Hard work drives Frenchman Bernard to world records

By Derek Parr

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Reuters) - Alain Bernard said on Saturday that his world records at the European Championships were the result of hard work and warned potential Olympic rivals he might be able to swim even faster.

The heavily muscled Frenchman obliterated the 100 metres freestyle record twice in two days, taking it far beyond the epic 47.84 seconds mark established by Pieter van den Hoogenband at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Bernard's awesome power cut the record to 47.60 in the semi-finals and lowered it to 47.50 in the final, with the crowd on their feet cheering, in the Dutchman's Van den Hoogenband's home pool. "It's symbolic," Bernard said.

France's national technical director Claude Fauquet said it was a "mythical exploit" in French and world sport.

"I didn't expect to do that at all, not yesterday and not today," Bernard told a news conference at the National Swimming Centre pool complex after the record spree that left his rivals, including world champion Filippo Magnini, trailing in his wake.

Bernard's fastest time before Eindhoven was 48.12, making this an astonishing advance for the 24-year-old Frenchman. How had he done it? "It's work," he said.

"It's my potential. It was a different approach in training and competition, always continuing to work."

FIRM BELIEF