Alain Bernard is a swimmer who has competed for France. He competed at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He won a total of four medals throughout his Olympic career, including an individual gold in the men's 100 metres freestyle at Beijing 2008. He also attained the world record after winning the 2008 European Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands with a time of 47.50.
Beijing 2008[]
At the French Championships, Bernard qualified for the Olympic Games in Beijing in the 50 m freestyle (with a time of 21.69) and 100 m freestyle (47.82).
Before the relay, Bernard taunted the American swimming squad. He and the rest of his French team ended up in second place behind the American team by 0.08 of a second. Coming through the anchor leg with a commanding lead slightly less than a bodylength, Bernard was caught in the final strokes by Jason Lezak, whose anchor leg of 46.06 seconds was the fastest relay time in the event's history.
The close defeat left Bernard "wounded," according to his coach[1]; however, he rebounded to claim the Olympic title in the men's 100 metre freestyle final, with Lezak tying his position with Brazil's César Cielo Filho for the bronze. Bernard became only the second Frenchman to win the gold medal in swimming, after Jean Boiteux dominated the 400 metres freestyle at Helsinki 1952. He also finished third in the 50 m freestyle final behind Cielo and his compatriot Amaury Leveaux, producing two medalists for the French swimmers in the final for the first time in history.
He has a shark tattoo on his right hip.
London 2012[]
Bernard failed to qualify for the 50 and 100 metres freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, finishing only fifth in both events during the French Championships four months earlier. He competed at his second Games as a member of the men's 4x100 metres freestyle relay team for France, swimming only during the heats. With the Frenchmen beating the Americans for their first-place triumph, Bernard became the first Frenchman to have received two gold medals in swimming.[2][3]
Olympic Results[]
Year | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|
2008 | Men's 50m freestyle | |
Men's 100m freestyle | ||
Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | ||
2012 | Men's 4x100m freestyle relay |
2008[]
Discipline | Round | Time | |
---|---|---|---|
50 metres freestyle | Heats | 21.78 | |
Semifinal | 21.54 | ||
Final | 21.49 | ||
100 metres freestyle | Heats | 47.85 | |
Semifinal | 47.20 | WR | |
Final | 47.21 | ||
4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:12.36 (Reserve) |
AR |
Final | 3:08.32 (46.73 split) |
AR |
2012[]
Discipline | Round | Time |
---|---|---|
4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:13.38 (48.31 split) |
Final | 3:09.93 (Reserve) |
Service in the French Gendarmerie[]
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 Yvelines department.
References[]
- ↑ "Lezak outstretches French as U.S. wins relay gold; Michael Phelps' quest for eight golds still alive", MLive Media Group, 11 August 2008. Retrieved on 19 August 2023.
- ↑ Norlander, Matt. "France gets revenge for the U.S. in 4x100 free; America takes silver", Fox News, 29 July 2012. Retrieved on 8 July 2013.
- ↑ "2012 London Olympics: Four Years After Being on Wrong End of History, French Anchor Way to Men's 400-meter Freestyle Relay Triumph", Swimming World Magazine, 29 July 2012. Retrieved on 7 July 2013.