Bernard breaks 47 to set 100m record

Eurosport - Fri, 24 Apr 16:59:00 2009

France's Alain Bernard clocked a world record for the 100 metres freestyle of 46.94 seconds in the semi-finals of the French swimming championships.

SWIMMING Alain Bernard of France celebrates after setting a new world record in the men's 100m freestyle swimming semifinal event at the French Swimming Championships in Montpellier April 23, 2009 - 0

Olympic champion Bernard became the first man to break the 47-second barrier for the blue-riband event, beating the previous record of 47.05 seconds set by Australian Eamon Sullivan in the semi-finals at last year's Beijing Games.

The record's ratification, however, could be a problem because Bernard was using a new type of suit pending approval from swimming authorities.

Bernard had briefly held the 100 metres world record in Beijing, clocking 47.20 in his semi-final, but Sullivan took it straight back.

The 25-year-old Bernard then completed his remarkable rise from obscurity by winning the Olympic final.

"I wanted to swim as fast as I can," Bernard said in a televised interview after setting his record. "Being the first man under 47 seconds is magnificent."

The world record could be under threat in Friday's final in which Bernard can expect a challenge from Amaury Leveaux, who won his semi-final in 47.76 seconds.

The championships in southern French town of Montpellier confirmed the strength of French swimming with four men under 48 seconds in the 100 metres semi-finals.

"The record is fantastic and having four swimmers under 48 seconds tells you a lot," said French team boss Christian Donze. I don't think any other nation can do that at the moment."

Bernard's previous best time for the 100 this year was 48.52 set last month, but he had said some punishing training sessions prevented him from swimming faster.

The Frenchman warned in Thursday morning's heats he could swim fast, clocking 47.86 for the quickest time this year.

His record is certain to stir up debate on a new type of suit being used at the championships but Bernard's coach Denis Auguin said his swimmer deserved all the credit.

"He just did what he does best the best he could," Auguin said. "Of course there is new equipment being used but everybody else has it too."

The reserved but resolute Bernard, who stands 1.96 metres tall and has an arm span of 2.05 metres, was nicknamed the 'hovercraft' by former top French sprinter Bruno Gutzeit, who sees him as the ultimate swimming machine.

Recurrent back pain, a result of a rapid growth spurt as a teenager, put brakes on his progression but he compensated by working extremely hard to improve his technique and develop strength in his body.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 20 of 20

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  1. I prefer Bernard to Phelps.
    Why?
    Because 100m­ men's freestyle swimming match is the best­ competition in swimming pool.

    From jc3312, on Fri 24 Apr 12:59PM

  2. skinny little guy isnt he?

    From crnjakjurica, on Thu 23 Apr 11:06PM

  3. nightowldisco, nobody is interested by your passion for­ men's penis.

    From Lisle-Boisseau, on Thu 23 Apr 10:49PM

  4. Haha I agree Ivan... maybe we'll soon have the­ athletics 100m high-knees, skipping, and hopping­ events.

    From i am a teacup, on Thu 23 Apr 10:48PM

  5. Yep!
    Can't wait till the time they invent the­ proper suit, to make swimmers break Usain Bolts 100m­ record of 9,69sec.
    It's a matter of time they do­ this, maybe by farting or by swimming with­ hair.
    Don't know, but I'm getting bored of­ world records. And what's about awarding 10 million­ gold medals in one single sport like Swimming at­ Olympic Games. We have many disciplines in 4 styles. I­ don't remember seeing 400 metres running, and apart­ of it 400 metres running with a little bit more moving­ in the arms, and 400 metres running when scratching­ nuts maybe.
    I still respect swimmers as sportsmen - and­ my favourite was Pieter van den Hoogenband.
    Peace!

    From Ivan D, on Thu 23 Apr 10:41PM

  6. Breaking a record is somthing..althow because every now­ en than sombody break a record again specially in­ swiming it make it feel normal..still this one is­ historical barrier
    it seal Bernard name in the history­ of swimming as headline unlike those who have ever­ break a world record in swiming.

    From Ra, on Thu 23 Apr 9:55PM

  7. Geez who's the dingbat that spoke about his wedding­ tackle i cant see the sense in such a statement ­ ....so many men with wedding tackle down to their knees­ dont know how to use it....besides i thought comments­ here are on sport not of a sexual nature...maybe im­ wrong?

    From michael, on Thu 23 Apr 9:46PM

  8. Laure Manaudou is another one who performed below­ expectation levels, especially after Melbourne.

    From i am a teacup, on Thu 23 Apr 9:39PM

  9. Don't give me that shyte... he underperformed at­ the Olympics.. yeah great he got a gold medal, but­ he's not a 1-event man is he? He also­ underperformed in Melbourne!
    One good event­ doesn't mean he did well, this isn't athletics,­ it's swimming ffs!
    With his talent, he needs to be­ getting 3 or 4 gold medals per Olympic games.

    There­ was a big thing in France about a lack of medals in the­ swimming department after Beijing, so don't be­ prats and tell me he got 1 gold medal, that's­ enough.

    From i am a teacup, on Thu 23 Apr 9:39PM

  10. He does, however, have a miniscule penis. This is good­ because it reduces drag through the water, and also­ means that he spends most of his time training as girls­ are not really interested in him. His teenage growth­ spurt missed out his wedding tackle altogether.

    From Tony, on Thu 23 Apr 9:19PM

  11. Yes, really big.

    From Tony, on Thu 23 Apr 9:15PM

  12. huge fingers he has

    From Joseph, on Thu 23 Apr 8:30PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Oliver, on Thu 23 Apr 8:26PM

  14. WHO ARE YOU youre a fool, why say such a senseless­ thing

    RP CARDIFF spot on mate well said and too­ true

    RALPH R equally well said

    Brnard is amasing,­ lets hope it is only the suit, just seem to keep­ finding these amasing sports people slash all­ credibility a yer later in a book. but so far...well­ done

    From devon, on Thu 23 Apr 7:37PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    From jimbobbington79, on Thu 23 Apr 7:37PM

  16. who are you idiot. what a ridiculous statement.

    From ralph, on Thu 23 Apr 7:16PM

  17. who are you....what are you on about he is the olympic­ gold medalist and three time world record holder...and­ a landmark record holder.... id say that gives him some­ cred as having 'done shyte' at an important­ comeption.

    stop talking rubbish

    From richard, on Thu 23 Apr 6:47PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I thought its athletics; swimming news are boring

    From VINCE, on Thu 23 Apr 6:39PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    yet you never do shyte at an important competition!!!­ -_-

    From i am a teacup, on Thu 23 Apr 6:33PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    hoho

    From Laszlo, on Thu 23 Apr 5:52PM
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