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Agnel Books 200Fr Lane 4 With 1:46.35
Apr 17, 2010 - Craig Lord
Yannick Agnel, 17, clocked 1:46.35, best in the world this year and a French record 0.19sec inside Amaury Leveaux's best, in the first semi of the 200m freestyle at French national and trials in Saint-Raphael. The best of Ian Thorpe at 17: 1:46.00. And Michael Phelps: 1:48.90.
The teenager, racing for Olympic Nice, had already taken the helm of the world rankings when he clocked 1:46.83 at Nancy last month to get ahaed of Olympic silver medallist Tae Hwan Park (KOR) on 1:46.98 Down Under in February. The second semi went to Jérémy Stravius, of Amiens, in 1:48.27, while defending champion Amaury Leveaux, Paris, missed the final, on 1:50.89.
The danger men in the final include Clément Lefert, Olympic Nice, on 1:48.79, and Ahmed Mathlouthi, of Tunisia an Paris Racing, on 1:48.94.
The penultimate day of action in Saint-Raphael witnessed a fingertip-touch podium finish in the women's 100m butterfly, 0.05sec splitting American Kim Vanderberg, Aurore Mongel, Mulhouse, and Sophie De Ronchi, Massy.
The women's 200m free final may be just as tight. In lane 4, Camille Mufatt, Agnel's training partner at Nice, on 1:58.31; in lane 5, Coralie Balmy, Dauphins Toulouse, on 1:58.55, with Margaux farrell and Ophélie-CyrielleEtienne also below the 2-minute mark in semis.
French nationals and trials, day 5 reports
Women's 50m backstroke
Visitor Svetlana Khokhlova (BLR) stopped the clock on 29.22 ahead of Alexianne Castel, Dauphins Toulouse, on 29.39 and taking silver for the second year running, with Cloé Credeville, Nanterre, third in 29.42. The 2009 champ, Esther Baron, has retired.
Times in transition (French nationals top 3, 2009, 2010, plus Rome 2009 top 2 for France)
Rome 2009: DNS
Women's 200m breaststroke
The second final of the day also saw a visitor upset the home crew, Alena Alekseeva, of Russia and Meaux, on 2:28.38, to 2:29.54 for Fanny Babou, St-Esteve, the bronze going, for the second year running, to Coralie Dobral, Massy, close by on 2:30.02.
Last year's champion, Sophie de Ronchi, bypassed defense in order to focus on the 100m 'fly final that followed ... with a bronze and a solid sub-minute effort for the breaststroke specialist. As in other finals, this one went without some of those who qualified, a reflection, perhaps of the fact that if the qualification time needed in heats and semis is not met, some don't feel the urge to race on.
Times in transition (French nationals top 3, 2009, 2010, plus Rome 2009 top 2 for France)
Rome 2009: 2:28.75 s
Women's 100m butterfly
Kim Vanderberg, world medallist in the 200m 'fly for the US at Melbourne 2007, clocked 59.17 to deny defending champion Aurore Mongel, Mulhouse, by just 0.03sec. Sophie De Ronchi, Massy, missed the defense of the 200m breaststroke crown in order to pick up bronze in the sprint 'fly final just 0.05sec from the crown. Magali Rousseau, Nice, was among swimmers who qualified for the final but did not race, their chance of qualifying for European Championships in Budapest in August having slipped away.
Times in transition (French nationals top 3, 2009, 2010, plus Rome 2009 top 2 for France)
Rome 2009: 56.89
Semi-finals
In the men's 100m butterfly, Albert Subirat (VEN) booked lane 4 for the final in 52.77, either side of him Francois Heersbrandt, of Belgium and Dauphins Toulouse, on 53.49, and Frédérick Bousquet, Marseilles, on 53.51.
In the men's 200m backstroke, Benjamin Stasiulis, Lagadere Paris Racing, took the first semi in 1:59.28, before Eric Ress, 19 and racing for Antibes, claimed lane 4 for the final in 1:58.58.
