French Long Course Championships: Flash Alain Bernard Breaks 47-Second Barrier, Sets World Record in 100 Free

MONTPELLIER, France, April 23. THE first man under 47 seconds in the men's 100 free is France's Alain Bernard after he scorched the sprint event during semifinals at the French Long Course Championships held in Montpellier.

Bernard ripped off a scintillating time of 46.94 to erase the 47.05 set by Australia's Eamon Sullivan during the Beijing Olympics. Bernard out-split Sullivan's world-record time both going in and coming back. Bernard went out in an astonishing time of 22.35, while coming home in 24.59. Sullivan's accomplished his previous standard with a 22.44 out and a 24.61 in.

Comparison splits:
Sullivan: 22.44, 47.05 (24.61)
Bernard: 22.35, 46.94 (24.59)

Ever since Bernard first eclipsed Pieter van den Hoogenband's 2000 world record of 47.84 in the event with a 47.60 last March, he and Sullivan have engaged in a global game of oneupsmanship.

Here is the progression of the world record since Hoogenband's record:

47.84 Pieter van den Hoogenband, NED – Sydney 9-19-00
47.60p Alain Bernard, FRA – Eindhoven 3-21-08
47.50 Alain Bernard, FRA – Eindhoven 3-22-08
47.24r Eamon Sullivan, AUS – Beijing 8-11-08
47.20sf Alain Bernard, FRA – Beijing 8-13-08
47.05sf Eamon Sullivan, AUS – Beijing 8-13-08
46.94sf Alain Bernard, FRA – Montpellier 04-23-09

Could it take a 46.5 just to win in Rome?

Notably, Amaury Leveaux qualified second in semis with a 47.76, while William Meynard (47.97) and Fabien Gilot (47.98) continued to demonstrate France's deepening pool of sprint talent.

The rest of the evening also featured some strong outings.

Jeremy Stravius ruined the party for Ben Stasiulis in the men's 100 back. Stasiulis had dropped the national record from 54.66 set by Camille Lacourt in March to a 54.20 in prelims then a 53.58 in semis. Stravius, however, dropped the hammer when it counted with a sterling time of 53.16 for the win and the French record. The depth of the event proved to be strong as well as Stasiulis (53.27), Pierre Roger (53.55), Lacourt (53.57) and Joris Hustache (54.59) all cleared the previous national record heading into the meet.

Anthony Pannier pipped the French record in the men's 400 IM with a time of 4:16.97. That swim edged Sebastien Rouault's 4:16.99 set in June 2007. Raoul Shaw took second in 4:19.87, while Tunisia's Taki M'Rabet placed third in 4:22.32. Rouault settled for fourth in 4:22.54.

Lara Grangeon walked away with the women's 400 IM title in 4:40.41, off Joanne Andraca's French record of 4:38.23 set in April 2008, while Andraca placed second in 4:45.52. Sweden's Evan Berglund twice broke her nation's top time of 4:49.23 set by Sara Nordemstam in 2002. Berglund first clocked a 4:48.04 during prelims before taking third in 4:47.82 at night.

France's Esther Baron came within a fingernail of beating the 1:00 mark with a 1:00.00 time for the women's 100 back title. Alexianne Castel finished just behind with a 1:00.19, while Cloe Credeville claimed third in 1:01.10.

The 200 flies also featured finals. Aurore Mongel won in 2:06.94 for the women's crown. The swim just missed Mongel's national record of 2:06.49 from the Beijing Olympics. It also just missed her meet record of 2:06.85 from semis. Clement Lefert earned the men's 200 fly title in 1:56.20, with Thomas Vilaceca (1:56.88) and Christophe Lebon (1:56.97) battling for second just behind.

In semifinal action, Sophie de Ronchi topped the women's 200 breast with a time of 2:26.75 after breaking the national record with a 2:26.33 during prelims. The time cleared Karine Bremond's 2000 standard of 2:27.13. Morocco's Sara El Bekri qualified second in 2:27.96 to crush her national record of 2:30.04 set at the Beijing Olympics.

Henrique Barbosa set the South American record in the men's 200 breast with a 2:11.30 during prelims before pacing the semifinal round with a 2:11.48. Thiago Pereira owned the previous continental record with a 2:11.40 at the Beijing Olympics. Fabien Horth qualified second in 2:12.10 with Tony de Pellegrini touching third in 2:12.55.

Malia Metella led the way in the women's 100 free semifinal round with a 54.28, while Sweden's Gabriella Fagundez qualified second in 54.98.

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