The previous world record had stood for eight years. Alain Bernard improved his time in the 100 m final the very next day. This feat led to some rather unpleasant suspicions from his competitors, starting with the Italian Federico Magnini who accused the swimmer from Antibes of doping. He eventually retracted his statements the following day, apologizing, but the French swimmer was charged up. Those who faced him in the 50 m semi-finals paid the price with a new world record to boot. A second gold medal with another outstanding race on the last day of the championships, and there it was, Alain Bernard made a name for himself in the world of swimming. Now, he knows that he is expected in all swimming pools, including the one in Dunkirk from April 20 to 27 for the French championships, which are qualifiers for the Beijing Olympics.
However, he had to come back down to earth and get back to work, starting Wednesday morning. After a round of appearances on Parisian TV shows, Alain Bernard was back swimming laps in Antibes under the watchful eye of his coach Denis Auguin. The same was true for Thursday and Friday, a rather special day since all media were invited to a press conference at Thalazur after having attended his training in the mid-afternoon.
The presence of journalists did not disturb the younger members of the Antibes Swimmers Circle who had the honor of pursuing their passion alongside the new French darling. It was a moment they enjoyed: “It’s quite a sensation, it’s strange to swim near him,” admits Raphaël. Nazim adds: “It’s very pleasing, it’s pure joy to be in the same pool as him. It encourages us to swim. I’m sure he’ll break the world record at the Olympics given how hard he’s training.”
The youngsters are not the only ones impressed by the champion. Franck Esposito, a star of French swimming in the 90s, is equally complimentary. “It’s fantastic, it’s historic I believe. And, as a sports director, it proves that the strategy we’ve implemented for the past three years is working well. When you break a record, you join the fastest people in the world. To break three is fabulous.” The club president, Stéphane Ruel, echoes this sentiment: “It’s something unexpected because I managed, in three years, to bring in Franck Esposito as club director but also to bring Denis Auguin and Alain Bernard. All the work done over the past two years with them has paid off. It’s a tremendous source of pride.”
If the management is delighted with the presence of a new European champion, one can imagine how much more so if he succeeds where everyone expects him to, namely at the French championships. It currently seems unthinkable that he could not qualify for the Beijing Olympics. In China, the young French swimmer will face stiff competition from the best athletes of his discipline, Peter Van Den Hoogenband, the American Michael Phelps, and the new world record holder of the 50 m, the Australian Eamon Sullivan.
There remains, however, a lingering question: will the new Speedo suit, with which thirteen of the last fourteen world records were broken, be allowed? It has just been banned for the Canadian selections, and rumors suggest that the French federation is considering doing the same. Alain Bernard is clear: “If we have to swim in a standard suit or even in swimming trunks, we’ll do it.”
One thing is certain, the entire club supports him, and he feels very good on the French Riviera. He is therefore looking forward to Dunkirk to prove that he is the best of all.