Budapest – Led by Mary Wattel and Charlotte Bonnet, the women’s 4x100m relay brought the French team the first medal and bronze medal at the European Swimming Championships on Monday in Budapest and Olympic qualification in Tokyo within their reach this week. .
Three years ago in Glasgow, with Bonnet and Wattle already, but also with Beryl Gastallo, the other runner-up of the tricolor, French women were adorned with gold.
Without Gustallo this time, who continued to train in the United States, but with Anuka Martin and Asia Touati they are third (3: 35.92), behind Great Britain (3:34, 17) and the Netherlands (3:34, 29).
“This isn’t your usual group, we thought that Dutch women in particular would be a lot of late, we’re not much behind in the first place, it’s cool,” Bonnet rejoices.
Away from the European podium, we must not forget that the French relay almost said it would take place at the Olympics in ten weeks (23 July – 8 August).
To be invited, the blue quartet, absent – before nine hundred – must be from the 2019 worlds where twelve Olympic tickets out of sixteen were distributed, part of the top four countries in the world that did not receive one from May. . 31 ..
– “A playing card in Tokyo” –
After this continental final, he finished second, thanks to 3 minutes 35 seconds and 64 swam last December in San Rafael, behind the British performance in the Hungarian Basin. The Danes and Italians, among others, are still far behind.
Both Wattel and Bonnet have already shown themselves in Tokyo.
“We are not at our best, we know,” she recalled. “That was not the point.” In Tokyo, we have a good card to play. Why don’t we dream and go to the theater? I think it is possible. With a cut, with a beryl that can add. We have the speed, and I really believe in this mission. “
With Gastaldello, “who gets bigger and bigger in a few months, who gives hope for something great, it’s clear,” he’s teeming with the latter.
Shortly before the 4x100m final, Wattel qualified for the 100m Butterfly, scheduled for Tuesday evening, for the second time, with a time of 57 seconds and 48 seconds. Only Louise Hanson from Sweden was the fastest (56.73), as in the series.
Wattell, who is training in Loughborough, England, has yet to make it to the international stage.
Melanie Haines, who surpassed 50 meters (25.08, for the fourteenth time), and young Johann Nadwi Broward, on the back of 50 meters (25.11, tenth time), did not qualify for the semi-finals.
– Kolesnikov and Obcomst –
In this non-Olympic race, Kliment Kolesnikov became the first man under 24 seconds to break his world record by seven hundred and 93 in 23 seconds (versus 24.00 in 2018 in Glasgow).
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” he says.
At the age of 20, Kolesnikov, European trio of 2018 (50-meter back, 100-meter back and men’s 4x100m) leads the way: Over 100 meters, the Queens race, presents himself with the best global performance of the season, in 47 seconds and 31, Where his best, dating back to 2018, is over seven-tenths in two days in April.
She is accustomed to the podiums and her highest score: a few days after her 32nd birthday, Katinka Hoszo presented herself the fourteenth and fourth continental title in the 400-meter medley (after 2012, 2014 and 2016). The Hungarian won 32 seconds 73 in 4 minutes, which is the second best performance in the world for this season.
“The race was painful, but it was normal, she admits. Time to make me feel good. I need races, races and more races to stay ahead.”
Someone has a brand to follow his start non-stop, which deserves to be called “Iron Lady”, but with a lighter schedule, with only two other singles races. , 200m variety and 200m butterfly.
