The French Open, known by many as the “Paris Open,” has long been a pre-championship host to many of the world’s great swimmers, including huge appearance fees rumored to have been paid to Michael Phelps in the past.
Though there will be no Phelps this year, there is still a huge group of world-class competitors at the meet. That includes a sprint field that will include Cesar Cielo, Amaury Leveaxux, Fabien Gilot, Fred Bousquet, James Magnussen, Barry Murphy, George Bovell, and Florent Manaudou. Save the absence of American Nathan Adrian and a few others (who are mostly retired), that represents nearly half (6 of 13) of the Olympic sprint medalists in the last two Games.
Among other headliners on the men’s side include Canadian Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochrane, Hungarian superstar Laszlo Cseh, 2012 Olympic 100 fly silver medalist Evgeny Korotyshkin, Camille Lacourt, Amaury Leveaux, Marco Koch, Luca Marin from Italy, 50 fly World Record holder Rafa Munoz, Brazil’s 400 IM Olympic silver medalist Thiago Pereira, Jeremy Stravius, 100 breaststroke World Record holder Cameron van der Burgh, and South Africa’s former World Champion Gerhard Zandberg.
The women’s field will include Camille Muffat, Dorothea Brandt, Alexa Komarnycky, Duane da Rocha, Inge Dekker, and World Record holder Britta Steffen.
The vast majority of the French international teams will also be at the meet, as will one of the world’s great Paralympians Andre Brasil.
To see a full list of participants, click here.
The meet will run from July 6th-7th (Saturday and Sunday) in Vichy val d’Allier, and live results will be at this link once the meet begins.
Good races this weekend. I never knew Leveaux was a 200 free swimmer I always thought he was just 50 and 100 freestyle. I feel like he is more of a short course specialist but still has fast long course times.
Leveaux is a sprinter but last year in London he has started the French relay in 1.46.70. If he could swim a 1.47 split this year it would be fantastic for France.
Oh interesting. And how do you know that when he is not motivated he eats pizzas, burgers, and goes bowling etc.?
He said that in different interviews. But he is as he is and has had a pretty good career so far.
I really like Leveaux ever since he was very vocal in criticism of the shiny suits.
In 2008 Istanbul he even said that he would not have gone near his 50/100 SCM WRs if not for the suits. I can’t remember, but sometime in 2008 or 2009 he even refused to wear the shiny suits and opted for textile suits.
CMIIW, but I think in 2009, leveaux qualified in both 50 and 200 free for 2009 worlds, but actually only swam 50 free in Rome.
If someone is gonna pop a sub-21.3, probably will be Manaudou.I believe Cielo can do that(probably a 21.1/21.0 training ONLY for fifties), but only when full healthy.
PVK,
keep one eye in Eurosports channel.
Is it possible to attend to the meet as an expectator?
I am praying for someone to go under 21.3 this weekend! Manaudou seems the most likely this year, but who knows with Cielo, Magnussen, and Bousquet in the mix. Tight race… Is there any official video coverage of the meet?
It’s on eurosport.
Any other webcast sources aside from eurosport? Being non-european, I am blocked from accessing it.
I have eurosport channel on my cable, but not sure if it’s the right channel (being in asia and all)
I saw in Swimming World Magazine that George Bovell wasn’t partaking in the World Championships (or at least not training for it). So has he temporarily ceased swimming and his entry is a mistake (or he will scratch) or is he just not swimming Worlds? It seems kind of odd not to swim Worlds seeing he is practically guaranteed a spot.
The meet is in the place where the American team had prepared the olympic games last year. And I believe they had really enjoyed.
I will try to post a few races but nothing is sure.
The swimmer to watch is Amaury Leveaux in the 200 free. We will finally see if he’s in shape for Barcelona or if he continues to eat hamburgers every day. He is the key of the French 4X200 free relay.
I’m impressed by the number of big names who swim at this meet. However, I’m surprised not to see Katinka Hosszu. What happens with her? Is she tired? NO, NOT POSSIBLE!
He eats hamburgers everyday?!?!?!
If I’m not mistaken, Leveaux is known to chronically struggle with depression and keeping his weight in check.
No depression! He just loves life.
When Leveaux isn’t very motivated he hasn’t the perfect lifestyle of a professional athlete and he plays bowling, eats pizzas, hamburgers, drinks sodas. Only the olympic games motivate him. He had made big efforts to come back before London. But since London it has been tough for him to have again the fire. Of course he doesn’t eat now hamburgers every day! It’s just a joke but his shape is still in question.
So I’m intrigued as to the methods you’re using to monitor Leveaux’s burger consumption Bobo…
It’s just a joke because he struggles to have the lifestyle of a professional athlete.
Hehe, just kidding, I had visions of you with a network of spies reporting on his daily meals 🙂
BOBO,
do you know if B finals will begin at 17.20 or will be only A finals?
Seeing the link with programme i got a bit of confused.
B-Finals between 5.20 PM (French hour) and 5.50 PM. A-Finals between 6 PM and 8 PM.
I wondered the same issue. Where is Katinka Hosszu!
2012 French Open?