This Tuesday, the French swimming championships in Limoges, which are qualifiers for the World Championships in Kazan (August 2-9), begin. Fifteen days after the tragic passing of Camille Muffat, the swimmers from ONN will return to the pools with the aim of achieving good times, under the watchful eye of the London Olympic champion from above.
This is the must-attend event, the March-April rendezvous not to be missed: “the France”. Six days of intense competitions with heats in the morning and finals at the end of the afternoon. The 2016 Rio Olympics journey goes through a trip to Kazan (Russia) next summer for the World Championships. To get there, the challenge is simple: swim below the minimum limits set by the French Swimming Federation, which often means breaking their personal records for the swimmers from Nice. Not an easy task, especially after the tragedy, but it’s a goal they’ve had in mind for nearly six months. “This event dictates the rest of the season, whether it’s the World Championships or not. We tend to forget it, but titles are at stake, and it’s not trivial. It’s something that matters to the swimmers. Taking medals enriches a record” admitted the ONN coach.
Charlotte Bonnet, 2015, a pivotal year
Distressed, the talented Nice-based swimmer will have to “turn the pain into strength” as Yannick Agnel said this Monday. One of Fabrice Pellerin’s protégés is having a splendid start to the season with a personal record in the 100m freestyle (53”66) and excellent times in the 200m freestyle and 100m breaststroke. “I changed quite a few things with Fabrice (Pellerin, Ed.) and my physical trainer. In Marseille, I hadn’t swum so fast in two years, it feels good,” she said fifteen days ago at the Mediterranean Open.
Competing in: 100m and 200m freestyle; 50m and 100m breaststroke; 200m individual medley.
Marie Wattel, the attraction
Not yet 18 (next June 2) but a talent to watch closely. Marie Wattel is the only French butterfly specialist, bringing both positive and negative pressure. Rated with incredible times, the Nice swimmer comes to Limoges full of confidence with a personal best in the 100m butterfly (58”59) and quality 50m butterfly times. “Marie is reaching a new level. She is managing to deliver good performance levels consistently,” analyzed Fabrice Pellerin after the Marseille meet. To qualify for the World Championships, she will need to replicate these performances or swim a little faster.
Competing in: 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly; 50m freestyle.
Anna Santamans, the sprinter seeks confirmation
The sprinter, a student of Maxime Leutenegger, placed in the last European Championships in Berlin, could qualify for her first World Championships. Struggling in Nice and Amiens, Santamans found a second wind with a successful Marseille meet. The short-distance specialist will need to get close to her personal records if she wants her ticket to Russia. She will be closely watched in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly, with duels against her teammates Cloé Hache and Marie Wattel.
Competing in: 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle; 50m and 100m butterfly.
Cloé Hache, the rising star
Like her training partner Marie Wattel, Cloé Hache is turning 18 (December 11) and is aiming for her first World Championships after experiencing top-level competition last summer in Berlin. The crawl specialist will compete in distances from 50m to 200m freestyle, having perfectly wrapped up her preparation at the Mediterranean Open Meet (1’59”87, close to her personal record). She will be closely watched in the 100m freestyle where the duel with Charlotte Bonnet can be quite spectacular.
Competing in: 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle; 100m butterfly.
Photo credit: Stéphane Kempinaire FFN
