Yannick Agnel Looking To Redeem 2014 With Short Course World Championships Appearance

Photo by David Farr

NICE, France, October 16. AMONG the 11 swimmers listed on France’s roster for the upcoming short course world championships is Yannick Agnel, who will test his return to training in France at the five-day meet in Qatar.

Agnel returned to his home country last month after nearly a year of training at North Baltimore Aquatic Club with Michael Phelps and others. Agnel had a subpar long course season, winning just a bronze medal in the 200 freestyle at the European championships a year after taking the world title in the event and two years removed from winning the Olympic gold medal.

Agnel hasn’t won an individual short course world championship medal, earning gold in 2010 in the 400 free relay and bronze in the 800 free relay in 2010. He’ll have the opportunity to earn more relay medals with the roster of five other Frenchmen who will attend the meet.

Florent Manaudou, the reigning 50 free Olympic champion, will try to upgrade his silver medal in the 50 free from the 2012 edition to gold. It’s likely he’ll face reigning short course world champion Vlad Morozov and 2010 champion Cesar Cielo. Manaudou also won bronze in the 50 breast in 2012.

Mehdy Metella, Giacomo Perez Dortona and Benjamin Stasiulis could help give France a powerful medley relay presence, while newcomer Clement Mignon will be very helpful in the freestyle relays. Mignon was on the winning 400 free relay team at this year’s European championships and the bronze medal mixed 400 free relay.

On the women’s side, the recent retirement of Camille Muffat will still be felt, as the five women on the roster will look to impress at the meet as much as their male counterparts. Charlotte Bonnet is the top swimmer on the list, having won medals in the 800 free relay at the Olympics and world championships. Anna Santamans, Mathilde Cini, Melanie Henique and Marie Wattel round out France’s female list.

Romain Barnier will serve as head coach for the team. He’ll know many of the swimmers well as the head coach of Team Marseilles. All of the men besides Agnel swim for Barnier. Febrice Pellerin, who coaches three of the five women on the worlds team at Olympic Nice Natation, is an assistant coach. Lionel Horter, who had asked to be removed from his post as France’s national technical director in order to train Agnel, will also act as assistant coach in Qatar. Other assistant coaches include Julien Jacquier and Maxime Leutenegger.

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