2014 French Long Course National Championships
- Dates: Tuesday, April 8 – Sunday, April 13, 2014
- Times: prelims 9:00 am, semis/ finals 5:00 pm
- Location: Chartres, France (GMT +1, or 6 hours ahead of N.Y., 9 ahead of L.A.)
- Results: Available Here
- Televised: Eurosport France
- Championship Central
In Part One and Part Two of the meet preview we explained that the 2014 version of France’s Long Course Championships in Chartres would be a huge national meet gathering the country’s elite and age-group swimmers together under one roof.
In a meet this size there are a lot of moving parts; notably the Federation is selecting four national teams to represent France abroad this summer, from the results in Chartres. The elite swimmers are trying to qualify for the 2014 European Championships in Berlin. The Federation has loosened its criteria this year and will take the top four finishers in each event, provided they meet the FINA time standard in finals. As the week goes on we will keep track of who’s going to Euros in the chart below.
Day One: Tuesday, April 8 – Finals Contested:
Men’s 400 free: There was little disagreement that Yannick Agnel would emerge victorious in the 400 free. There was, however, a bit of disappointment from the virtual grandstands that he didn’t win in a faster time than 3:49.65. After all, his seed time was a 3:46-low and his lifetime best was 3:43-high; shouldn’t he have been faster?
2014 – 52.60; 57.94; 59.52; 59.59 = 3:49.65
2011 – 54.36; 57.82; 56.87; 54.80 = 3:43.85
Here’s my take: Not necessarily. #1 His goal, clearly stated in advance, was to make the French team in order to be able to swim this event in Berlin. It has been several years since he competed in the 400 on the international scene; all he needed to do was place in the top four and go under 3:53. He did both. #2 It’s the first day of a six-day meet. One might be forgiven for letting up on the gas just a little if one had obviously met one’s goal. Not that any of this speculation matters; he did what he came here to do, and we should all be glad that we’ll get to see him going for a Time in Berlin. That’s going to be the race to watch.
Second place went to Tunisia’s Ahmed Mathlouthi in 3:49.85. Three more Frenchmen made the Berlin squad, as their finals times were all under the qualifying standard: Anthony Pannier of Sarcelles (third place overall, 3:51.77), Damien Joly of Antibes (fourth place, 3:51.83), and Joris Bouchaut of Toulouse (fifth, 3:51.97).
Women’s 400 IM: Hungary’s Evelyn Verraszto defended her 2013 title with a 4:39.57, just about a second off last year’s time. The French national crown went to Lara Grangeon of Calédoniens who was second overall with 4:40.57. Charlotte Bonnet of Nice took third and Fantine Lesaffre of Mulhouse was fourth. Both Grangeon and Bonnet made the qualifying time for Berlin.
Women’s 50 fly: It was a repeat performance -same order as 2013, just faster- for the top four women in the 50 fly. Defending champion and French record-holder Mélanie Henique (Amiens) won in 26.29. Second through fourth went, once again, to Marie Wattel (Nice, 26.71), Béryl Gastadello (Marseille, 26.74), and Anna Santamans (Nice, 26.82). All four qualified for Berlin.
Men’s 50 fly: Florent Manaudou (Marseille) picked up his first win of the meet with a 23.25 in the 50 fly. His time was a tick off his second-place swim from last year, but it was good enough to land him a spot on the Berlin team. In the absence of Fred Bousquet, who is recovering from surgery, the top four finishers were the same as in 2013. Manaudou’s Marseille teammates Mehdy Metella (second, 23.77), Fabien Gilot (third, 23.84), and Yoris Grandjean (fourth, 24.13) also qualified for Berlin in the 50 fly.
Agnel floats a 1:48.9 in prelims. Noone else under 1:50…so looks like he will be swimming alone against the clock tonite.
I’ll eat the crow with my French wine tonite… Agnel goes 1:48 mid and loses the race. How does another Frenchman win the 200 meter free from Agnel.
He is either not well rested and is in a taper bubble, or something else. No way is this guy a “rested” 1:48.
3:49??
I had expected him to swim a LOT faster. But I think Bowman is right, with more rest, he will swim much better later this week. And maybe Agnel is right when he said he misjudged his pace.
But from what he said about winning gold medal in worlds and Olympics, it seems 400 is definitely on his permanent events now. Can’t wait of the 400 race next year between him, Yang, Park, mckeon and Horton! It will be a blockbuster!
Jaeger. Dwyer.
Yes, Jaeger may also final in Kazan next year. But Dwyer? Last year he only swam 3:48 and was even behind MacLean and Houchin. And his PB from 2012 London is only 3:46. Nowhere near the times required to medal next year, which could very well be 3:40-3:41 for bronze only. Gold medal will need to swim sub 3:40.
I’m agreeing with Hulk here, Dwyer has been a 3:46 when he was a 1:46 swimmer. Correct me if I’m wrong but he swam a 3:46 last year and was DQ-ed? He went on to drop nearly a second in the 200free. Especially if Dwyer continues to keep up with Agnel in practice/inseason meets, I think he has a bridge future in the 400free. My money is on him to be the next one to break the American record– probably not enough for a medal in Rio, or even Kazan, but he’ll be in the mix.
Sun can bring that 3:40 to 3:38 if he focus on that… and Park Horton may have the ability to go 3:40.. especially Horton.. so.. tought for anyone lese..
I can find race videos of meets from almost all over the world but of course not from France! 😡
Bobo… why are French athletes so bunched up in events? There seems to be clusters of top end athletes in certain events (sprints mainly) with great athletes left at home and then some events with little world class representation (IMs and distance free)…. is this a coaching philosophy thing, a national culture thing, or just random in your opinion? The women’s events tonight for example… 2 spots left open in the 4IM…
Haha! 😆
Yes. We are very bad in many events but it has always been the same.
Most of the time, IM, men’s distance freestyle or women’s breaststroke have been a tragedy.
Women’s backstroke is now a tragedy.
But at least for 2003 and Laure Manaudou we have 5 or 6 big stars and we have competitive relays.
Before we had 1 or 2 big names and no relays.
We have no depth, especially on the women’s side, but we survive thanks to those big names. I’m a little worrying for the futute of French women’s swimming after 2016.
I’m not a specialist but it’s clear that there isn’t the same philosophy as in… Read more »
Thanks Bobo… what is club/youth swimming like in France? Are there local clubs in communities or is it just regional? How many 18-unders participate?
Manaudou should be fearful! Yauhen Tsurkin is an absolute monster & I see a 22 mid in his future. Your classic elite 50 butterfly specialist with a great 100 time as well.
There were some pretty awesome swims in Italy at their trials today. Pellegrini 4:04 400m free and two guys under the European record in the 800 free. Gabriele Detti 7:42.74, Gregorio Paltrinieri 7:43.01
I’m thinking that he didn’t taper at all. Expecting huge drops at euros
I don’t believe it. Ask Bobo if he looks shaved. I am sure he was rested and prepared to swim fast. Too much on the line to prove himself, as does Bowman.
Yes. He looks shaved. He’s rested but it will be better throughout the week.
Again, Lotte Friis was very slow 1 or 2 weeks ago in Denmark so perhaps there’s a NBAC tactic. I don’t know.
The times required this year by the French federation to qualify are very slow. For example it was 3.53 in the men’s 400 free. So perhaps they are only there to qualify.
But I’m not convinced. I’m sure Agnel wants to swim fast at home.
We’ll see what happens today in the 200 free.
If he doesn’t swim 1.45 low, I think both Agnel and Bowman will be very disappointed.
I often criticized countries who put up really tough qualifying times (such as the Australians who put up ridiculous stupid fast qualifying times last week) , however in the case of France I see them in the opposite direction: extremely easy qualifying times 😀
3:53 to qualify for euros? A barely turned 14 yo Thorpe from 17 years ago in speedo banana hammock with bad start and no underwater would have aced 3:53.
I wonder how/what the French based the qualifying times on.
Quotes from Agnel, Bowman and Manaudou. Without Google Translate! Sorry for the possible translation errors. 🙂
Agnel
“I had to start fast, as I did, go in 1.50 at the half-race and then hold on if possible. I’m not so fresh but I qualified. Perhaps I was a little too crazy fast in the first 100 but it’s the 200 free swimmer who speaks. I still have much to learn in the 400 free. I think of a possible world or olympic gold medal one day.”
Bowman
“I don’t like the time but he did the job. He goes to Berlin, no? Ok. I expected more a time of 3.46 but what I expected is not important. He… Read more »