Alain Bernard, Olympic 100m free champion for France, says he is fired up to show that suit or no suit he is the best sprinter in the world but lambasts FINA for lack of clarity and the contradiction of allowing a 50m freestyle world record to stand in a 100% poly suit but not his 100m free in an equivalent suit. The nature of swimming had been changed and he lamented the waste of "time and energy" he had been forced to spend thinking of and discussing suits.
In an interview with reporter Chrystel Boulet-Euchin of Reuter in France, Bernard says, "I feel good. I'm coming into a period of perfect shape. After all these months of hard physical and psychological preparation, I've arrived at the easy stage of my work. That's a big relief."
Asked if the winter work had been difficult, he said that "difficult" was too weak a work. It had been "very difficult, very hard". He had had his doubts. "I asked myself if I could get better, if I still had the physical and mental force to go beyond myself, all those things that add up to building a performance." He was aware of the expectation of those he worked with, including coach Denis Auguin, and he was in good shape to deliver.
"It's July, I feel strong, powerful and at peace with myself. That does not mean that I am willing to win at any cost. But deep down, I feel that I'm capable of winning. I'm convinced that I can give it all I've got."
On the suits crisis, he said he was fed up with having to speak about apparel but he felt he had a duty to let people know where he stands. "I think we have gone too far with technology. These all-polyurethane suits robs swimming of its nature." He said he would rather be focussing on his job and not waste "time and energy" on suits, as he had done. "I regret very much that FINA approved these all-polyurethane suits. From my point of view, I have a kit maker, arena, that reacted swiftly to this technological exaggeration and that developed a competitive and comfortable product.
On the suggestion that men revert to wearing briefs, he said: "Why not? If the whole world does it. There's no problem with that. Maybe its an exaggeration ... I don't thing we should go back so far. I'm in favour of 100% textile suits. They are perfectly comfortable and allow you to perform well. Arena has made such superb textile suits. I've worn them many times this season." He noted that the R-évolution. We saw records broken in that 'technology'.
How had he felt when his 46.94sec 100m free effort in April had subsequently not been ratified by FINA? "Fine. I don't need to chew it over. We can expect anything from FINA. I'm down but not beaten. On the contrary, that makes me stronger and makes me want to show what I can do." The first sub-47sec time may stand for a while but it gave him personal satisfaction that he had achieved that time, even in a 100% polyurethane suit.
"Who will reproach me for being the first inside 47sec in a suit that is equivalent to that in which the world 50m record was taken below 21sec [French teammate Fred Bousqet in a Jaked01]. We accept that record but not mine. That's a real aberration.
Asked what his relationship was with Bousquet, he said: "We don't talk about that [the records in those suits]. Each of us must do what we must do. We're rivals when we're behind the blocks but not in life: we are friends." In water, the battle now turns to Rome "and we will see", said Bernard.
The two would work well together under the guidance of Auguin as members of the 4x100m free team that will taken on the USA once more after that narrow defeat in Beijing last year.
On his own, Bernard was thinking of the "triple": after the European and Olympic crowns, he would now try to add the world title. "I've got that in mind." That said, silver or bronze would still be a great result "if I race properly". He did not want to leave Rome with regrets. "I will be as vigilant as I can be."
Asked about the psycho war between sprinters, he said that as Olympic champion he was in the spotlight. "I don't pay any attention to all of that. Each has his own preparation and each will be at their best at the world championships. There could be surprises, too. We could see the rise of a swimmer we haven't noticed much yet."
Was that a question of suits? "That is the big question," said Bernard. "In any case, I think there will be a lot of anxiety about the suits. On can only hope that those at the helm will not be too disturbed. But what can we do if that result follows because FINA has approved all-polyurethane suits?"
Bernard noted that he had had no physical problems or illnesses throughout the season. That was rare and it filled him with confidence. Asked what he had improved on since victory in Beijing, he replied "entry of my hand, position of my hand and the pull ... that's very technical and a combination of very subtle things."
