By dint of tormenting the times, we become very demanding with Léon Marchand. How not to be with the five-time world champion and who is aiming for four Olympic titles in Paris? This Monday, the Toulouse rocket competed in its first final of the French championships in Chartres over its favorite distance, the 400m medley. If there was obviously no photo with the competition, if he ensured the Olympic minimums, the double world distance champion was content with a time of 4’10″62 quite far from his best standards and his world record established last summer (4’02″50).
“I thought I was good until this timehe commented to our colleagues at France TV. I wanted to be 4’08” or 4’07. It’s a bit of a disappointment.” Marchand is far from the best world performance of the year achieved by his training partner Carson Forster (4’07″64) and his time of the day does not even allow him to appear among the five best performances of 2024. He It is therefore easy to understand the disappointment of someone who would have liked to set the best time of the year just over a month before his entry into the running at the Paris Olympics.
As expected, the 100m backstroke offered a fantastic festival. Emma Terebo and Béryl Gastaldello managed to get their ticket to the Paris Olympic Games after a very competitive race. Terebo won in 58″79, becoming the first French woman to swim the distance in less than 59″. “I can not believe it ! I am relieved and happy with this French record“, she reacted. She will be accompanied in Paris by Béryl Gastaldello, 2nd in 59″17.
