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Bernard: s/c WR 45.69 100 Free

Dec 7, 2008  - Craig Lord

Alain Bernard provided the 95th world record of the year when he ripped a 45.69 mark in the 100 free at French s/c nationals in Angers. Bernard, Olympic champ, was out in 21.71, back in 23.98, an effort that confined to history the 45.83 global mark of Sweden's Stefan Nystrand from last year.

Amaury Leveaux and Fabien Gilot followed through with 46.26 and 46.33, with Fred Bousquet fourth in 46.66. Alex Popov's best ever, of 46.74 is now 14th best among performers and 27th best performance of all -time. This time last year, Popov stood at 6th best performer and his time was the 13th best ever recorded. The point being that what someone of the calibre of Popov achieved once, some are now sprinting inside at fairly regular intervals and in any circumstances - soon after a post-Olympic break, in hard training, after a tape, at a small meet at a big meet, makes no difference. Farcical progress. We have not seen the like before.  

 

"I felt we got off to a quick start so I just hung on," said Bernard. "I didn't come [here] for that, I just wanted to win but the record is there. This morning, I was confident, I wanted to enjoy myself."

Other highlights from Angers:

Women:

  • 400m free: Coralie Balmy (Dauphins TOEC) 3:56.35; Camille Muffat (Olympic Nice) 3:59.80.
  • 200m butterfly: Aurore Mongel (Mulhouse) 2:04.97 (French record); 
  • 50m backstroke: Laure Manaudou (CN Marseille) 27.30.
  • 200m medley: Muffat 2:07.94 (French record); Sophie De Ronchi (ES Massy) 2:09.10.
  • 100m free: Alena Popchanka (Laguardère) 53.68.

Men:

  • 400m free: Clement Lefert (Olympic Nice) 3:43.59.
  • 200m 'fly: 1. Cristophe Lebon (CN Antibes) 1:52.36.
  • 50m backstroke: Camille Lacourt (CN Marseille) 23.60 (French record); 4th Florent Manaudou (Ambérieu) 24.95 (brother to Laure).
  • 50m breaststroke: James Gibson (GBR, CN Marseille) 27.04; Hugues Duboscq (Le Havre) 27.09 (French record).