Brest Swimmers Sweep Podiums Again at 2026 French Short Course Swimming Championships

At the French elite short course swimming championships held in Angers on October 31, 2026, the Brest swimmers delivered stunning performances, once again sweeping the podium in a major event. In the women's 800m freestyle, Valentine Leclercq took gold with a time of 8 minutes and 24.86 seconds, closely followed by Lou-Ann Gaudaire who claimed silver, and Laura Gourgeon who secured the bronze. This follows their previous sweep in the 1500m freestyle event earlier in the competition, reinforcing Brest's dominance in distance freestyle events.

In addition to the Brest podium sweeps, Béryl Gastaldello set a new French record in the 100m backstroke with a remarkable time of 55.66 seconds, qualifying her for the upcoming World Championships in Beijing. Gastaldello didn't stop there; she also won the 50m freestyle race, marking her fourth and fifth titles in just three days of competition. She expressed pride in her achievements despite a challenging preparation period, stating, "It was a great evening. I am very happy... the preparation hasn't been easy, so I am super proud."

Other notable performances included Maxime Grousset, who finished second in the men's 200m freestyle with a time of 1:41.70, narrowly missing gold to Roman Fuchs, who finished in 1:41.47. The championships featured a range of other competitive events showcasing France's top swim talents.

This series of results highlights Brest’s continued strength in French swimming, particularly in long-distance freestyle races, and the standout individual achievements of swimmers like Gastaldello. The competition also set the stage for upcoming international events, including the World Championships in Beijing.