Florida learning continues … After having (re) discovered the 400 m freestyle on Thursday, Léon Marchand reduced the distance by half Friday morning to immerse himself in the 200 m freestyle before finding his area of comfort at the 400m 4 swamp, of which he holds the Olympic title and the world record (4′02′’50).
Placed at water line n ° 3 of the last series, the fastest, the Toulousain managed to qualify for the final (8th time in total in 1′48′’05). For comparison, the French record of Yannick Agnel, which dates back to London in 2012, is displayed at 1′43′’14. This time will allow him to afford a little evening experience rab. For the return to the affairs of his prodigy after six months of break, Bob Bowman is not on the mouth.
In the middle of a folk call chamber temporarily transformed into a press zone by a sudden downpour, the Texas Longhorns coach, which he led this year to the title NCAA, rather appreciated the first dives of the quadruple Olympic champion. “He injured himself in Australia,” he recalls. When he returned, he was probably not 100 % but he trained pretty well. He didn’t miss any session. He is still not at his top but I did not expect it to be. So it rolls. »»
We have to (se) what the American thought of the two 400 m free swimming of his student on Thursday to start his competition. “I think it is not bad. He has made a good effort and the times are pretty good, smiles the US technician. He made huge technical errors that must be corrected. His turns in the final were really terrible and his transitions are not very good. So there are things that he can improve but I’m happy with that. »»
“Is it competitive at a high level (over 400 m free)? No “
It is premature and perhaps vain to mention any ambitions or deadlines. The duo rather came to seek a state of mind, a different breath. “He just wants to do something else,” slips the former mentor of Michael Phelps. So it happened what happened, he had fun and he did not do too badly. Is it competitive at a high level? No. We will have to talk about everything that means. But I think it’s just for him to see different things. He needs these challenges. I do not think that we can repeat the three or four same trials again and again. »»
In a post-Olympic year necessarily special and lighter in terms of preparation, Bowman does not really have a quantified objective for the Habs. “The expectations will be to do as best he can where he will be,” he sums up. Not where he was last summer (the Paris Games) but where he will be the next one (the Worlds of Singapore). As long as he advances, that he gives himself to the maximum, that will go to me. It’s not easy to forget what we did but it’s a long process, right? And the next goal is in three years. So there is a lot of time to do things… ”
On the 200 m freestyle, the first CAP set by the Austin Boss is not disproportionate. “Being good enough to help your fellows from the 4 x 200 m relay,” he says. He is capable of it. Otherwise, the Habs rolled out on the 400 m nages (4′21′’04) series, where he signed the second time behind the American Bobby Finke (4′20′’34). But that’s the routine …
