Beryl Gastaldello Dips Inside Olympic 100Fr Cut: Kirpitchnikova Sets Russian 800Fr Record
Beryl Gastaldello made the Olympic qualification time for the 100 free as she continued her fine form from the ISL at the French Elite Championships in Saint-Raphaël.
Gastaldello, who was third in the overall MVP standings following her electric form for LA Current at the ISL in Budapest, stopped the clock at 53.40, a personal best, and inside the cut for Tokyo.
It will be the second Olympics for the 25-year-old who finished 22nd over 100fr at Rio 2016, booking her spot at the first time of asking with further opportunities for swimmers to qualify at a later date.
Marie Wattel went 53.72 with Charlotte Bonnet third in 53.82.
Anastasia Kirpitchnikova downed a long-standing Russian record when she won the 800 free in 8:22.65.
The 2015 European Games triple medallist sliced 0.42secs from the mark of 8:23.07 set by Elena Sokolova at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The 20-year-old struck out on the third length to go away from Anna Egorova for a dominant victory with her fellow Russian more than eight seconds adrift in 8:30.73.
Oceane Cassignol was the first Frenchwoman home in third in 8:42.44.

Fantine Lesaffre; Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini/ Deepbluemedia /Insidefoto
Fantine Lesaffre held off the fast-finishing Cyrielle Duhamel in the 200IM to win by just 0.04.
Lesaffre, the European 400IM champion, went into the final turn with a 1.06sec lead over Duhamel who was eating into the deficit with every stroke only to fall just short.
Lesaffre won in 2:12.88 to 2:12.92, but shy of qualification.
Geoffroy Mathieu overhauled Yohann Ndoye Brouard on the final 50 take the 200 back in 1:57.07 to 1:57.56.
Jeremy Desplanches of Switzerland came from third at halfway to win the 100 fly in 52.44 ahead of Mehdy Metella (52.86) and Leon Merchant (52.89).
Going into the final turn of the 400 free, four men were separated by 0.17 but it was Ayoub Hafnaoui of Tunisia who pulled away from the field with clear daylight at the end when he stopped the clock at 3:50.22.
Logan Fountain (3:51.74) and Joris Bouchat (3:52.02) rounded out the podium with David Aubry – who had clocked 3:51.30 in the prelims – fourth in 3:53.06.
Florine Gaspard of Belgium won the 50br in 31.56 with Analia Pigree taking the 50 back in 28.32.
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