2023 FRENCH ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, June 11th – Friday, June 16th
- Rennes, France
- LCM (50m)
- World Championships Qualifier
- FFN Selection Criteria
- Meet Central
- Entries
- SwimSwam Preview
- Day 1 Prelims Recap / Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap / Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap / Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap
- Live Results
- Live Stream
All eyes will once again be on Leon Marchand on the fourth night of action from the French Elite Championships, as the 21-year-old will aim to go four-for-four with one of his best events on the docket.
Marchand will compete in the 200 IM tonight in Rennes, the event in which he is the reigning world champion, where he’ll have a chance to reclaim the top spot in the world rankings, a position he held for a few weeks after clocking 1:55.68 in April, but was overtaken by China’s Wang Shun (1:55.55) last month.
If Marchand were to swim a season-best time, he would realistically be in contention to take down his French Record of 1:55.22, set last summer en route to the world title in Budapest.
He qualified third out of the men’s 200 IM heats this morning in a time of 2:00.46, trailing Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches (2:00.26) and Algeria’s Jaouad Syoud (2:00.41).
The highlight of this morning’s session was the performance of Charlotte Bonnet, who broke her own French Record by five one-hundredths in a time of 1:07.71. She will need to take off a bigger chunk tonight if she is to add this event to her Worlds lineup, having already qualified in the 200 IM.
Marie Wattel, who has already punched her ticket to Fukuoka in the 50 free and 100 fly, led the women’s 100 free this morning in 54.58, followed by Beryl Gastaldello (55.05) and Mary-Ambre Moluh (55.24).
MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL
- French Record: 1:55.22, Leon Marchand – 2022
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 1:58.53
- Leon Marchand, 1:56.25
- Clément Bidard, 2:00.02
- Enzo Tesic, 2:00.27
- Emilien Mattenet, 2:00.67
- Jeremy Desplanches (SUI), 2:00.73
- Jacques Saletes, 2:01.98
- Lucien Vergnes, 2:02.89
- Leo Gruart, 2:04.79
Leon Marchand asserted himself off the first turn and never looked back, storming to victory in the men’s 200 IM in a time of 1:56.25.
After Marchand was one of three swimmers sub-26 on fly (25.79), he exploded off the turn with his dynamic underwater ability, opening up a big advantage that only extended throughout the rest of the race.
The defending world champion split 28.67 on back, 32.83 on breast and 28.96 on free to finish in a time of 1:56.25, just over half a second shy of his season-best 1:55.68 from the Westmont Pro Swim Series in April.
With his fourth-fastest swim ever, the 21-year-old Marchand adds a fourth individual event to his World Championship lineup, though he has said he will only race the medley events and the 200 fly.
It was a close race for the runner-up spot, which Enzo Tesic occupied early in the race after getting out to a blistering start with the fastest opening 50 at 25.47.
Tesic was overtaken by Clément Bidard on the breaststroke leg, with Bidard splitting 33.35, and then the two went head-to-head coming home, with Bidard inching out Tesic, 2:00.02 to 2:00.27. Both swimmers own personal bests in the 1:59-high range.
Switzerland’s Jeremy Desplanches was in the battle for second through the 150, but faded on free and fell to fifth in 2:00.73, having been run down by Emilien Mattenet (2:00.67).
Algerian Jaouad Syoud stormed to victory in the consolation final, clocking 1:59.98, just under two seconds shy of his National Record set last year (1:58.12).
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL
French Record: 1:07.71, Charlotte Bonnet – 2023- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 1:07.12
- Florine Gaspard (BEL), 1:07.21
- Charlotte Bonnet, 1:07.54
- Justine Delmas, 1:08.51
- Lucie Vasquez, 1:09.52
- Adele Blanchetiere, 1:09.81
- Chloe Braun, 1:10.29
- Zia Dupont, 1:11.38
- Melina Girudeau, 1:11.39
French-trained Belgian Florine Gaspard fired off a sizeable personal best time to secure victory in the final of the women’s 100 breaststroke, while Charlotte Bonnet was the runner-up and reset her National Record for the second time today.
Gaspard, 21, set a PB for the first time since December 2021, clocking 1:07.21 after having gone 1:07.72 a year and a half ago. She is now within three-tenths of the Belgian Record, set by Fanny Lecluyse (1:06.97) in 2019.
Bonnet, who broke her French Record of 1:07.76 with a 1:07.71 prelim swim, got down to 1:07.54 to lower the mark for the third time this year, falling four-tenths shy of the World Championship-qualifying time of 1:07.12.
Well under the World Aquatics ‘B’ cut, Bonnet could still end up racing the event in Fukuoka, having already qualified for the team in the 200 IM.
Justine Delmas, who set a new national age record for 18-year-old girls in the prelims at 1:08.25, rounded out thew top three in 1:08.51. Delmas came into the competition with a lifetime best of 1:08.80 set last year at Euro Juniors where she won silver.
MEN’S 200 BACK – FINAL
- French Record: 1:55.62, Yohann Ndoye-Brouard – 2022
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 1:58.07
- Mewen Tomac, 1:56.45
- Antoine Herlem, 1:57.11
- Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, 1:57.30
- Christophe Brun, 1:59.47
- Geoffroy Mathieu, 1:59.89
- Mathys Chouchaoui, 2:00.15
- Simon Clusman, 2:00.17
- Alexandre Desangles, 2:00.64
Mewen Tomac slowly pulled away from Antoine Herlem to claim the French title in the men’s 200 back, falling just a tenth shy of his lifetime best in 1:56.45.
Tomac, 21, was fifth at the 2022 World Championships in 1:56.35, and was well under the pace he was on in that swim through the 150 before falling off coming home. He comfortably qualifies for the World Championships in the event, having already done so by winning the 100 back (52.87), as does Herlem.
Tomac moves into ninth in the world this season.
Herlem, who owns a best time of 1:56.42 from the 2020(1) European Championships, produced his fastest time in two years to place second in 1:57.11. Like Tomac, he kept his second and third 50s sub-30, but tightened up a touch coming home in 30.54.
The 24-year-old earns his first World Championship berth.
Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, who injured himself skiing late last year and couldn’t swim for three months, was third in 1:57.30, nearly running down Herlem with a 30.10 closing split. Ndoye-Brouard already booked his ticket to Fukuoka by placing second in the 100 back.
Christophe Brun, the bronze medalist in this event at the 2022 Mediterranean Games, where he set a PB of 1:58.40, was fourth in 1:59.47, edging out Geoffroy Mathieu (1:59.89), who owns a best time of 1:57.04 stemming from 2017.
WOMEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL
- French Record: 2:05.09, Aurore Mongel – 2009
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 2:09.07
- Tabatha Avetand, 2:09.73
- Lilou Ressencourt, 2:10.38
- Juliette Marchand, 2:11.29
- Fantine Lesaffre, 2:13.47
- Lili-Rose Berthelot, 2:14.69
- Fanny Borer, 2:15.08
- Soizic Gelfmann, 2:16.37
- Adelaide Meuter, 2:18.90
Tabatha Avetand pulled away from Lilou Ressencourt down the stretch to win the women’s 200 butterfly, cracking 2:10 for the first time and setting a National Age Record to boot.
Avetand clocked 2:09.73 to break the French 18-year-old record of 2:09.87 established by Marie Wattel in 2015, and also knocks off her previous best of 2:10.83 set in April 2022.
Avetand trailed Ressencourt by just under four-tenths at the final turn, but managed to pull away on the closing 50 with the field’s lone sub-35 split at 34.36. She falls shy of the World Championships qualifying time of 2:09.07.
Ressencourt, who set a best time of 2:09.65 last month on the Mare Nostrum Tour, placed second in 2:10.38, the second-fastest swim of her career.
Juliette Marchand rounded out the top three in 2:11.29, crushing her previous best of 2:12.78 from last year.
MEN’S 50 BREAST – FINAL
- French Record: 27.36, Giacomo Perez-Dortona – 2009
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 27.20
- Denis Petrashov (KGZ), 27.51
- Carl Aitkaci, 27.66
- Brendan Fitzpatrick, 27.87
- Benjamin Goguey, 28.08
- Julien Valor, 28.20
- Pierre Goudeneche, 28.21
- Lucien Vergnes, 28.41
- Kacper Pastula, 28.68
Kyrgyzstan’s Denis Petrashov made it a sprint breaststroke sweep as he claims the men’s 50 in a time of 27.51, just shy of his lifetime best and National Record of 27.28 set at the Westmont Pro Swim in April.
Carl Aitkaci was the top French performer in 27.66, matching his personal best from December 2021, though he fell shy of the Worlds cut of 27.20.
Brendan Fitzpatrick rounded out the podium in 27.87, breaking 28 seconds for the first time.
The consolation final saw Mikel Schreuders set a new Aruban Record in 27.47, lowering his previous mark of 27.52 set at the 2022 World Championships.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL
- French Record: 52.74, Charlotte Bonnet – 2018
- French Qualifying Time for Fukuoka: 53.88
- Marie Wattel, 53.81
- Beryl Gastaldello, 53.92
- Mary-Ambre Moluh, 54.48
- Lison Nowaczyk, 54.91
- Assia Touati, 55.37
- Giulia Rossi-Bene, 55.54
- Oceane Carnez, 55.82
- Eloise Riley, 56.08
Marie Wattel capped off the night with a win in the women’s 100 free in what was a nail-biter with Beryl Gastaldello, inching under the World Championship qualifying time in 53.81.
Wattel, 26, adds a third individual event to her program in Fukuoka, recording a season-best to rank 14th in the world. She owns a personal best of 53.12, set at the Tokyo Olympics, and was seventh at the 2022 World Championships in 53.60.
Wattel and Gastaldello were separated by .01 at the 50, but Wattel closed a tenth quicker coming home (25.91/27.90) to claim the title.
Gastaldello, who swam her fastest time in more than two years in March at 53.60, narrowly misses the Worlds qualifying time of 53.88 in 53.92, and still has yet to book her ticket to Worlds.
The French federation is leaving relay slots up for discretionary selection, so there’s still a good chance she’ll be added to the team after the championships.
Rising star Mary-Ambre Moluh took third in 54.48, breaking 55 seconds for the first time after previously holding a best time of 55.00 from last year.
Lison Nowaczyk made it four swimmers sub-55, chopping .01 off her personal best in 54.91.
21.56 prelim for Manaudou
I feel so bad for Beryl. I hope she can still qualify individually.
all this tells me is that the dude is going to obliterate the 200 breast world record
along with the 200 and 400 IM records.
hahaha the downvotes are hilarious. keep the receipts
Here is the interview of Léon Marchand after his 200 IM. The more the trials go on, the more he’s tired. He recognizes himself. I don’t know if Bob Bowman knows why because he thought on monday after the two fist races that Léon would make big times during the week. I hope that Bob will make an interview before leaving the trials and France.
“I really focused on the technical parts. I don’t have a lot of speed in butterfly, which leads me to force in backstroke. I think it’s a little tight at the end but I’m happy it’s a good race. I was flat out, that’s my level today. I’m quite happy with all that, but… Read more »
Considering how tired he looks to be after 4 days of racing, it would be a great achievement if he pulls a sub 4.08 400im like he did in Westmont (where it was the first night). I expect anything between 4:07 and 4:10. (Or he faked it all and goes 4:04 tomorrow lol)
Agreed. Phelps’ 400IM record will last until Worlds.
*backstroke split of Marchand 28.67 vs 29.28 TYR series
*breaststroke split 32.83 vs 32.41
*Last stroke of freestyle too long.
Likely we are going to see an amazing performance in Fukuoka next month and may be more than one world record.
Leon should be their 4 medley relay breastroker
I know he can’t because of his busy schedule, I’m just selfish and wanna see him do it
I though the 4 Medley relay was the last day, which of his events would interfere with him swimming on that relay?
he has no individuals that day, he could absolutely swim on the medley relay
When did Charlotte Bonnet go from a 100/200 freestyler to a breaststroker?!
For almost two years. After Tokyo OG, she started thinking about this. She didn’t take any pleasure in freestyle. Her PB are big time. 52”74 (french record) in the 100 free and 1’54”95 in the 200 free, a time which gave her the title in the 2018 European championships in Glasgow, Scotland. She’ll end her career after Paris games and tries to make progress in breaststroke. Of course her times are very far from the world level. But I think her goal is to hang on one or two finals at Olympics. It will be really hard because for now her PB are 1’07”54 on the 100 breast (french record) and 2’25”21 on the 200 breast.