A hundredth makes two. Third in the 100m freestyle on Thursday, Maxime Grousset won a second bronze medal at the Worlds in Fukuoka (Japan) – after that obtained in the 50m butterfly -, thanks to this tiny lead over the Chinese Zhanle Pan. “I went to get her, dropped the native of Noumea when he came out of the water, still blunt. I wanted the gold medal, and I’m getting closer to it. »

Author of a supersonic start (reaction time of 62 hundredths), the 24-year-old swimmer, placed in row 1, raced in the lead. Despite a drop in speed in the last length, he ended up resisting the returns of the Chinese Zhanle Pan (4th, 47 s 43) and the Briton Matthew Richards (5th, 47 s 45), world champion on Tuesday in the 200m freestyle . Winner in 47 s 15, the Australian Kyle Chalmers became world champion, for sixteen hundredths, ahead of the American Jack Alexy (2? in 47 s 31). Romanian David Popovici, defending champion, only took 6th place.

Maxime Grousset, author of his personal best over the queen distance in 47 s 42 (best French performance in a classic jersey), was however not completely satisfied with his race: “I put myself in the shoes of someone who wanted win and I feel that there are things to do. I didn’t have a perfect race, but that only inspires me with positives. Already vice-world champion in Budapest in 2022, the tricolor has faith in the future: “I am not yet world champion. It will happen one day. »

A second medal

Already a bronze medalist in the 50m butterfly on Monday, Maxime Grousset will have two new chances to shine at these Fukuoka Worlds. Michel Chrétien’s protege – “happy to find [his] swimmer, upset yesterday, confident” – will line up in the heats of the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle on Friday.

His trainer fears the fatigue of such a succession of high-intensity events. “It’s the first time he will have to pass so many laps before the finals. How will his body react? “, he wonders. Could the New Caledonian give up one of these races? ” Sleep on it. It is he who will make the final decision, ”continues Michel Chrétien.

Thursday, Maxime Grousset’s medal kicked off Les Bleus’ day perfectly, with Léon Marchand securing a third world title in the 200m medley. On the other hand, on the ladies’ side, Analia Pigrée failed in the 50m backstroke (28s 04) – a final won by Australian Kaylee McKeown (27s 08), world champion on Tuesday in the 100m backstroke. Also note the eliminations, in the semi-finals of the 100m freestyle, of Marie Wattel (9? time in 53 s 83) and Béryl Gastaldello (12th, 54 s 49).

Highly anticipated at these World Championships, Summer McIntosh retained her title in the 200m butterfly final. Third in the 200m freestyle on Wednesday, the young Canadian (16 years old) largely imposed herself, winning the junior world record (2 min 04 s 06), ahead of the Australian Elizabeth Dekkers (2 min 05 s 46) and American Regan Smith (2 min 06 s 58), reigning Olympic vice-champion.

Australia, winner of the women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay – world record (7 min 37 s 50) – ahead of the United States and China, continued its harvest of medals at the Fukuoka Worlds. She now has 13 medals, including 9 gold. France is 4th in the nations ranking, thanks to Marchand’s three gold medals and Grousset’s two others, in bronze.