Saint-Raphaël (France) (AFP)

Marie Wattel, on 100 m butterfly, brought to four the number of swimmers who were able to live up to the demanding times set to claim to qualify as early as possible for the Tokyo Games, at the French Championships, on Sunday in Saint-Raphaël.

Florent Manaudou, over 50 m, Béryl Gastaldello, over 100 m, and Mélanie Hènes, over 50 m, had achieved this before her since Thursday.

But things are not set in stone, since the Var competition is only the starting point of the first Olympic qualification window, which will not close until March 21.

It is only at the end of these three months that those who will have achieved a time corresponding to an entry in the world final - within the limit of one qualified per race - will pocket a ticket for Tokyo.

In the meantime, no member of the quartet is automatically qualified for the Olympics-2020 postponed for a year under the effect of the coronavirus pandemic.

To do so as quickly as possible, each of them must remain the fastest French swimmer in their respective race at the end of this period.

What if they get passed?

The last sesames at stake will be distributed in a second time at the 2021 French Championships, mid-June in Chartres, according to less high minima.

There is only one who already has a free spirit: David Aubry, qualified for his world medal (bronze) over 800 m obtained in 2019.

- "Relief" -

For Wattel (23 years old), victorious in the 100 m butterfly in 57 sec 40, for 57 sec 51 requested, "there is relief".

The more so "that there is room on the bend, and in terms of physical and mental condition, we can do better".

"What is interesting is the technique: it was really calm, especially the swimming of the first 50 m, I worked on it a lot for two years, and now, it is acquired", completes the one who left s '' train in England, in Loughborough, after the 2016 Olympics without relief, and intends to join Marseille once the school year is over.

"This is my last year in England. It was great, but it will be five years, I did my time at Loughborough, I want to return to France", explained Wattel at the end of October.

"I have a good feeling with Julien (Jacquier, Marseille coach, editor's note), he had helped me a lot in Gwangju (at the Worlds-2019), he had given me some interesting little tips: it would be the most suitable trainer for me, "she continued.

In pole position in the 100m butterfly, Wattel wants to further expand his Olympic horizon.

“I'm not closing the door in the 50m and 100m. I would like to go to the Olympics with more than an individual qualification, to have something other than the 100m butterfly to put my teeth in”, explains- she does.

- Grousset in front of Mignon over 100 m -

In the match between those who participated in October-November in the second season of the ISL, the private league born in the fall of 2019, and those who favored training, advantage to the first at the end of these Championships of France.

Both Manaudou and Gastaldello, Enique and Wattel were involved.

"The ISL was a lot, maybe a little too much, but the others didn't have enough competition to get into it," says Wattel.

Before qualifying: "For a swimmer like Charlotte (Bonnet) who does the 200m, maybe it was better to stay training. What matters is not December, it's the Olympics . "

Over 100 m, the young Maxime Grousset (21), best time in the morning series (48.67), won only two hundredths to win in the final (48.65), which leaves him more than four tenths from the stopwatch. Olympic.

Only Clément Mignon also fell below the 49 seconds mark (48.78).

As expected after the 50m which left him hungry - even if he managed the time set to get closer to Tokyo - Florent Manaudou did not swim the 100m.

© 2020 AFP