MONTPELLIER, France, April 25. AS anticipated as the men's 100 free was the other night, the men's 100 fly final had a similar feel tonight, as many expected Spaniard Rafael Munoz Perez to set a new world record. Munoz put on a great show, but came up just short of Ian Crocker's 50.40, finishing in 50.46. The crowd was treated to a superb night of swimming, as a handful of French national records fell during the evening as well.
With 2004 Olympic champ Camelia Potec absent from the semifinals, the door has been opened in the women's 200 free. Five women cracked the 2:00 barrier in the semifinals, with Sweden's Gabriella Fagundez taking the top spot in a time of 1:59.17. Coralie Balmy, who finished second in the 400 last night, will occupy the second position with a 1:59.50. Ophelie Cyrielle Etienne (1:59.61), Sophie Huber (1:59.76) and Camille Muffat (1:59.79) finished just behind. Rounding out the rest of the final will be Margaux Fabre, Mylene Lazare and Coralie Codevelle.
Coming off a solid performance in the 400 free yesterday, Tunisia's Ahmed Mathlouthi posted the fastest time in the semis of the men's 200 free at 1:47.65. Gregory Mallet qualified second in 1:48.00, just ahead of Sebastien Bodet (1:48.56). Kevin Trannoy and Julien Codevelle were the only other men under 1:50 in the field, taking fourth and fifth in 1:49.11 and 1:49.92, respectively.
Morocco's Sara El Bekri established a new Championship Record in the women's 100 breast, qualifying first for finals in 1:08.23; that bettered her national record of 1:08.66 from the Beijing Olympics. She finished just ahead of Sophie De Ronchi, whose time of 1:08.81 was just off the French national record of 1:08.68, set by Anne-Sophie Le Paranthoen in 2007. Fanny Babou took third in 1:09.27 and Coralie Dobral touched fourth in 1:09.37. Adeline Williams, Julia Vendeville, Andrea Baudry and Julie Pujol will complete tomorrow's championship heat.
Brazil's Henrique Ribiero Marques tied the Championship record in the men's 100 breast with a time of 1:00.05 to lead all championship qualifiers. Giacomo Perez Dortona placed second in 1:00.80 and Great Britain's James Gibson took third in 1:00.84. Tony de Pellegrini dropped almost two seconds off his morning swim to place fourth in 1:00.90. French record-holder Hugues Duboscq finished fifth in 1:01.49.
Alexianne Castel sliced two and a half seconds from her semifinal time to win the women's 200 back in 2:07.55. Cloe Credeville finished a distant second in 2:09.79 and Esther Baron grabbed the final podium spot in 2:10.58.
Benjamin Stasiulis tied Simon Dufour's French record of 1:57.90 in winning the men's 200 back. Dufour set the record at the 2003 World Championships. Jeremy Stravius took second in 1:59.12 and Joris Hustache dropped three seconds from his semi time to finish third in 1:59.46.
French record-holder Camille Muffat asserted her place as the top woman in France by posting the fastest qualifying swim in the women's 200 IM. Her time of 2:12.54 was two seconds ahead of second-place Lara Grangeon's 2:14.52. Charlie Marqueton (2:15.65), Sophie De Ronchi (2:16.57) and Joanne Andraca (2:16.60) rounded out the five fastest swimmers who will move on to the championship final tomorrow.
Christophe Soulier erased Xavier Marchand's eleven year old national record in the men's 200 IM from the books with a time of 2:00.38, but it wasn't enough to qualify first in the event as South Africa's Darian Townsend crushed the field with a 1:57.03 semi time. Marchand's record stood at 2:01.08. Fabien Horth placed third in 2:02.51 and Tunisia's Taki M'Rabet placed fourth in 2:02.85.
Aurore Mongrel zipped to a quick time of 57.80 in the women's 100 fly final, cutting half a second off her old national record of 58.30. Diane Bui Duyet snuck in for second in 58.64, followed by Lea Giraudon (58.97). Three other women also broke 1:00, including Melanie Henique (59.07), Gabriella Fagundez (59.31) and Magali Rousseau (59.44).
Rafael Munoz Perez has been on fire of late, and his hot streak continued in the 100 fly. After posting a time of 50.85 in semis, there was talk of a possible world record in tonight's final. Munoz came up just .06 short of Ian Crocker's world record, touching in 50.46. That time was good enough for a new European and Championship record, however. Clement Lefert established a new French record of 51.42 in finishing second, while Romain Sassot took third in 52.48.
The men's and women's 400 medley relays closed out the session. CN Marseille topped the women's race with a time of 4:05.69. The team from Dauphins Toulouse OEC came in second in 4:08.19. For the men, CN Marseille set a new French record, winning the event in 3:34.63. The previous record was 3:34.78, set last year in Beijing. Lagardere Paris Racing took second in 3:35.23.
Results: French Long Course Championships
Search For More News About: Rafael Munoz Perez
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April 25, 2009 i posted the 100 fly final on youtube on the channel dublinct Submitted by: maly
April 25, 2009 Croc rules!!
Thanks for the info Submitted by: nosniveling
April 26, 2009 Freddy B!
First under 19.0 for 50 yard free (18.90 @'07 NCAAs in Minneapolis), now first under 21.0 for 50 meter free.
Not a bad curriculum vitae that.
And second-fastest all-time in 100 m free.
By dipping under 21.0 he and Bernard are nt only two fastest sprinters of all-time but France is first country to have two different wr-setters in 50-100 frees in same meet.
Nobody's ever done it b4.
Bernard's 46.94 100 wr clocking is just .11 behind Natalie Coughlin's "world record" in the WOMEN's 100 yard freestyle (U.S. Nationals, Atlanta, December '07).
How long before someone (Nathaqn Adrian, Alex Righi @ I(ndy Gtrials in July?) goes 46.7-8 for 100 m free?
And what ab out the octuple gold-medalistfrom that little meet inChina last summer? SReportedly he's gonna unveil his "new" stroke @ Charlotte in three weeks...how 'bout HIM setting 100 free wr?
(And incidentally...some might suggest the recorod "BELONGS" back in the good Ol' US of A where it is a logical progrtession from the Duke to Johnny to Spitz to...Andy Con to Jim Montgomery to Rowdy Gaines to Matt Biodni to...?)
Only Spitz has held 200 fly-100 free wrs simultaneously so maybe t's about time the "greatest history in the swimmer of the world" did it too.
Submitted by: slickwillie32
April 27, 2009 Great article John. Provides some good context to the previous articles here talking about how fast everyone is swimming, without a mention to the suit issue.
I agree with Bill that the Americans are fast, but they're only going to top 46.94 wearing a Jaked. Will there be a sea of Jaked suits in Indy, or will USA Swimming take action to make sure the playing field is level? 400 Euros for a suit isn't affordable for all at the meet.
Note that Pierre Roger's Jaked ripped after his 1:56 semi-final swim, and he wore an LZR in the final and went 2:01, didn't make the French team. Submitted by: FatDrew
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