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 / Day 4 Finals Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Recap / Day 5 Finals Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Recap / Day 6 Finals Recap
- Live Results
- Live Stream
Maxime Grousset won gold and set a new French record in the 100 butterfly on day 6 of the 2023 French Elite Championships, swimming a time of 50.61. With that swim, he took out Mehdy Metella‘s national record of 50.85 from the 2019 French Championships. Grousset shaved 0.24 seconds off Metella’s time. He opened more than half a second faster than Metella’s leading split and actually closed slower with a 27.15 on the back half to Metella’s 26.83.
| Grousset – 2023 | Metella – 2019 | |
| 50 | 23.46 | 24.02 |
| 100 | 50.61 (27.15) | 50.85 (26.83) |
Gorusset’s new national record came during finals after he set a new personal best by 0.01 seconds in the prelims, swimming a 51.71 for the top seed in the final. Grousset’s time also got him under the French qualifying standard for the World Championships this summer of 51.93. That gives him a total of four medals at this meet, having also won gold 50 butterfly (23.06) and 100 freestyle (47.62) and silver in the 50 freestyle (21.78).
He qualified for Worlds in all four events and made himself the 3rd-fastest man in the world this season in the 100 freestyle with his 47.62. A 50.61 in the 100 butterfly makes him the #2 man globally for 2022-2023, behind Josh Liendo who swam a 50.36 in March.
Grousset is also now the 12th-fastest man in history, out-pacing former #12 Piero Codia who holds a 50.64. He’s now right behind Chad le Clos whose PB is a 50.56.
All-time Rankings – Men’s Long Course 100 Butterfly
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 49.45
- Kristof Milak (HUN) – 49.68
- Michael Phelps (USA) – 49.82
- Milorad Cavic (SRB) – 49.95
- Josh Liendo (CAN) – 50.36
- Joseph Schooling (SGP) – 50.39
- Shaine Casas (USA) / Ian Crocker (USA) – 50.40
- Rafael Munoz (ESP) – 50.41
- Matthew Temple (AUS) – 50.45
- Chad le Clos (RSA) – 50.56
- Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 50.61
- Piero Codia (ITA) – 50.64
- Albert Subirats (VEN) – 50.67
- James Guy (GBR) – 50.68
Grousset won this event by more than a second at French Nationals, touching ahead of Stanislas Huille‘s 52.25 and Charles Rihoux who swam a 52.34 for the bronze medal.
This guys ‘fly kick is absolutely incredible – He has everything to go under 50s. French swimming won’t have to rely solely on Marchand in Paris – finding names just at the right time.
So France suddenly has a full medley relay. 😲 Meanwhile Australia still has the front-half blues.
Tomac, Marchand, Grousset, Manadou is a serious medal threat for the medley. Even more so if they get Ndoye-Brouard back on last year’s form and have him lead off. I’d put them 3rd behind the Italians and Americans for now.
And China is scary with the best performers in the world in backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle
I totally forgot about them. There’s going to be a really good team left off the podium.