Bernard won a total of four medals (two golds, one silver, and one bronze) at two Olympic Games (2008 and 2012). He also won numerous medals at the World Championships (short course and long course) and European Championships (short course and long course). Bernard formerly held the world record for the 50 metres freestyle (long course) and the 100 metres freestyle (long course and short course).
Bernard won the European (Long Course) Championships 2008 100 m freestyle final in a new world record time of 47.50 seconds on 22 March 2008. He had already beaten the world record the previous day, finishing in 47.60 seconds in the semi-finals. On 23 March 2008 Bernard broke Eamon Sullivan's 50 m freestyle world record in the semi-finals of the same championships, setting a new world record of 21.50 seconds. Bernard would go on to win the 50m freestyle final in 21.66 seconds. But Bernard's 21.50-second world record only stood for four days; it was reclaimed by Eamon Sullivan.[1]
2008 Olympicsedit
At the French national championships, Bernard qualified for the Olympic Games in Beijing in the 50 m freestyle (with a time of 21.69 s) and 100 m freestyle (47.82 s).
Before the 4×100 m freestyle relay, Bernard taunted the American swim team. Bernard claimed to a newspaper that he and his French teammates, favorite to win the relay, "were going to smash the American team. That's what we came here for".[2] But the French team ended up in second place behind the American team by .08 seconds. Bernard, who had a lead going into the final leg of slightly less than a body length, was caught in the final strokes by Jason Lezak, whose final leg of 46.06 seconds was the fastest relay leg in history.
The close defeat left Bernard "wounded," according to his coach.[3] However, he rebounded to win the men's 100 metres freestyle gold medal. Bernard had one day earlier set a new 100 metres freestyle long course world record of 47.20 s in the semi-finals. Bernard became only the second Frenchman to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming, after Jean Boiteux, who won the 400 m freestyle at the 1952 Helsinki Games. He also finished third in the men's 50 metres freestyle final behind César Cielo Filho of Brazil and Amaury Leveaux of France, making it the first time in Olympic history that France had produced two medallists in a swimming final.
2012 Olympicsedit
Bernard failed to qualify for the 50 m freestyle and 100 m freestyle events of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London by finishing only fifth in both events during the French swimming championships in March 2012.[4][5] He was in the French 4 × 100 m freestyle relay team in the heats at the Olympics, but was not included in the team for the final. France won the event which made Bernard a two-time Olympic gold medalist.[6]
He announced his retirement from swimming shortly after the 2012 Olympic Games.[7]
He was also chosen as the 2008 RTL Champion of Champions by RTL, a French commercial radio network. This annual sports award was inaugurated in 2008.[8]
The 100m long course time (46.94) was not admissible as a world record because it was swum in a non-approved swimsuit.[10]
Service in the French Gendarmerieedit
Alain Bernard has been a volunteer in the Gendarmerie since 2008 and was until recently attached to the Groupement blindé de gendarmerie mobile based in Versailles-Satory in the Yvelinesdepartment.
alain, bernard, confused, with, bongo, alan, bernard, french, pronunciation, alɛ, bɛʁnaʁ, born, 1983, former, french, swimmer, from, aubagne, bouches, rhône, personal, informationnationality, franceborn, 1983, 1983, aubagne, franceheight1, weight90, websiteala. Not to be confused with Alain Bernard Bongo or Alan Bernard Alain Bernard French pronunciation alɛ bɛʁnaʁ born 1 May 1983 is a former French swimmer from Aubagne Bouches du Rhone Alain BernardPersonal informationNationality FranceBorn 1983 05 01 1 May 1983 age 40 Aubagne FranceHeight1 96 m 6 ft 5 in Weight90 kg 198 lb WebsiteAlainBernard lesite comSportSportSwimmingStrokesFreestyleClubCN AntibesMedal record Men s swimmingRepresenting FranceEvent 1st 2nd 3rdOlympic Games 2 1 1World Championships LC 0 2 3World Championships SC 1 0 0European Championships LC 4 2 1European Championships SC 3 3 2Universiade 1 0 0Mediterranean Games 3 1 0Total 14 9 7Olympic Games2008 Beijing 100 m freestyle2012 London 4 100 m freestyle2008 Beijing 4 100 m freestyle2008 Beijing 50 m freestyleWorld Championships LC 2009 Rome 100 m freestyle2011 Shanghai 4 100 m freestyle2007 Melbourne 4 100 m freestyle2009 Rome 4 100 m freestyle2011 Shanghai 50 m freestyleWorld Championships SC 2010 Dubai 4 100 m freestyleEuropean Championships LC 2008 Eindhoven 100 m freestyle2008 Eindhoven 50 m freestyle2010 Budapest 100 m freestyle2012 Debrecen 4 100 m freestyle2010 Budapest 4 100 m freestyle2012 Debrecen 100 m freestyle2006 Budapest 4 100 m freestyleEuropean Championships SC 2004 Vienna 4 50 m freestyle2008 Rijeka 4 50 m freestyle2007 Debrecen 100 m freestyle2005 Trieste 4 50 m freestyle2006 Helsinki 4 50 m freestyle2007 Debrecen 4 50 m freestyle2006 Helsinki 100 m freestyle2007 Debrecen 50 m freestyleUniversiade2005 Izmir 4 100 m freestyleMediterranean Games2005 Almeria 4 100 m freestyle2009 Pescara 100 m freestyle2009 Pescara 4 100 m freestyle2009 Pescara 50 m freestyleBernard won a total of four medals two golds one silver and one bronze at two Olympic Games 2008 and 2012 He also won numerous medals at the World Championships short course and long course and European Championships short course and long course Bernard formerly held the world record for the 50 metres freestyle long course and the 100 metres freestyle long course and short course Bernard has a shark tattoo on his right hip Contents 1 2008 European Long Course Championships 2 2008 Olympics 3 2012 Olympics 4 Awards 5 Personal bests 6 Service in the French Gendarmerie 7 See also 8 References 9 External links2008 European Long Course Championships editBernard won the European Long Course Championships 2008 100 m freestyle final in a new world record time of 47 50 seconds on 22 March 2008 He had already beaten the world record the previous day finishing in 47 60 seconds in the semi finals On 23 March 2008 Bernard broke Eamon Sullivan s 50 m freestyle world record in the semi finals of the same championships setting a new world record of 21 50 seconds Bernard would go on to win the 50m freestyle final in 21 66 seconds But Bernard s 21 50 second world record only stood for four days it was reclaimed by Eamon Sullivan 1 2008 Olympics editAt the French national championships Bernard qualified for the Olympic Games in Beijing in the 50 m freestyle with a time of 21 69 s and 100 m freestyle 47 82 s Before the 4 100 m freestyle relay Bernard taunted the American swim team Bernard claimed to a newspaper that he and his French teammates favorite to win the relay were going to smash the American team That s what we came here for 2 But the French team ended up in second place behind the American team by 08 seconds Bernard who had a lead going into the final leg of slightly less than a body length was caught in the final strokes by Jason Lezak whose final leg of 46 06 seconds was the fastest relay leg in history The close defeat left Bernard wounded according to his coach 3 However he rebounded to win the men s 100 metres freestyle gold medal Bernard had one day earlier set a new 100 metres freestyle long course world record of 47 20 s in the semi finals Bernard became only the second Frenchman to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming after Jean Boiteux who won the 400 m freestyle at the 1952 Helsinki Games He also finished third in the men s 50 metres freestyle final behind Cesar Cielo Filho of Brazil and Amaury Leveaux of France making it the first time in Olympic history that France had produced two medallists in a swimming final 2012 Olympics editBernard failed to qualify for the 50 m freestyle and 100 m freestyle events of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London by finishing only fifth in both events during the French swimming championships in March 2012 4 5 He was in the French 4 100 m freestyle relay team in the heats at the Olympics but was not included in the team for the final France won the event which made Bernard a two time Olympic gold medalist 6 He announced his retirement from swimming shortly after the 2012 Olympic Games 7 Awards editBernard was chosen as the 2008 L Equipe Champion of Champions France category by L Equipe He was also chosen as the 2008 RTL Champion of Champions by RTL a French commercial radio network This annual sports award was inaugurated in 2008 8 On 1 January 2013 Bernard was made an Officer Officier of the French National Order of Merit 9 Personal bests editPersonal bests Event Long course Short course50 m freestyle 21 23 20 64100 m freestyle 46 94 45 69200 m freestyle 1 47 81 1 46 43The 100m long course time 46 94 was not admissible as a world record because it was swum in a non approved swimsuit 10 Service in the French Gendarmerie editAlain Bernard has been a volunteer in the Gendarmerie since 2008 and was until recently attached to the Groupement blinde de gendarmerie mobile based in Versailles Satory in the Yvelines department See also editWorld record progression 50 metres freestyle World record progression 100 metres freestyleReferences edit Sullivan smashes 50 m world record ABC 27 March 2008 Archived from the original on 28 March 2008 Retrieved 27 March 2008 I m favorite and we ll smash U S Bernard Retrieved 7 March 2018 Lezak outstretches French as U S wins relay gold Michael Phelps quest for eight golds still alive Retrieved 21 May 2013 Bernard fails to qualify for London Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 Retrieved 21 May 2013 Manaudou and her brother qualify for Olympics Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 Retrieved 21 May 2013 French get revenge for 2008 relay loss to US The Reporter Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 Retrieved 21 May 2013 Olympic Champion Alain Bernard Makes Retirement Official 22 September 2012 Marion Bartoli elue championne des championnes 2013 par RTL RTL 13 December 2013 Archived from the original on 16 December 2013 Retrieved 18 December 2013 Legion d Honneur Aschieri Muffat et Agnel dans la promo du 1er janvier Archived 27 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine nicematin com PR49 FINA APPROVAL OF WORLD RECORDS Fina org Retrieved 9 August 2012 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alain Bernard Official website in French Alain Bernard at World Aquatics Alain Bernard at Swimrankings net nbsp Alain Bernard at Olympedia nbsp Alain Bernard at Olympics com nbsp Alain Bernard at Olympic org archived nbsp Alain Bernard at Equipe de France in French Alain Bernard at Equipe de France Olympique archived in French Fiche de Bernard website of the sports daily L Equipe at the Wayback Machine archived 24 August 2008 in French Alain Bernard n 29 on Time s list of 100 Olympic Athletes To Watch at the Wayback Machine archived 27 July 2008 RecordsPreceded byEamon Sullivan Men s 50 metre freestyleworld record holder long course 23 March 2008 27 March 2008 Succeeded byEamon SullivanPreceded byPieter van den HoogenbandEamon SullivanEamon Sullivan Men s 100 metre freestyleworld record holder long course 21 March 2008 11 August 200813 August 200823 April 2009 22 June 2009 record annulled Succeeded byEamon SullivanEamon SullivanEamon SullivanPreceded byStefan Nystrand Men s 100 metres freestyleworld record holder short course 7 December 2008 12 December 2008 Succeeded byAmaury LeveauxAwardsPreceded byMateusz Sawrymowicz European Swimmer of the Year2008 Succeeded byPaul BiedermannPreceded bySebastien LoebDaniel Elena French Sportsperson of the Year2008 Succeeded bySebastien LoebDaniel Elena Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alain Bernard amp oldid 1158919912, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,