Frenchman's 100 freestyle WR

Very streamlined, i’d think!

He doesn’t seem to have the classic very wide shoulders of a male swimmer and seems more cut than most. He looks the part.

You’re right.
Not that this has anything to do with his swimming ability, but as far as his face is concerned, he is certainly no Brad Pitt!! :smiley:

AN ITALIAN SETTING SWIMMING WORLD RECORDS? PAKEWI, IS THIS ANY OF YOUR DOING:p :stuck_out_tongue:

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, March 24 AFP - France’s record-breaking sprinter Alain Bernard won the men’s 50m freestyle today to cap a superb week as two more world records were set at the European championships.
Dutchwoman Marleen Veldhuis set a new women’s 50m freestyle world record after clocking 24.09sec, beating the old mark of 24.13 set by compatriot Inge De Bruijn at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
And Italy’s Federica Pellegrini broke the world record in winning the women’s 400m freestyle in 4min 1.53sec, to beat the former time of 4:02.13 set by France’s Laure Manaudou on August 6, 2006 in Budapest.
Bernard had broken the 50 metre mark on Sunday for his third world mark of the Eindhoven event.

The 24-year-old Bernard swam 21.50 seconds in his semi-final to beat Australian Eamon Sullivan’s 21.56 set last month.

He also clocked 47.50 to win the 100m freestyle in Saturday’s final, breaking his own mark of 47.60 seconds set in the semi-finals on Friday.

Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband set the old mark at the 2000 Olympics.

In other events, Russia won the men’s 4x100m medley relay in a new European record of 3:34.25 ahead of Croatia (3:36.32) and Sweden (3:36:85), Britain won the women’s version of the same relay, also in a European best of 3:59.33, ahead of Russia (4:00.47) and the Netherlands (4:04.41).
And Germany’s Janne Schaefer took the women’s 50m breaststroke in 31.08sec ahead of Russia’s Yuliya Efimova (31.41) and Mirna Jukic of Austria (31.59).
Meanwhile 13-year-old Tom Daley is the new European champion after winning the 10m platform title for Britain.
Daley produced flawless dives in rounds four and five, each earning four marks of 10 from the judges.
His final round dive was less impressive but he had done enough to hold off Germany’s Sascha Klein and Francesco Dell’Uomo of Italy.
It was just an absolutely amazing experience,'' Daley told BBC Sport. I missed one of my dives and to still be able to get the 10s after that and to still bring myself up to get the gold medal, I really didn’t expect it.’’
Daley, who will become the second-youngest male Olympian in British history after qualifying for Beijing, was only sixth after three rounds.
Normally I can do that (third) dive a lot better and because I didn't, I did get a bit worried and knew I had to turn it around. To finish up and be standing on the top of the podium with your national anthem playing is not something that happens every day,’’ he added.

COPING WITH MEDIA PRESSURE

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, March 25, 2008 (AFP) - Record-breaking swimmer Alain Bernard’s exploits at the European championships here have set him up as a major contender to become a star of the pool at the Beijing Olympics.
Bernard broke the 50 metre freestyle world record on Sunday for his third world mark of the European Championships in Eindhoven.
The 24-year-old Bernard swam 21.50 seconds in his semi-final to beat Australian Eamon Sullivan’s 21.56 set last month.
He also clocked 47.50 to win the 100m freestyle in Saturday’s final, breaking his own mark of 47.60 seconds set in the semi-finals on Friday. Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband set the old mark set at the 2000 Olympics.
Bernard, along with 2004 Olympic champion Laure Manaudou, still have to ensure qualification for the August 8 to 24 Olympics at next month’s French championships in Dunkerque which double up as trials for Beijing.
Bernard had no special preparation for Eindhoven though he had worked hard on his weak point of starts which are crucial in the 50m. Combining superb physical preparation with a rigorous technique-enchancing programme, Bernard has thrust himself firmly into the public eye.
His coach Denis Auguin realises a major part of his role is to try and make sure the huge media coverage which will ensure does not hamper his build-up to the competition on his life in the Far East.
We are going to go back to work on Wednesday,'' said Auguin. We will prepare for Dunkerque as we said we would,’’ with two weeks of training followed by a two-week tune-up taper to hit his peak at the right time for the April 20 to 27 Dunkerque event.
French swimming federation technical director Claude Fauquet was relaxed about the hullabaloo which could now surround the swimmer. Things need to be dealt with calmly,'' Fauquet said. When a swimmer puts in the performances Bernard has done, it gives an incredible confidence in one’s abilities. It will be a different matter at Dunkerque however because there will be the fear that an error will be made, the anxiety of possibly missing the trip to Beijing.’’
Nothing seems to be stopping Bernard who admitted on Sunday with understatement that he felt in good form.
I'm feeling well and I'm taking a lot of pleasure from my swimming and perhaps that's my secret, enjoying myself,'' Bernard said. That’s an advantage and as everything is going well I’m making the most of it and am not thinking about things too much.’’
A major plus for Bernard had been his impressive start which he admitted had been a weakness of his till now.
This (starts) was one of the things that I had been practising very hard on in training with the help of coaches from the French swimming federation,'' he said. We really thought hard about what I needed to do and made a decision on it. We will probably stick with it because it has been working.’’
Auguin had said he was delighted with Bernard. He told me beforehand he was going to go fast and in his language I knew what that meant,'' Auguin said. Moments like this are exceptional and you need to make the most of them.’’