Alain Bernard: France’s freestyle swimming champion
Alain Bernard is one of the most competitive freestyle swimmers to come out of France. He has competed at some of the highest levels of international swimming, which includes the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships. His amazing
technique and aggressive swimming style has earned him many international awards and medals.
The French freestyle legend appeared at the international level for the first time in 2004, during the European Short Course Championships in Vienna, as Bernard was a member of the 4*50m freestyle relay team that won the gold medal and stunned the arena.
His amazing performance caught the eye of many, as began to develop into one of the top competitive swimmers.
His outstanding performance at the European Games led to his selection in the 4*100m freestyle relay team at the 2005 Almeria Mediterranean Games, where his team with the exceptional swim by Bernard, easily brought the gold medal home. Bernard’s consistency
in swimming was seen a short time later during the 2005 Summer Universiade, where he again secured a spot in the 4*100m freestyle relay. The team with the help of Bernard managed to win a gold medal for France.
In 2005, Bernard comfortably made his way into the 4*50m freestyle relay team to compete at the 2005 European Championships. This time the team managed to reach the podium for the silver medal unlike the gold medal in 2004.
After representing France in the relay team for almost two years, Bernard acquired an extensive swimming strategy to reach the podium in individual events. The 27-year-old was happy with his workout, as he competed at the 2006 European Championships and
won the silver medal in the 4*50m freestyle relay and a bronze medal in the individual 100m freestyle event. The French swimmer earned his very first individual medal of any championships.
At the 2006 European Long Course Championships, Bernard was selected to represent his team in the 4*100m freestyle relay event. The team, with the mutual effort of all swimmers, won a bronze medal, as Bernard was unable to occupy the podium for any position
in the individual freestyle events.
Bernard’s golden era started with in beginning of 2007, when he became the number one French freestyle swimmer and in the same year he led the French team into the European Short Course Championships. He participated in the 4*50m freestyle, 50m freestyle
and 100m freestyle events and won a gold medal in the 100m freestyle, a silver medal in the 4*50m freestyle and a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle event. This was the first time that the French swimmer won a medal in every event that he participated in. Also
in 2007, he led the French freestyle relay team into the World Championships, which won a bronze medal.
During the 2008 European Short Course Championships, Bernard only grabbed a gold medal in the 4*50m freestyle relay and did not take part in any other events. Then later at the Long Course Championships, Bernard earned two gold medals in the 50m and 100m
freestyle events.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bernard stunned the swimming world with his gold medal in the 100m freestyle, a silver medal in the 4*100m freestyle and a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle events.
Currently, Bernard has strengthened his training and is preparing for the 2011 Shanghai World Championships and the 2012 London Olympics. It will be exciting to watch Bernard compete against some of the world’s top swimmers. His determination and hard work
has earned him the respect and admiration of both competitors and fans alike.
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