French Olympic Trials: Camille Muffat Sets Textile Best in 200 Free

DUNK ERQUE, France, March 21. CAMILLE Muffat continued her stellar run through the French Olympic Trials with a blazing fast win in the 200 free, while the world bronze medalist in the men's 100 free was shut out of the finals.

FINALS
Women 200 freestyle
Cuts: Finals: 1:58.83
Camille Muffat earned a second individual event at the Olympics in the 200 free, and did so with a 1:54.87, the fastest swim in history in a textile suit. She bettered the 1:55.06 swum by Missy Franklin at the 2011 world championships, leading off the American 800 free relay. She still has a big mountain to climb to reach Federica Pellegrini's world record of 1:52.98 set at the 2009 world championships. The swim also lowers the French record of 1:55.40 she set in yesterday's semifinals and leapfrogs her over Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom to become the fastest in the world in 2012.

Two other swimmers dipped under the time needed to make the Olympic team, but only one will compete in the individual 200 free in London. Coralie Balmy placed second in the race with a 1:58.42, while Charlotte Bonnet was third in 1:58.55 and will settle for a spot on the French 800 free relay. While not swimming under the qualifying time, Ophelie-Cyrielle Etienne placed fourth with a 1:59.15 and will likely earn selection for the relay.

Margaux Farrell (1:59.31), Mylene Lazare (1:59.86), Isabelle Mabboux (2:01.68) and Coralie Codevelle (2:03.65) also swam in the finals.

Men's 200 butterfly
Cuts: Heats: 2:00.50; Semis: 1:58.69; Finals: 1:56.86
After becoming the only Frenchman to dip under the semifinal time required for Olympic consideration with a 1:57.63, Jordan Coelho swam a 1:57.86 in the final, which was a full second slower than the time he needed swim in finals to officially secure his place on France's Olympic squad in the event.

Thomas Vilaceca was a distant second in the race with a 2:00.24, and Hugo Tormento placed third with a 2:01.24.

Also swimming in the final were Paul Lemaire (2:01.57), Marvin Maisonneuve (2:03.84), Maxime Jacomelli (2:04.46), Maxime Andrien (2:04.63) and Arnaud Rondan (2:05.37).

Women's 200 IM
Cuts: Semis: 2:15.03; Finals: 2:13.36
After posting a time under the French standard for semifinal swims with a 2:13.97 yesterday, Lara Grangeon was unable to swim under the A cut for finals, placing second in the event with a 2:15.54. Winning the event was Sophie de Ronchi with a 2:14.88, also slower than the Olympic qualification time.

Adeline Martin was third with a 2:15.90. Placing fourth through eighth were Fantine Lesaffre (2:18.63), Rebecca Matthews (2:20.71), Roxane Desfontaines (2:21.04), Camille Amardeilh (2:21.80) and Julie Fourtier (2:22.74).

Men's 50 backstroke
In the non-Olympic sprint backstroke, Camille Lacourt, who won last night's 100 back final, dominated with a 24.81, which improves his standing as the fastest in the world in 2012. Lacourt had swum a 24.95 earlier this month and stands as the only swimmer under 25 seconds this year.

Dorian Gandin placed second in the race with a 25.48, with Joris Hustache third in 26.07. Eddie Mouedenne (26.28), Alexis Cabrol (26.41), Christophe Soulier (26.66), Thibault Delecluse (26.79) and Paul Pijulet (27.09) also swam in the final.

Women's 50 backstroke
One day after getting her name on a third straight Olympic roster, Laure Manaudou celebrated with a win in the non-Olympic 50 back in a time of 28.13. That time puts her fourth in the world. Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands, who trains full-time in France, placed second with a 28.45. Cloe Credeville was third in 29.03. Also placing in the top eight were Alexianne Castel (29.11), Mathilde Cini (29.29), Pauline Galateau (29.70), Auriane de Premilhat (30.11) and Alison Leger (30.15).

SEMIFINALS
Men's 100 freestyle
Cuts: Finals: 48.82
Amaury Leveaux qualified fastest in today's semifinal with a 48.48, with Yannick Agnel posting a 48.58 to be the second seed for tomorrow's final. Alain Bernard, the reigning Olympic champion, qualified third with a 48.61. Fabien Gilot, who was on the silver medal-winning 400 free relay with Leveaux, Bernard and Fred Bousquet, posted the fourth-fastest qualifying time with a 48.74.

Gregory Mallet (48.94), Clement Lefert (49.00), Bousquet (49.09) and Mehdy Metella (49.17) also qualified for the final. Notably, William Meynard, the bronze medalist in this event at last summer's world championships, qualified out of the final in ninth with a 49.19.

With no Olympic selection time set by the French federation for semifinal swims in the 100 free, all eight swimmers in the final will be looking to surpass the A cut of 48.82, as well as place in the top four for relay selection.

Women's 200 butterfly
Cuts: Semis: 2:10.28, Finals: 2:08.95
With the French federation setting a 2:10.28 as the time to beat in semifinals for Olympic roster consideration, Aurore Mongel barely dipped under that with a 2:10.25. She will need to be much faster in finals, as a 2:08.95 is the time needed then to make the Olympic team.

The remainder of the qualifiers for tomorrow's final did not swim faster than the semifinal time set by the French. Lara Grangeon posted the second-fastest time with a 2:10.60, while Lea Giraudon was third with a 2:13.14. Also qualifying for the final will be Elodie Delamare (2:15.63), Magali Rouuseau (2:16.50), Clotilde Dequaire (2:17.63), Camille Lavergne de Cerval (2:18.29) and Margot Pecci (2:18.53).

Men 200 breaststroke
Cuts: Prelims: 2:16.00, Semis: 2:13.11, Finals: 2:11.74
After missing out on making the Olympic team in the 100 breast, Hugues Duboscq retaliated with a 2:12.45 in tonight's semifinals. With his 2:13.25 in prelims, Duboscq is the only swimmer in the event to post times faster than the French federation has set in each round for Olympic selection. Duboscq, the reigning Olympic bronze medalist in this event, will need to post a 2:11.74 in tomorrow's final to make his fourth Olympic team at age 30.

Also qualifying for tomorrow's final will be Thomas Rabeisen (2:15.44), Jeremy Peter (2:15.51), Giacommo Perez (2:15.79), Thomas Dahlia (2:15.90), William Debourges (2:16.17), Thibault Marand (2:16.46) and Thibault Capitaine (2:16.88). Mark Gangloff of the United States was the ninth-fastest in semifinals with a 2:16.92.

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