European bronze and Tokyo on site for the ladies 4x100m

Budapest – Led by Marie Wattel and Charlotte Bonnet, the women’s 4x100m relay brought the French team the first medal, a bronze medal, at the European Swimming Championships on Monday in Budapest, and qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo at your fingertips this week. .

Three years ago in Glasgow, with Bonnet and Wattel already, but also with Béryl Gastaldello, the other French finalist, the French were decked out in gold.

Without Gustallo this time, who continued to train in the United States, but with Anuka Martin and Asia Touati, they finished third (3: 35.92), behind Great Britain (3: 34.17) and the Netherlands (3:34, 29).

“It’s not your usual line-up, we thought the Dutch women in particular would be far behind, and we’re not far behind in first place, that’s great,” said Bonnet.

Beyond the European podium, we must not forget that the French relay almost says that it will take place at the Olympics in ten weeks (July 23 – August 8).

To be invited, the blue quartet, absent – before nine hundred years – from the 2019 Worlds where twelve of the sixteen Olympic tickets were awarded, must be part of the first four countries in the world that have not yet received one since May. 31 ..

– “A card to play in Tokyo” –

After this continental final, he finished second, thanks to 3 minutes 35 seconds and 64 swims last December in San Rafael, behind the British performance in the Hungarian basin. The Danes and Italians, among others, are still lagging behind.

Wattel and Bonnet have already shown themselves in Tokyo.

“We’re not at our best, we know that wasn’t the goal,” I reminded myself. In Tokyo, we have a good card to play. Why don’t we dream and go on stage? think it is possible. With a cut, with Beryl who could add. We have speed, I really believe in this mission. “

With Gastaldello, “which will become bigger and bigger in a few months, which gives hope for something big, it is clear”, he swarms with the latter.

Shortly before the 4x100m final, Wattel qualified for the 100m butterfly, scheduled for Tuesday evening, with a second time, 57 seconds 48. Only Louise Hanson of Sweden was the fastest (56.73), as in the series.

Wattel, who trains in Loughborough, England, has yet to reach the international stage.

Mélanie Haines, over 50 meters (25.08, 14th time), and young Johann Nadwi Broward, on the back of 50 meters (25.11, 10th time), did not make it to the semi-finals.

– Kolesnikov and opkomst –

In this non-Olympic race, Kliment Kolesnikov became the first man under 24 seconds, breaking his world record by seven hundred and 93 in 23 seconds (against 24.00 in 2018 in Glasgow).

“It’s an incredible feeling,” he says.

At 20, Kolesnikov, European champion of the trio 2018 (50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and 4x100m men) presents the lead: over 100m, the Queen’s Race, presents itself with the best world performance of the season, in 47 seconds 31, where e best What it has, going back to 2018, is more than seven tenths in two days in April.

She is used to the podiums and her highest pitch: a few days after her 32 years, Katinka Hoszo presented herself with the fourteenth continental title and the fourth in the 400 meters medley (after 2012, 2014 and 2016). The Hungarian won 32 seconds and 73 in 4 minutes, the second best performance in the world for this season.

“The race was painful, but that’s normal,” she admits. Now is the time to do myself good. I need races, races and more races to stay ahead. “

Someone who has a hallmark to follow his start nonstop, who deserves to be called “Iron Lady” (Iron Lady), but with a lighter schedule, with only two other single-handed races. , 200 varied meters and 200 butterfly meters.