NCAA All-Americans Thomas Dahlia and Beryl Gastaldello Win On Day 5 Of French Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Mike Comer and Shanda Crowe/ProSwimVisuals.com

Two recent NCAA championship finalists found themselves at the top of the podium today in Limoges at the French long course nationals, and qualified for the country’s world championship team.

Thomas Dahlia, who was eighth in the 200 breast at last week’s NCAA championships while representing the University of Louisville, won the 200 breast French title with a 2:11.49. It gives Dahlia his first spot on a world championship team, and ranks him fourth in the world so far in 2015, just ahead of three-time world champion Daniel Gyurta. Dahlia was not challenged in the race, splitting a full second ahead of the field at the halfway mark and never relinquishing it. Quentin Coton was second with a 2:12.98.

A day after breaking the 50 backstroke national record, Texas A&M freshman Beryl Gastaldello went after Melanie Henique’s 25.86 in the 50 butterfly that has stood as the French record since 2011. But Gastaldello fell a bit short with a 25.92 for the win, qualifying for a third event for the world championships this summer in Kazan. Henique was second with a 26.17, also dipping under the FINA “A” standard to give France two entries in the event. Marie Wattel had some hard luck with her 26.50 that placed fourth, as it also was faster than the FINA “A” standard. But only two swimmers are allowed per event per country at worlds, so Wattel will not be able to represent Gaul in Russia.

Less than an hour later, Gastaldello was back for the final of the 100 freestyle, and just missed out on her second win of the night with a 53.98 behind the 53.94 from Charlotte Bonnet. Both ladies are ranked seventh and eighth in the world standings, and they will get to swim the event at worlds. It’s Bonnet’s fourth win of the meet, and her fourth event for world championships. Likely qualifying for 400 freestyle relay purposes were third-place finisher Cloe Hache (55.27) and Margaux Fabre (55.50), though times will have to be significantly faster for France to challenge for a top-eight spot at worlds.

Jeremy Stravius was looking to add a third national title to his list of accomplishments, but Ben Stasiulis was able to overpower Stravius on the final 50 after the two tied at the 100-meter mark. Stasiulis’ winning time of 1:58.45 is well off his national record of 1:56.39 from 2012, but it is enough to get him on the world championship team and rank eighth in the world. Stravius added another event to his world championship schedule, dipping under the FINA “A” standard by .12 with a 1:59.07. Eric Ress, now a postgrad at the University of Indiana, took third with a 2:00.71. Ress was in the hunt for the win, turning within four tenths of Stasiulis and Stravius at the 150-meter mark, but couldn’t hold on in the final 50 meters.

Nicolas D’Oriano and Guilliaume Laure were in a tight race for the men’s 400 IM title, and D’Oriano pulled ahead on freestyle to win by a second with a 4:22.57 to Laure’s 4:23.57.

2015 French Long Course Nationals, Day Five – Results

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