<Born: May 1, 1983 (Aubagne, France)

Height: 1.96m (Armspread: 2.05m) Stroke: Freestyle. Started competing at age eight. A backstroke specialist, he was convinced by coach Denis Auguin to switch to freestyle.

'Secret' to success: Says recurrent back pain forced him to concentrate on having a perfect technique.

Admires: Russian swimmer Alexander Popov.

Achievements:

2005 French Championships, where he broke 50-second barrier for 100m freestyle for the first time.

2007 French Championships, where he beat the French 100m record for the third time in months, clocking 48:12, which placed him joint-third with Italy's Filippo Magnini on the all-time list.

European Short-course Championships, where he won the 100m free in Hungary last year.

Disappointment: Missed the 2004 Athens Olympics because of mononucleosis (glandular fever).

Reuters

'I knew I had it in me. When I saw the time, I was shaking all over. That does not mean I didn't believe I could do it.'
ALAIN BERNARD