Alain Bernard (FRA), Olympic 100m free champion, got the better of his rivals at the Paris Open this afternoon but felt the breeze of a world champion who was almost forgotten in the fast-forward year of the suit, 2008. 

Bernard cracked out a swift 48.20, while Filippo Magnini (ITA), who fell by the wayside last year but is clawing his way back into contention in time to defend the historic world crown he shared with Canadian Brent Hayden in Melbourne in 2007, came closest with a 48.46. Next in was Amaury Leveaux (FRA) on 48.76, with Eamon Sullivan (AUS), Olympic silver medallist and still official world record holder, fourth on 48.93 and the last man inside 49sec. In ninth in the heats and out of the final was Fred Bousquet (FRA), third-fastest ever with a 47.15 from April while wearing a Jaked01 (which lost its approved-suit status on May 19) but on this Paris morning on 49.39.

 Bernard clocked 46.94 back in April while wearing an arena X-Glide suit that had never been approved for use by FINA. As such, the first sub-47sec swim ever is unlikely to be ratified and Sullivan remains world record holder, his 47.05 set while wearing the Speedo LZR Racer that remains approved for this summer but is likely to become extinct from January 1, 2010, is FINA sticks to its intention to ban all non-textile suits from the beginning of next year.

 FINA will tomorrow publish its final list of approved suit for use this long-course season, covering the world championships in Rome next month.

 In Paris, Bernard got a great start but was led at the turn by Sullivan and only regained the lead in the closing metres of the race in what turned out to be a duel with Magnini. The two men will meet again next week at the  Mediterranean Games in Pescara, their last clash before Rome world titles.

They not only share their event and world-class speed: they both want to see an axe brought down on suits that use non-textile fabrics and both have declared a wish to see the sport return to a briefer cut of bathers in the wake of the fast-suits crisis.

Two of the best swims and wins of the day in Paris were produced by women who will not defend their world crowns in Rome next month. Leisel Jones (AUS) was more than 2.5sec ahead of the next best in the 100m breaststroke, with a 1:06.35, while teammate and former training partner Libby Trickett, who will race in Rome but failed to make the Aussie cut in the 100m 'fly at trials, whacked out a 57.85 in that event, ahead of Aurore Mongel (FRA), on 58.37 and Gabriella Silva (BRA), on 58.84.

 Silva's teammate Thiago Pereira produced the only sub-2-minute 200m medley of the day, his 1:59.80 keeping David Verraszto (HUN) at bay by 1.70sec.

 The women's 200m medley produced an upset for the home crowd, when Evelyn Verraszto (HUN) got the better of Camille Muffat (FRA), 2:11.64 to 2:12.93. The Hungarian also finished third in the 200m free, on 1:58.70, in a race won by Femke Heemskerk (NED) in a very solid 1:57.76 ahead of Coralie Balmy (FRA), on 1:58.47, with Muffat fourth on 1:59.43.

  As in the 800m yesterday, the 400m freestyle victories went to Danes Lotte Friis (DEN), in 4:11.26, and Mads Glaesner, on 3:49.19. The men's race provided a glimpse of the future: Edward McKendry is a 17-year-old Australia already on 3:51.27, with 19-year-old Pal Joensen of the Faroes next in on 3:51.82, whiel another 17-year-old, talented and tall Yannick Angel (FRA), who likes to wear briefs, came home in a new domestic junior mark of 3:52.90.

The 200m 'fly went to Kaio Almeida (BRA), on 1:55.89, while Craig Calder (AUS) claimed the 200m breaststroke in 2:13.28 ahead of Olympic medallist Hugues Duboscq (FRA), on 2:13.52 and just 0.02sec ahead of Neil Versfeld (RSA). The 200m backstroke produced a home win, Alexianne Castel clocking 2:12.96, while the 100m backstroke saw France miss out by 0.26sec, Randall Bal (USA) clocking 54.72 ahead of Jérémy Stravius.