This qualification, Bonnet had been chasing in vain since December. Each time, it had eluded her, and her fourth place at the European Championships in Budapest had ended up dampening her spirits.
But the Nice native (26 years old) remained focused to clinch “that damn qualification” at the end of a not entirely controlled 200m (1’56″67 for 1’57″28), which was more than enough for her happiness of the day: “I am relieved and so happy, very emotional,” she said, her eyes red. “I missed so many opportunities by just a few hundredths of a second. It was really difficult to keep myself satisfied throughout the year, and then to get back to work, head down, every time after a disappointment.”
