French Championships

The heat turned up in the dash ranks this season after the IOC's decision to add stroke 50m evens to the Olympic program in 2028, the record books are coming under pressure, this day delivering a 22.70 French Butterly record from Maxime Grousset (CS Clichy 92) on the opening day at French Championships in Montpellier.

His own French standard had stood at 22.72 since the semi-finals of the 50 'fly at Fukuoka 2023 World titles, when Grousset, the 100m World champion at the same showcase, set the national record at 22.74 in heats, shaved 0.02sec off that for a ticket to laser 4 in the final and then claimed bronze in 22.82 adrift an Italian record of 22.68 that placed the crown on Thomas Ceccon's head, and a 22.80 from Portugal's Diogo Ribeiro.

The Singapore cut set by the French federation (FFN) at 23.04, Grousset was the sole qualifier, Michel Arkangelsky, CN Marseille, frustratingly close on 23.14, third place to Nikita Baez, Lyon Natation Metropole, in 23.23.

The all-time top 20, with Grousset up one place in joint 9th:

In other action...

Belgian record blast from Vanotterdijk: 2:09... & French ticket for Duhamel

The women's 200m medley produced a French qualifier, too, albeit not a win in the final. First home was Belgium's Roos Vanotterdijk, who trounced her own national record (2:13.22, set at the Swim Open in Stockholm in April, with a 2:09.73 maiden voyage inside 2:10. A ticket to Singapore for her own nation, for sure.

Next to the wall was Cyrielle Duhamel, of the Stade Béthune Pélican Club, her 2:11.06 inside the FFN cut of 2.11.47. Third place went to Camille Tissandie, Canet 66 Natation, in 2:13.92.

Kirpichnikova Just In

Olympic silver medallist for France in the 1500m in Paris last year, Montpellier's Anastasiia Kirpichnikova just made the Singapore cut in the 400m free, in 4:07.74, the target set at 4.07.90. The podium was completed by Lucile Tessariol, of Léon Marchand's club Dauphins Toulouse, in 4:11.58, and Valentine Leclerq, Grenoble Alp'38, in 4:14.15.

Marchand is bypassing the national by special permission of the FFN as he makes his way back to full fighting fitness at his base in Texas.

And that was it for the qualifiers on day 1.

There was no qualifier in the women's 100m butterfly, though Lilou Ressencourt, on 58.02, 0.1 shy of the mark, may yet be named for the squad to Singapore, as fastest candidate for the medley relay. The Olympic Nice Natation swimmer kept Montpellier's Marie Wattel at bay, her 58.36 ahead of a 59.46 that gave Canet's Marina Jehl the bronze ahead of three others inside the minute in a blanket finish, those latter three stopping the clock just 0.07sec apart.

It was the same result in the men's 400m free in terms of Singapore. The cut at 3.46.78, the title went to Pierre Largeron, Canet, in 3:49.84, just 0.01sec ahead of 15-year-old Tunisian, Rami Rahmouni, based at Creteil Natation, the bronze to Romain Raguenaud, Clamart Natation 92, in 3:50.64.

No takers in a tight 100m breaststroke final that ended with four men between 1:00.17 and 1:00.35 (the cut 59.49) victory to Jérémie Delbois, Olympic Nice, followed by Japan's Yamato Okadome, Etoiles' Carl Aitkaci and Racing Club de France's Antoine Viquerat.

Spain Open Trials

When Speedy Meant Inside The Cut By 0.02sec For González

Arbidel González, C.N. Barcelona, left his blocks in search of the 1:55.93 cut required for a ticket to Singapore Worlds at Spain's Open Trials in Palma de Majorca. The clock stopped 0.02sec in his favour, on 1:55.91, safe by 0.02sec.

His nearest rival Miguel Martinez, Real Canoe NC, and the Spanish record holder at 1:54.99 from Fukuoka Worlds in 2023, clocked 1:57.67 in heats, while Gonzalez has a best of 1:55.66, the Open record clocked at Olympic trials in Palma a year ago, and it looked like two Spanish contenders would make the Singapore sling.

It still looked like that at 100m, at 150m, too. And then this happened:

• 26.30; 55.78; 1:25.66; 1:55.91 (30.25) Gonzalez
• 25.80; 55.13; 1:25.87; 1:58.20 (32.33) Martinez

In the women's 200m butterfly, fate dealt Laura Cabanes, Real Canoe NC, a different 0.02sec decision: her 2:09.23 victory was a fraction on the wrong side of the cut. Let the bargaining begin if there's bargaining to be had!

If there's not then the rest of the program produced no automatic tickets. The women's 200m breaststroke produced a tight tussle, victory to Emma Carrasco, CN Sant Andreu, in 2:26.33, ahead of a 2:26.91 from clubmate Aina Fernandez. Their training partner Nil Cadevall took the win in the equivalent men's final in 2:10.92.

The men's 50m free was won by Sergio de Celis, CN Sabadell, in 22.11, shy of the 21.97 required for Singapore. Luca Hoek, CN Sitges, on 22.28, set a Spanish 17-years age record.

The Open win in the women;'s free dash went to Brazil's Lorrane Ferreira (25.22), backstroke champion Carmen Weiler Sastre and Real Canoe teammate María Daza the first Spaniards home, in 25.27 and 25.70 respectively.

RESULTS IN FULL

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