Maxime Grousset and Beryl Gastaldello each captured double gold on the opening day of the French Elite Short Course Championships in Angers.
Three-time world champion Grousset led the way in the 100 fly in 49.09 ahead of Clement Secchi who also went inside 50secs in 49.76 with Amaury Albar third in 50.71.
He returned for the 100IM which he dominated in 51.44, 1.26secs ahead of nearest challenger Alexandre D’Agata (52.70).
Beryl Gastaldello: Photo Courtesy: KMSP/Lionel Hahm
Gastaldello headed the women’s 50 back in 25.95 ahead of Analia Pigree (26.04) and Pauline Mahieu (26.17).
She returned for the 100 free – the final event of the opening finals session of the four-day meet – where she pulled away from Marina Jehl on the second half of the race to win in 52.08, 1.48secs off her 50.60 French record set at last year’s short-course Europeans.
Giulia Rossi-Bene was third in 53.33 as she won her second medal of the evening following 50 breast gold (30.27).
Roman Fuchs headed a highly competitive men’s 400 free in 3:37.68 with 16-year-old Sauveur Cristofini next home in an age group record of 3:38.64. Cristofini doesn’t turn 17 until next month and already has a European silver medal under his belt after swimming the penultimate leg of the 4×2 at Paris 2026. David Aubry was third in 3:39.63 as the first three men home all went inside 3:40.
Yohann Ndoye Brouard was the only man to break 1:50 in the 200 back in 1:49.31 ahead of Mewen Tomac (1:50.61) and Mathys Chouchaoui (1:51.76).
Bertille Cousson headed a close-fought 200IM duel with Camille Tissandie in 2:10.13 to 2:10.25.
