2024 French Olympic Trials: Day 1 Finals – Live Recap

2024 FRENCH ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, June 16 – Friday, June 21
• Chartres, France
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Entry List
• Results
• Live Stream
• Prelims: Day 1 

Bonjour, Mes Amis. Le premier jour de Championnats de France Elite est ….. about to commence. I’m sorry that is the end of my limited French, but that does not mean that we aren’t going to try again tomorrow and make it a whole two sentences. If you aren’t filled with enough swimming news from the US Olympic Trials, I hope these exciting races can help whet your appetite.

But before we get to that point, we have to cover today’s action. The prelims of the 100 fly saw Marie Wattel do Marie Wattel things, as she easily topped the field by a full second. Wattel, the national record holder, was a casual 58.74. She’ll need to drop another second to get under the qualifying standard of 57.92. She has yet to be under 58.5 this season but was 57.34 at French trials last summer, so she should be in a good place to make another Olympic team.

With a stiff entry time and a lack of depth in the 100 breaststroke it’ll be a tough ask to get a qualifier in this event, but not impossible. The top seed tonight, Antoine Marc, dropped close to three-quarters of a second, and if he can do that again, he’ll be in spitting distance of the qualifying time.

Anastasiia Kirpichnikova leads the charge in the 400 free. Known to get better and better as the distance increases, the Russian 2021 Olympian will be looking to represent her new nation of France in their home Olympics. Behind her Lucile Tessariol and Anna Egorova are both situated at 4:17 and will flank Kirpichinkova tonight. The men’s 400 free sees David Aubry looking to make another French Olympic team. Aubry almost even split this morning’s swim but will need to drop close to three seconds off his time to undercut the qualifying standard.

Much like the Wattel in the 100 fly, Charlotte Bonnet, the national record holder in the 100 breast, is about one second away from the qualifying time. The qualifying time, however, is over half a second faster than her own national record, so she will need to hit a massive new personal best in order to make the event individually. As France has qualified a medley relay for the Olympics, the winner will likely earn a spot on the roster.

We end the day with the non-olympic event 50 fly. The event will serve as a great barometer for two of the biggest French stars as Florent Manaudou and Maxime Grousset will look to kick their week off with a great swim. Manaudou’s time this morning, 22.87, is just .02 ahead of Grousset’s, the 2023 bronze medalist, so expect an electric finish to the day.

Women’s 100 Fly – Finals

• World Record: 55.18 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024) 
• World Junior Record: 56.20 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• French Record: 56.14- Marie Wattel (2022)
• 2021 Winning Time: 57.37 – Marie Wattel
• Olympic Qualifying Time: 57.92

Top 3

1. Marie Wattel (CN Marseille) – 57.49 *OQT*
2. Lilou Ressencourt (Olympic Nice Swimming) – 58.81
3. Maty Ndoye-Brouard (Dauphins of Annecy) – 1:00.20

For the first time in close to a decade, swimmers will no longer be chasing after Sarah Sjostrom’s record. Instead, Wattel and company had Gretchen Walsh’s new standard to chase. Wattel left nothing to chance, leading from start to finish. The 2022 World silver medalist in this event was out in 26.56. Lilou Ressencourt tried to keep things close as she was just .41 behind, but Wattel’s experience was too much. Wattel came back in 30.93 to finish in 57.49, safely qualifying for her second Olympics. Ressencourt was unable to match Wattel’s speed and finished in a time of 58.81

Men’s 100 Breast -Finals

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2019) 
• World Junior Record: 59.01 -Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
• French Record: 58.64 – Hugh Duboscq (2009)
• 2021 Winning Time: 1:00.25 – Theo Bussiere
• Olympic Qualifying Time: 59.79

Top 3

1. Antoine Viquerat (Dauphins Toulouse OEC) – 1:00.07
2. Carl Aitkaci (Etoiles 92) – 1:00.69
3. Lucien Vergnes (Dauphins Toulouse OEC) – 1:00.77

Antoine Viquerat turned his disappointing morning swim of 1:01.70 into a French national title and a likely Olympic roster spot. Viquerat was just 6th after this morning but put in a strong swim to surpass all his competition. Viquerat was just 4th at the turn (28.27) behind Carl Aitkaci, but the 2021 Tokyo Olympian used his 200-breast experience to come from behind and put together a strong last 50. Splitting 31.80 on the last 50, Viquerat took the win in 1:00.07.

While a new personal best by .42, Viquerat fell short of the qualifying time of 59.49 and will not be able to swim the event individually. However, France has qualified for both a men’s and mixed medley relay and while they have used Leon Marchand on the breast legs for the relay, with his projected busy schedule, Viquerat may fill in.

Women’s 400 Free – Finals

• World Record: 3:55.38 – Ariarne Titmus, AUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 3:56.46- Summer McIntosh, CAN (2023)
• French Record: 4:01.13 – Camille Muffat (2012)
• 2021 Winning Time: 4:15.35- Fantine Lesaffre
• Olympic Qualifying Time: 4:07.90

Top 3

1. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (Montpellier) – 4:06.87 *OLY*
2. Anna Egorova (CS Clichy 92) – 4:08.77
3. Lucile Tessariol (SA Merignac) – 4:10.38

Anastasiia Kirpichnikova led the field at the 200 flipping in 2:02.02 but was closely trailed on both sides by Anna Egorova and Lucile Tessariol. Egorova pulled even closer at the 300 turn, and the pair of former teammates were neck and neck heading into the 350 turn, but Kirpichnikova really turned on the jets and went to her legs in the last 50. The 2021 Olympian who represented Russia finished in 4:06.87, splitting 30.11 on the last 50, more than a dull second faster than Egorvoa.

Her time was just .61 off her personal best from the Russian National Swiming Championships in 2021. Kirpichnikova, time safely clipped the Olympic Qualifying time of 4:07.90, meaning that she will now get the chance to represent her new home nation at their first summer Olympic Games since 1924.

Men’s 400 Free – Finals

• World Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 3:44.31 – Peter Mitson, BUL (2023)
• French Record: 3:43.85 – Yannick Agnel (2011)
• 2021 Winning Time: 3:47.34 – Joris Bouchaut
• Olympic Qualifying Time: 3:47.91

Top 3

1.  Ahmed Jaoudi (SC Thionville) – 3:46.10
2.  David Aubry (Montepellier MN) – 3:46.46
3.  Joris Bouchaut (Dauphins Toulouse OEC) – 3:49.21

At the 200 mark, there was a definite front pack, but by the 300, Tunisian Ahmed Jaouadi and Frenchman David Aubry had separated themselves from the rest of the pack. The duo was separated by just .01 at the 350 turn, and the pair sprinted down the last length of the pool stroke for stroke in an all-out battle for the wall.

Jaouadi got to the wall in 3:46.10, .36 ahead of Aubry as he closed in 27.23, as compared to Aubry’s 27.58. Aubry was close to negative splitting this morning but pushed the whole race, going out in 1:52.19, nearly three seconds faster than his prelims swim. Aubry’s time is just .06 off his personal best from the Doha Worlds and safely qualified him for his second Olympics.

Women’s 100 Breast – Finals

• World Record: 1:04.13- Lilly King, USA (2017) 
• World Junior Record: 1:04.35 -Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)
• French Record: 1:07.30- Charlotte Bonnet (2023)
• 2021 Winning Time: 1:08.76 – Fanny Deberghes
• Olympic Qualifying Time: 1:06.79

Top 3

1. Charlotte Bonnet (Olympic Nice) – 1:07.48
2. Florine Gaspard (CN Marseille) – 1:07.58
3. Lucie Vasquez (ES Massy Natation) – 1:08.83

Charlotte Bonnet tried her best to get under her French record of 1:07.30 and get close to the Olympic Qualifying time of 1:06.79, but it was not to be. Out in 31.29, she trailed Florine Gaspard, a Belgian, who trains out CN Marseille, by .24. Bonnet passed Gaspard in the closing meters to take the win by .10, 1:07.48 to 1:07.58.

Bonnet, like Viquerat, likely will take on the role of the breaststroke leg for the French medley relays. She is also entered in the 100 free and 200 IM later on in the meet and has a few more chances to an individual event to her Olympic program.

Men’s 50 Fly – Finals

• World Record: 22.27 – Andriy Govorov, UKR (2018) 
• World Junior Record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro, POR (2022)
• French Record: 22.72 – Maxime Grousset
• 2021 Winning Time: 23.55 – Thomas Piron
• Olympic Qualifying Time: N/A

Top 3 

1.  Maxime Grousset (CS Clichy 92) – 22.87
2.  Michel Arkhangelsky (CN Antibes) – 23.30
3.   Clement Secchi (CN Marseille) – 23.43

The expected Manaudou vs Grousset battle was too good to be true, as Manaudou withdrew from the final. Grousset took full advantage of the absence and notched his first win of the meet in 22.87. Grousset, who is the 10th fastest swimmer ever in this event, looked smooth and in control, using easy speed to get into the wall. Also entered in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 flies, look to see Grousset build upon this win in his other events, all of which are Olympic events.