Coach Nicolas Messer is on-deck at the French Open, and brought us this report of the first day’s prelims session.
Three weeks before the start of the Olympic Games in London, the European swimming elite is meeting in the “Bois de Boulogne” for the EDF Open. With the French Olympic team in attendance the hype around this year’s edition seems bigger than in previous years.
Add to the French athletes squads such as a selection of the Australian National Team, Andrea Di Nino’s ADN, the Dutch sprinters from Marseille and the scene in Paris is set for a great competition.
Camille Muffat, poster girl of the meet, cruised to a convincing prelims win in the women’s 200 free in 1:58.16. It didn’t look like she was holding back anything in her morning swim. There wasn’t a single stroke that wasn’t executed almost perfectly and at no time there was a doubt she wasn’t in total control of what she was doing. We might not see the leading time in the 200 free later today in finals but just three weeks shy of the Olympic 200 free, she makes another statement that she will be in the mix come the day the medals will be awarded in London.
Poster boy of the meet and training partner of Camille, Yannick Agnel, flexed his muscled turning in 1:47.82 at the 200 mark of the 400 freestyle finishing 8th in 4:01.81. Same as Camille in her 200 free, Yannick was most certainly not holding back but didn’t seem to push the limits on that first 200.
The other highlights of the first morning in Paris for the French were the 100 back with Camille Lacourt and Benjamin Stavilius taking the top spots for the finals in 54.18 and 55.37, respectively; as well as the 100 free where the French are leading the charge with 7 swimmers sitting in the top spots. Rounding up the top 8 for tonight is Aussie Matt Targett as the last one swimming sub 50″ this morning.
The men’s 50 breast and women’s 50 free should provide for interesting finals tonight. Names such as Cameron van der Burgh, Fabio Scozzoli, Marleen Veldhuis, Therese Alshammar and Yolane Kukla will test their speed going into the final preparations for London.
Coach Kim Brackin in attendance with Zimbaebian Olypian Kirsty Coventry seems excited after the morning swims. Looks like after a few injuries earlier this year, Kirsty is back on track for the London Olympics.
You can find interviews, pictures and of course full results at www.openedf.com.
Muffat’s pace control and splits are out of this world… Is she entered in the 800 free in London? Only mental breakdown and complete mistaper should keep her from the 400 and 800 and probably a good bet for the 200 as well
should keep her from *winning*
Camille Muffat will not swim the 800 free in London. She will swim the 200 free, the 400 free and the women’s 4X200 free relay.
what is impressive by camille muffat is that 9 minutes after the 800 FREE she won the 200 free in 1.56.21
Did you see the 800 free she put on today at the EDF? She went out in 4:18.78 and came back in a freaking 4:04.82 (last 100 of 1:00.11!) for an 8:23.60. SHE IS INSANE!
Agnel trying to cruise just to sneak into finals? 1:47/2:13?
I think his focus is just really on the shorter free races now since he won’t swim the 400 in London. He probably took the 400 free (prelim and final) to get as many 200 free races before London as possible…racing is the best practice.
Therese Alshammar is in the form of her life. She’s my favorite for the 50 free in London. And look at another freestyler in the making for France, Anna Santamans. Yes I know we build almost only freestylers. She’s young and begins to swim fast.
The french sprinters are out in full force. They occupy 7 lanes in the final 100 free, with one lane goes to Matt Targett.
Leveaux, Russian sprinters (Lagunov, Grechin, Fesikov, etc), German sprinters (di carli, etc) and Eamon Sullivan out of running.
It’s good to see Feldwehr back from injury. And I see the Germans had the foresight to put him on their team.
Kirt, he’s of course favorite going in the finals seeded first. Unfortunately, I did miss his swim this morning while talking to some of my athletes. And I didn’t put him in there as he was more than just under the radar recently.