The World Swimming Championships begin this Sunday in Kazan (Russia, August 2-9). For Charlotte Bonnet, Anna Santamans, and the young swimmers Marie Wattel and Cloé Hache, bringing home a medal would be a real feat.
Why not stir things up and shake the world order? That’s what the Nice swimmers must be thinking as they approach the major event of 2015, the World Championships. With the Olympics a year away in Rio (Brazil, August 5-21, 2016), this is a crucial competition that can serve as a springboard for the rest of their careers, a new opportunity for this very young group to gain experience and get accustomed to strong competition.
Guided and inspired from above by Camille Muffat, who passed away on March 9 in Argentina, the swimmers of Olympic Nice Natation are determined to secure finalist spots or even a medal, synonymous with a highly successful championship.
Charlotte Bonnet, the natural leader of the French women’s team alongside Coralie Balmy, arrives in Russia with the sixth fastest time in the world (her personal best of 1’56″16) in the 200m freestyle, her preferred distance. On Wednesday, in the finals, she will need to outperform two international stars to dream of her first individual podium, a challenging but not impossible task. She will also compete in the 100m freestyle at the end of the week, not to mention the relays where she is the cornerstone with two bronze medals (2012 Olympics, 2013 World Championships).
For Anna Santamans, the scenario is different. After a blistering season start, Maxime Leutenegger’s protégé hit a plateau before bouncing back in recent meets. In Monaco and Vichy, she posted quality times, especially in the 50m freestyle with a personal record of 24″78. Her goal: a final in the 50m freestyle and a significant contribution in the relays.
The surprise, even though she is now accustomed to major events, will likely come from Marie Wattel. Competing in the 100m butterfly, she has continued to reach new levels for over a season. The butterfly specialist arrives in Tatarstan motivated to achieve good times and finally secure a final in a major championship. She will also be a key player in the 4x100m medley relay.
For Cloé Hache, the group’s youngest, the situation is different. Even though her season has been satisfactory, she hasn’t confirmed her promising performances from 2014. She will be participating in the relays (4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x100m medley), once again to gain experience for future major competitions.
Photo credit: Twitter Swimming World
