On the third evening of the 2018 French Nationals in Saint Raphael, Charlotte Bonnet as well as David Aubry, Damien Joly, Stanislas Huille, Paul-Gabriel Bedel, Maxence Orange, Marie Wattel and Margaux Fabre picked up the necessary qualifying times for the European Championships at the end of the summer.
Here is a list of who is qualified already for European Championships for the French team:
- David Aubry, 400 free, 1500
- Paul-Gabriel Bedel, 100 back
- Theo Bussiere, 100 breast
- Roman Fuchs, 400 free
- Stanislas Huille, 100 back
- Damien Joly, 1500
- Mehdy Metella, 100 free
- Maxence Orange, 100 back
- Nans Roch, 200 fly
- Jeremy Stravius, 50 back, 100 free
- Charlotte Bonnet, 50 free, 200 free
- Mathilde Cini, 50 back
- Fanny Deberghes, 100 breast
- Cyrielle Duhamel, 400 IM
- Margaux Fabre, 200 free
- Beryl Gastaldello, 50 back
- Lara Grangeon, 400 IM
- Anouchka Martin, 50 free
- Marie Wattel, 100 fly, 200 free
Men’s 1500 Free
Qualifying standard: 15:07.71
- David Aubry, 15:01.85
- Damien Joly, 15:03.61
- Logan Fontaine, 15:13.41
- Paul Beaugrand, 15:26.21
Aubry and Joly were both under the European Championships qualification in the heats (15:07.71) as both guys went 15:03 in the heats. Aubry went just a little bit faster and dipped down to a 15:01 as Joly stayed at a 15:03. Joly was a little off his French record of 14:48.90 from the heats of the 2016 Olympics, but he will have another chance at the European Championships in Glasgow.
Women’s 200 Fly
Qualifying standard: 2:11.85
- Lara Grangeon, 2:12.53
- Sharon Van Rouwendaal, NED, 2:12.77
- Juliette Marchand, 2:16.36
- Camille Wishaupt, 2:18.36
Grangeon was a 2:12 in the heats and in the finals and missed the qualifying standard of 2:11. Grangeon is already on the European Championships team in the 400 IM so her 200 fly miss is not the end of the world. Grangeon had a good race with Dutch national teamer Sharon Van Rouwendaal who is swimming at the French Championships because she trains in Montpellier.
Men’s 100 Back
Qualifying standard: 54.86
- Stanislas Huille, 54.39
- Paul-Gabriel Bedel, 54.45
- Maxence Orange, 54.48
- Geoffroy Mathieu, 55.93
All top three finishers in the men’s 100 back were under the 54.86 standard in the heats and again in the finals, allowing Stanislas Huille, Paul-Gabriel Bedel and Maxence Orange to punch their tickets to the European Championships. The coaches will have a lot of fun trying to pick their lead off for the 4×100 medley relay in Glasgow as France is still looking for their backstroker after the retirement of World Champion Camille Lacourt.
Women’s 200 Free
Qualifying standard: 2:00.06
- Charlotte Bonnet, 1:55.53
- Marie Wattel, 1:58.18
- Margaux Fabre, 1:58.47
- Alizee Morel, 2:00.45
Charlotte Bonnet swam a very impressive 1:55.53 in the 200 free final as she was well under the qualifying standard. She was a little off of the 1:54.66 French Record held by the late Camille Muffat from 2012. Bonnet will be joined in Glasgow by Marie Wattel and Margaux Fabre as those two were under 2:00.06 in the heats and in the finals. France is one person shy of completing a 4×200 free relay but will probably find someone by the end of the summer for Europeans.
Men’s 200 Breast
Qualifying standard: 2:12.75
- Jeremy Desplanches, SUI, 2:12.30
- Thomas Boursac, 2:13.78
- Antoine Marc, 2:13.93
- Antoine Viquerat, 2:14.03
Swiss swimmer Jeremy Desplanches who is based in Nice, swam a 2:12.30 to win the 200 breast final. The highest placing French swimmer Thomas Boursac who was a 2:13.78, a little off the 2:12.75 required standard. Boursac was a 2:13.52 in the heats so he would not have qualified for Europeans.
