France, having ascended to the helm of European swimming at London 2012 on the strength of several towering performances by a select group, has named large squads for the World and European short-course championships that will be staged in Turkey and France, respectively, towards the end of this year.
For Istanbul for December 12-16 racing France has named 32 swimmers, 20 of them men, though far fewer are likely to actually attend the event. For Chartres, 55 swimmers have been selected, 32 of the squad men. Most of those selected will show up for a home crowd.
Olympic champions Yannick Agnel, Camille Muffat and Florent Manaudou top the bill at both events, at least on the roster. None wish to race in Istanbul: Monday will bring confirmation of their decision when France confirms who said "oui" to selection and who said "non".
For Agnel, 200m freestyle champion in London, the European event at Chartres from November 22 to 25 will be his first big race test since his crowning moment of glory in Britain - and his first international appearance since he was swamped with a wave of marriage proposals from women and men.
This past week, Agnel, the 20-year-old who brought Gaul home to glory ahead of the USA in a 4x100m freestyle relay that saw the Australian favourites fizzle out in fourth, revealed: "Through the social networks I got a little over a hundred marriage proposals - guys as well as girls for that matter! It's terrible. No, it's great. I find it incredible.
The swimmer from Nice saw his Twitter and Facebook accounts swell with his fame: he has more than 100,000 Facebook "friends" and 39,000 Twitter followers.
The teams bound for Chartres and then Istanbul for the world s/c championships from December 12 to 16 will go without Agnel's fellow 4x100m free champion and Nice training partner under the guidance of coach Fabrice Pellerin, Clement Lefert, the 24-year-old who retired this week saying: "I have put an end to my career to focus entirely on my studies. I did not take this decision overnight. I have been considering it for a while because I always worried about my future."
Lefert, who with Agnel also took a 4x200 freestyle relay silver medal in London, said he sought a "bright professional future" and to that end had enrolled at business school EDHEC, one of the best in France.
"I really want to land a job which I like and not something chosen by default after my (swimming) career," he said. "I am not Camille Lacourt, Yannick Agnel or Laure Manaudou," he said, referring to the few French swimmers who enjoy lucrative contracts that bring home big bacon.
While Lefert is moving on, others towards the deep end of their careers and beyond a poor Olympic season have been named for squads, among them Alain Bernard, Fred Bousquet and Hugues Dubosq. Monday will tell us if if and where they will next race in French colours.
The French teams selected:
Worlds - Istanbul, Dec 12-16
Men:
- AGNEL Yannick 1992 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- BERNARD Alain 1983 CN ANTIBES
- BOURELLY Lorys 1992 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- BOUSQUET Frédérick 1981 CN MARSEILLE
- DUBOSCQ Hugues 1981 CN LE HAVRE
- GANDIN Dorian 1991 CN MARSEILLE
- GILOT Fabien 1984 CN MARSEILLE
- JOLY Damien 1992 CN ANTIBES
- LACOURT Camille 1985 CN MARSEILLE
- LEFERT Clément 1987 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- LEVEAUX Amaury 1985 LAGARDERE PARIS RACING
- MALLET Grégory 1984 CN MARSEILLE
- MANAUDOU Florent 1990 CN MARSEILLE
- MEYNARD William 1987 CN MARSEILLE
- PANNIER Anthony 1988 AAS SARCELLES NATATION 95
- PEREZ DORTONA Giacomo 1989 CN MARSEILLE
- ROUAULT Sébastien 1986 MULHOUSE ON
- SASSOT Romain 1986 LYON NATATION
- STASIULIS Benjamin 1986 AMIENS METROPOLE NAT.
- STRAVIUS Jérémy 1988 AMIENS METROPOLE NAT.
Women:
- BABOU Fanny 1989 CNS ST-ESTÈVE
- BALMY Coralie 1987 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- BONNET Charlotte 1995 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- BRUNO Justine 1994 BEAUVAISIS AQUATIC CLUB
- CASTEL Alexianne 1990 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- ETIENNE Ophélie-Cyrielle 1990 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- FARRELL Margaux 1990 CN ANTIBES
- GRANGEON Lara 1991 CN CALÉDONIENS
- LAZARE Mylène 1987 AAS SARCELLES NATATION 95
- MANAUDOU Laure 1986 CN MARSEILLE
- MUFFAT Camille 1989 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- SANTAMANS Anna 1993 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
Chartres, Euros, Nov 22-25.
Men:
- AGNEL Yannick 1992 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- BOUSQUET Frédérick 1981 CN MARSEILLE
- CABROL Alexis 1991 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- CAPITAINE Thibaut 1993 CERGY PONTOISE NATATION
- COELHO Jordan 1992 ETAMPES NATATION
- COTON Quentin 1991 CN ANTIBES
- DAHLIA Thomas 1990 CN ANTIBES
- DUBOSCQ Hugues 1981 CN LE HAVRE
- GANDIN Dorian 1991 CN MARSEILLE
- GILOT Fabien 1984 CN MARSEILLE
- HUSTACHE Joris 1988 STADE FRANÇAIS O COURBEVOIE
- JOLY Damien 1992 CN ANTIBES
- LACOURT Camille 1985 CN MARSEILLE
- LEBON Christophe 1982 CN ANTIBES
- LEFERT Clément 1987 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- LEVEAUX Amaury 1985 LAGARDERE PARIS RACING
- MALLET Grégory 1984 CN MARSEILLE
- MANAUDOU Florent 1990 CN MARSEILLE
- METELLA Mehdy 1992 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- PANNIER Anthony 1988 AAS SARCELLES NATATION 95
- PEDURAND Ganesh 1992 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- PEREZ DORTONA Giacomo 1989 CN MARSEILLE
- RABEISEN Thomas 1992 CN ANTIBES
- RESS Eric1990 CN ANTIBES
- ROUAULT Sébastien 1986 MULHOUSE ON
- SASSOT Romain 1986 LYON NATATION
- SAUVAGE Julien 1985 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- STASIULIS Benjamin 1986 AMIENS METROPOLE NAT.
- STRAVIUS Jérémy 1988 AMIENS METROPOLE NAT.
- STROHMEYER Guillaume 1985 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- TORMENTO Hugo 1993 CN CALÉDONIENS
- VILACECA Thomas 1990 MONTAUBAN NATATION
Women:
- BABOU Fanny 1989 CNS ST-ESTÈVE
- BALMY Coralie 1987 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- BONNET Charlotte 1995 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- BRUNO Justine 1994 BEAUVAISIS AQUATIC CLUB
- CASTEL Alexianne 1990 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- CREDEVILLE Cloé 1990 NANTES NATATION
- DE RONCHI Sophie 1985 ES MASSY NATATION
- DOBRAL Coralie 1987 MONTAUBAN NATATION
- ETIENNE Ophélie-Cyrielle 1990 DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC
- GASTALDELLO Béryl 1995 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- GHEORGHIU Camille 1996 AQUATIC CLUB BOURGES
- GIRAUDON Léa 1989 CN 95 EZANVILLE
- GRANGEON Lara 1991 CN CALÉDONIENS
- HENIQUE Mélanie 1992 AMIENS METROPOLE NAT.
- JUGNET Marie 1993 CNS VALLAURIS
- LAZARE Mylène 1987 AAS SARCELLES NATATION 95
- MANAUDOU Laure 1986 CN MARSEILLE
- MARTIN Adeline 1992 CN ANTIBES
- MONGEL Aurore 1982 ASPTT STRASBOURG
- MUFFAT Camille 1989 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- POLIT Claire 1995 ASPTT MONTPELLIER
- SANTAMANS Anna 1993 OLYMPIC NICE NATATION
- TOUATI Assia 1995 CN SARREGUEMINES
