2026 FRENCH ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Saturday, June 27th – Thursday, July 2nd
- Piscine Raymond Sommet, Saint-Etienne, France
- LCM (50m)
- French Selection Criteria for European Championships
- Meet Central
- Event Schedule
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- SwimSwam Meet Preview
- SwimSwam Recaps
Welcome to the 4th finals session for the 2026 French Elite Championships!
There has been some fast swimming so far this week, and we could be in for some more tonight, even with the recently announced withdrawal of Leon Marchand, due to a hip injury.
On the schedule tonight, there are six individual event finals:
- Women’s 1500 freestyle
- Men’s 50 Breaststroke
- Women’s 100 Backstroke
- Men’s 50 Backstroke
- Women’s 200 Breaststroke
- Men’s 200 Freestyle
Ines Delacroix is the top seed in the women’s 1500 freestyle tonight in 16:29.24, about 15 seconds off the Paris selection time of 16:14.00.
In the men’s 50 breaststroke, Carl Aitkaci earned the top spot in 27.19, a tenth under the qualifying time of 27.30. He is not officially on the European Championships team yet, and will be looking to stay under that qualifying time in tonight’s final to lock up his spot.
The women’s 100 backstroke will see Mary-Ambre Moluh as the top seed and the only swimmer under 1:00 in this morning’s prelims session with her 59.66. Beryl Gastaldello is seeded 2nd after swimming 1:00.25.
Lysander Osman took the top seed in the men’s 50 backstroke prelims, touching in 24.89 to be the only sub-25 swimmer this morning. He will be trying to replicate that swim tonight after exactly tying the qualifying time of 24.89.
In the women’s 200 breaststroke, Melina Giraudeau and Lucie Vasquez will be racing for the top spot with Giraudeau holding the top seed at 2:30.38 and Vasquez coming in seeded 2nd at 2:30.86.
The final event of the session will be the men’s 200 freestyle, where 16-year-old Sauveur Cristofini swam 1:47.61 to be the top swimmer in prelims. He currently holds the French U17 record at 1:47.56, and he will be chasing an individual qualification in the event tonight.
Women’s 1500 Freestyle — Timed Final (Fastest Heat)
- World Record: 15:20.48 — Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
- World Junior Record: 15:28.36 — Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
- French Record: 15:40.35 — Anastasia Kirpichnikova (2024)
- French European Championships Qualifying Time: 16:14.00
Top 3 Finishers
- Gold: Lou-Ann Gaudaire — 16:22.76
- Silver: Ines Delacroix — 16:34.06
- Bronze: Alexa Reyna — 16:36.66
Lou-Ann Gaudaire won the women’s 1500 freestyle final heat with her time of 16:22.76, almost 12 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Gaudaire’s time was a 23 second drop from her lifetime best of 16:45.86, which she set in March of this year. She came in a little more than eight seconds off the European Championships qualifying time of 16:14.00.
Ines Delacroix took 2nd in 16:34.06, a five second add from her best of 16:29.24, which she set, also in March of 2026.
Alexa Reyna, who swims collegiately at ASU, tok 3rd in 16:36.66, a 15 second add from her best of 16:21.46, which she set in July of 2022.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke — Final
- World Record: 24.95 — Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)
- World Junior Record: 26.95 — Jan Malte Grafe, GER (2025)
- French Record: 26.93 — Antoine Viquerat (2025)
- French European Championships Qualifying Time: 27.30
Top 3 Finishers
- Gold: Carl Aitkaci — 27.21 **Qualifying Time
- Silver: Ronan Wantenaar (NAM) — 27.24
- Bronze: Pierre Goudeneche — 27.35
After just missing a spot in the 100 breast, Carl Aitkaci officially earned his roster spot for the 2026 European Championships with his win in the men’s 50 breaststroke.
He stopped the clock in 27.21, winning the event by three hundredths over Ronan Wantenaar‘s 27.24 in 2nd overall. Aitkaci’s time was nine hundredths faster than the French qualifying time of 27.21.
Aitkaci’s swim was a slight add from his prelims time of 27.19, but was still faster than his pre-meet best of 27.51.
Wantenaar’s best stands at 26.85 from the World Championships last summer.
Pierre Goudeneche finished 3rd in 27.35, just missing the QT by five hundredths.
Women’s 100 Backstroke — Final
- World Record: 57.13 — Regan Smith, USA (2024)
- World Junior Record: 57.57 — Regan Smith, USA (2019)
French Record: 58.79 — Emma Terebo (2024)- French European Championships Qualifying Time: 1:00.27
Top 3 Finishers
- Gold: Mary-Ambre Moluh — 58.25 **New French Record
- Silver: Pauline Mahieu — 59.57 **QT
- Bronze: Beryl Gastaldello — 59.76 **QT
Mary-Ambre Moluh picked up her 2nd French Record of this meet in the women’s 100 backstroke, stopping the clock in 58.25 to take more than half-a-second off Emma Terebo‘s 2024 record of 58.79, splitting 27.91/30.34.
Moluh’s swim will move her up to the 5th fastest performer in the world this season, just behind Katharine Berkoff‘s 58.20. The next fastest European athlete this season is Pauline Mahieu with the 59.44 she set in March, which is ranked 15th in the world.
2025-2026 LCM Women 100 BACK
Smith
57.49
| 2 | Isabelle Stadden | USA | 57.55 | 05/02 |
| 3 | Kaylee MCKEOWN | AUS | 57.77 | 06/09 |
| 4 | Katharine Berkoff | USA | 58.20 | 06/17 |
| 5 | Mary-Ambre Moluh | FRA | 58.25 | 06/30 |
Moluh’s pre-meet best stood at 59.01 from early in June. She came into the season at 59.16 from last summer’s French Championships.
Mahieu chased down Beryl Gastaldello on the back half to finish 2nd in 59.57. Mahieu split 29.14/30.43 to outsplit Gastaldello’s 28.69/31.07 by about six tenths on the 2nd 50.
Gastaldello still earned her own qualification in the event, touching in 59.76 to be the final swimmer sub-1:00 this evening.
Men’s 50 Backstroke — Final
- World Record: 23.55 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2023)
- World Junior Record: 24.00 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
- French Record: 24.07 — Camille Lacourt (2010)
- French European Championships Qualifying Time: 24.89
Top 3 Finishers
- Gold: Yohann Ndoye-Brouard — 25.00
- Silver: Lysander Osman — 25.01
- Bronze: Jules Andre/Michel Arkhangelsky (BRN) — 25.13
There were no individual men’s qualifiers in the 50 backstroke with no athletes coming in under the qualifying standard of 24.89.
Yohann Ndoye-Brouard swam the top time of 25.00. He is already on the team for his performance in the 200 backstroke. His lifetime best is 24.62 from June of 2025.
Lysander Osman took 2nd in 25.01 after exactly tying the qualifying time in the prelims to earn the top seed.
Jules Andre and Michel Arkhangelsky tied for 3rd overall in 25.13. This swim was a three hundredth drop for Andre from the 25.16 he set in December of 2025. Arkhangelsky, also set a new best, dropping three tenths from his time of 25.52, which he set in May of 2025.
Women’s 200 Breaststroke — Final
- World Record: 2:17.55 — Evgenia Chikunova, RUS (2023)
- World Junior Record: 2:19.64 — Viktoriya Zeynep Gunes, TUR (2015)
- French Record: 2:25.12 — Justine Delmas (2021)
- French European Championships Qualifying Time: 2:25.91
Top 3 Finishers
- Gold: Lucie Vasquez — 2:28.13
- Silver: Zia Dupont — 2:29.09
- Bronze: Melina Giraudeau — 2:29.25
For the 2nd event in a row, there were no swimmers who earned French Qualifying Times for the European Championships in the women’s 200 breaststroke.
Lucie Vasquez swam the top time in the event of 2:28.13. This swim was an eight tenth drop from her previous best of 2:28.99, which she set in December of 2023. She split 1:09.82/1:18.31 to win the event by seven tenths over silver medalist Zia Dupont.
Dupont swam 2:29.09, splitting 1:12.19/1:16.90, nearly closing the gap on the final 100. Her swim was a tenth add from the 2:28.12 she swam in June of 2024. She did close the gap on the bronze medalist Melina Giraudeau
Giraudeau finished 3rd in 2:29.25, adding two tenths from the 2:29.17 she swam in July of 2022. She split 1:11.95/1:17.30.
Men’s 200 Freestyle — Final
- World Record: 1:42.00 — Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
- World Junior Record: 1:42.97 — David Popovici, ROM (2022)
- French Record: 1:43.14 — Yannick Agnel (2011)
- French European Championships Qualifying Time: 1:46.88
Top 3 Finishers
- Gold: Sauveur Cristofini/Roman Fuchs — 1:46.86 **QT
- Silver: (tie)
- Bronze: Pierre Largeron — 1:47.84
There was a tie for the win in the men’s 200 freestyle final with Sauveur Cristofini and Roman Fuchs both swimming 1:46.86 to stop the clock two hundredths under the qualifying time of 1:46.88.
Fuchs was out faster, splitting 51.32 on the opening 100 to Cristofini’s 51.55. On the 2nd 100, Cristofini came back harder, splitting 55.31 to catch Fuchs’ 55.54.
Cristofini’s swim was slightly off his lifetime best of 1:46.44 from the French Junior Championships, while Fuchs’ lifetime best stands at 1:46.11 from the World Championships last summer.
The bronze medal went to Pierre Largeron‘s 1:47.84, a near three tenth drop from the 1:48.00 he set in June of 2025. He split 52.39/55.45
The French men’s team also qualified their 4×200 freestyle relay to the European Championships with the aggregate times from the top four athletes in the final adding up to 7:09.43, half-a-second under the QT of 7:10.00. Neo Dutriaux finished 4th in 1:47.87. This is crucial for the team that did not qualify a 4×100 freestyle relay.
what were moluh’s splits?
27.91/30.34
Holy cow Moluh
Serious time in the 100 back. Fingers crossed the ER falls this summer.
I almost forgot Dawson holds the ER in this event. She broke onto the world stage for one season and then disappeared due to injuries.
I’m hoping for a 57 because why not?
I think it’s inevitable that more and more women will get into the 57 range when the top names are already on the verge of going 56s. 57 is becoming the new 58.
I am quite shocked at how poor the quality of performances at this meet have been overall so far.
The depth is severely lacking in so many events and almost most of the stars that are hitting QT times are all seemingly past their prime and advanced in age.
France has historically been a great and deep swimming nation and I hope they find their footing once more because they cannot keep depending on the same 10 ‘stars’ for success.
The depth really is the thing. The country has 70 million people, it has swimming history, it has facilities, it has the money – it has all of the things that should make for good swimming results and more depth.
The absence of their two male stars is making it look even worse but the depth behind the top few is really not good, outside of a few events (women’s sprint backstrokes).
The overall depth and quality of French swimming is quite underwhelming right now. But honestly there were a lot of promising signs from the younger guys this season — the men’s 100 fly, the 100 and 200 free, the backstroke events, and the 50/100 breast all had some interesting newcomers
That said, you’ve got to factor in the conditions, and the federation deserves a chunk of the blame here. They held these championships in an ancient pool — only 8 lanes, no A/C, teams forced to set up their tents and stuff in the yard as there’s not enough room inside. A lot of swimmers were complaining about the heat. Yohann Ndoye Brouard even said he was struggling to… Read more »