Mahieu touched first in a personal-best 59.66, dropping nearly a tenth off her previous-best 59.75 from last year’s European Championships. She’s now only .16 seconds away from Laure Manaudou‘s French record of 59.50 from way back in 2006.
Analia Pigree also posted a lifetime best with a 59.79 en route to second place, edging Mary-Ambre Moluh by just .01 seconds. Pigree, 21, shaved almost a tenth off her previous-best 59.88 from the 2021 French Winter Nationals. Moluh and Emma Terebo (1:00.09) also finished under France’s qualifying time for Fukuoka (1:00.29).
Men’s 100 Backstroke – Final
- French Record: 52.11, Camille Lacourt (2010)
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 54.01
Top 8:
- Mewen Tomac – 52.87
- Yohann Ndoye-Brouard – 53.53
- Clement Secchi – 54.20
- Antoine Herlem – 55.08
- Clement Bidard – 55.26
- Jules Andre – 55.40
- Michel Arkhangelsky – 55.40
- Ladislas Salczer – 55.54
21-year-old Mewen Tomac outdueled top prelims qualifier Yohann Ndoye-Brouard in the final with a winning time of 52.87, just a blink off his personal-best 52.86 from the 2021 European Championships. Tomac now ranks as the sixth-fastest performer in the world this season.
The 22-year-old Ndoye-Brouard earned the runner-up finish in 53.53, under the Fukuoka qualifying time of 54.01 but more than a second slower than his personal-best 52.50 from last year’s World Championships, where he placed fourth.
Missouri fifth year Clement Secchi tallied a huge lifetime best on his way to a third-place showing in 54.20. His previous best was a 55.65 from April’s Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont.
Women’s 200 Breaststroke – Final
- French Record: 2:25.12, Justine Delmas (2021)
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 2:24.63
Top 8:
- Charlotte Bonnet – 2:25.21
- Justine Delmas – 2:26.13
- Fantine Lesaffre – 2:28.72
- Melina Giraudeau – 2:30.04
- Adele Blanchetiere – 2:30.30
- Zia Dupont – 2:30.74
- Lucie Vasquez – 2:31.56
- Dounia Chaar – 2:37.16
Not only did Charlotte Bonnet rally past top qualifier Justine Delmas for the national title, but she also put a scare into her national record from 2021.
At 28 years old, Bonnet clocked her second lifetime best in as many days after posting a personal-best 2:10.64 to win Sunday’s 200 IM final. Her winning time of 2:25.21 shaved more than three seconds off her previous-best 2:28.45 from March, coming less than a tenth of a second shy of the French record (2:25.12) set by Delmas in 2021. Bonnet, a London 2012 Olympic medalist, edged Delmas (2:26.13) by almost a second, but she was still about half a second off France’s lofty Fukuoka qualifying time of 2:24.63.
28-year-old Fantine Lesaffre (2:28.72) was the only other swimmer sub-2:30 in the final, a couple seconds off her personal-best 2:26.48 from the 2019 French Championships.
Men’s 200 Freestyle – Final
- French Record: 1:43.14, Yannick Agnel (2012)
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 1:46.79
Top 8:
- Leon Marchand – 1:46.44
- Hadrien Salvan – 1:46.82
- Roman Fuchs – 1:46.93
- Wissam-Amazigh Yebba – 1:47.11
- Enzo Tesic – 1:47.65
- Yann Le Goff – 1:47.92
- Max Berg – 1:48.37
- Hugo Grosjean – 1:49.68
After qualifying seventh in prelims this morning with a personal-best 1:48.70 — already a five-second drop off his previous-best 1:53.74 from 2019 — Leon Marchand roared to his second French title in as many days with a 1:46.44 in the 200 free. The 21-year-old Arizona State star dropped another two-plus seconds off his best time to edge Hadrien Salvan (1:46.82) and Roman Fuchs (1:46.93) by less than half a second. Marchand now checks in as the 20th-fastest performer in the world this season and the third-fastest Frenchman ever in the event behind only Jeremy Stravius (1:45.61 from 2013) and Yannick Agnel (1:43.14 from 2012).
The 25-year-old Fuchs was a couple tenths off his personal-best 1:46.70 that led this morning’s heats. Salvan was just a few tenths off his lifetime best of 1:46.50 from last year’s European Championships.
Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Final
- French Record: 16:03.01, Laure Manaudou (2006)
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 16:13.94
Top 8:
- Anastasia Kirpichnikova – 16:04.89
- Cyrielle Duhamel – 16:22.97
- Lisa Pou – 16:34.73
- Aurelie Muller – 16:42.32
- Valentine Leclercq- 16:45.38
- Ines Delacroix – 16:50.74
- Alisia Tettamanzi – 16:51.67
- Clemence Coccordano – 16:57.38
Russian record holder Anastasia Kirpichnikova almost broke an old French standard just a week after having her sporting citizenship change officially approved by World Aquatics. Kirpichnikova, a 22-year-old native of Russia who became a French citizen in April, dominated the women’s 1500 free final with a winning time of 16:04.89, less than two seconds off Laure Manaudou‘s national record (16:03.01) from way back in 2006. It’s her fastest so far this calendar year, but Kirpichnikova’s season best remains at 15:58.90 from December.
Kirpichnikova reached the wall well under the Fukuoka qualifying standard (16:13.94), adding another event to her growing Worlds schedule (400 free, 5km, 10km).
23-year-old Cyrielle Duhamel placed second in the final more than 18 seconds behind Kirpichnikova with a time of 16:22.97, about nine seconds off the Fukuoka qualifying mark.
The 1:44 predictions (and the 3:59 ones) are not based in reality. He was 1:47 on a relay at worlds last summer and uses his underwaters in yards way more than any other elite 200 yard freestyler. I’m glad he swam it, and should continue to on a national level, but he’ll never be a medal threat in FR.
i was with you until the medal threat part. 1:46.4 is not far off. 1:45.0 is a medal threat and he’s presumably not too rested, though i know people have been swimming really well after those bowman altitude camps for like 15 years
It was 1:44.6 to medal in Tokyo and 1:44.9 to medal last year with no Russians and no Scott. Richards, Zhanle, are likely to be in that mix, and we’ve had 5 1:44 this year with a month until worlds.
Just realized that Laure Manaudou has the French records in both the 100 backstroke and 1500 freestyle, with each set the same year (2006). Pretty amazing double.
She was the second swimmer ever under 1:00 in the 100 back (the first being Coughlin), and it’s pretty amazing because she had horrible streamlines and zero underwaters.
He’s growing into this event. Phelps 200 freestyle in 2003 vibes. I’m sure if he races it rested he will be out substantially faster. He can’t be slower than 1:45.0 if he swims a relay this year. Probably capable of medaling next year in the 2fr next year but it’s a stretch. Between Popovici, Dean, Scott, Hwang Sun-woo, maybe James Guy, and probably one of the Americans, it’s gonna be a tight field for Silver and Bronze. I think 2025 and beyond Marchand will be a threat to any 200 freestyler above 1:41, he just trains too well and swims too cleanly to not improve substantially on his time here.
This is crazy in that he may begin to take on a more similar path as phelps for the olympics…the only problem is does he have too many overlaps? If he swims 100 breast, I think there will be a big problem on the 400IM day as, i’m just looking at us trials schedule, also has a 200 free semi and a 100 breast final in it…
I come back to – I really hope Bob Bowman and Marchand do not try to bite off more than he can chew…rather than doing just really good in as many events as possible, I am really hoping for doing GREAT at a schedule events that does not overwork and tire him out….same… Read more »
That’s not generally how it goes for this event. 200 freestyle is dominated by very young 20s guys (or teens). Thorpe, Phelps, Popovici…Predicting he will get better as he ages likely isn’t going to pan out in this event. He’s good at their event but he’s not great enough in it to be a medal lock. And you don’t even know who’s going to come on in the next couple of years that we haven’t heard about yet.
Phelps pb 23 yo. Lochte pb ~27 yo. Thorpe retired at 23 (pb 18?).
Popi?… God only knows whats gonna happen. Hopefully not another thorpey story. Such a bummer how he was treated and how the story ended. He was right if Phelps was 2 years older that would’ve been a freakin bloodbath.
Lochte is had 1 worlds title in a relatively weak era for the event. Marchand will have Popovici his entire career 3 years younger than him.
Since 2000 the worlds/Olympics gold medalists with age.
2000 OGs – Hoogenband – 22
2001 Worlds – Thorpe – 19
2003 Worlds – Thorpe – 21
2004 OG – Thorpe – 22
2005 Worlds – Phelps – 20
2007 Worlds – Phelps – 22
2008 OGs – Phelps – 23
2009 Worlds – Biedermann – 22
2011 Worlds – Lochte – 27
2012 OG – The Pedophile – 20
2013 Worlds – The Pedophile 21
2015 Worlds – James Guy –… Read more »
I had to upvote for the nicknames but i disagree with the first sentence. That 2011 race was stacked and the pedo won the year after with one of the best 2frees we’ve seen. Year before was post suit year which was hard for everyone but as far as eras that was the thick of one of the better ones. 5 or 6 under 1:45 in the 2011 race. Phelps was there. Time wasnt the best but still 2s better than LM today… :/
I was not the one saying anything about 1:41s. Thats only Pop and Sunwoo territory in the best case scenario outcome. Sunwoo’s going a 1:43 low this year btw for silver. That 1:39 was built different… Read more »
He is a pure IMer everything else is extra. He can dabble in whatever extra event he wants and possibly medal. French relays are a waste of energy
Honestly? Not seeing it. He did it clearly rested and at day 2 of trials, after a massive PB in the 200 breast to show us the kind of form he’s in. He already dropped like a second compared to his best time in the 200 free, which is a relay split from last year (flying start, yes I know). He is 21, so crazy drops are very unlikely going into the future. If he focuses on it, then I don’t think a 1:44 is out of question, but to say he would be a threat to any 200 freestyler above 1:41 is implying he has 1:42 potential, which he… does not.
This is the worst comment I’ve read in a while
“If he swims it rested” hahaha sweetie no
Saving himself for the IM’s
Or this is just the time that he’s capable of swimming?
I’ve got leon’s fastest 200 splits added up for the 200 IM at 25.34, 28.81, 32.68, 27.01 for a 1:53.84
I don’t think he will go 1:53.84 but I believe he is capable
That 27.01 is a split from a flip turn. Going from breast with an open turn will probably add almost a second.
He is doing a 50 of fly and a 50 of breast before that as well, which is not the same as swimming only freestyle.
Not sure this makes it faster or slower though? Probably athlete dependent.
Seeing as last 50s in the IM are on average slower than in the 200free… short axis is generally more taxing and freestyle is the most natural way of swimming.
still going to be very fast
I don’t think he can come home in a 27.01 but he can be faster in the backstroke and breastroke than 28.81 and 32.68. We’ll see…
what was his last 50 split?
25.30/27.10/27.03/27.01
thanks
Wow, beautiful splits
25.30/27.10/27.03/27.01 is a thing of beauty
Solid swim for Marchand, incredible underwaters. The 4 IM WR definitely within striking distance.
he was out kind of slow I think he will swim faster on the relay in fukuoka when he is chasing someone
ie. Carson foster having deja vu