* Admires Russian swimmer Alexander Popov.
* He stands 1.96cm metre tall and has an armspread of 2.05. Says recurrent back pain has forced him to concentrate on having a perfect technique.
* Missed the 2004 Athens Olympics because of mononucleosis (glandular fever).
* Broke the 50-second barrier for 100 freestyle for the first time at the 2005 French championships.
* At the 2007 French championships he beat the French 100 record for the third time in a few months, clocking 48:12, which put him joint third with Italy's Filippo Magnini on the all-time list.
* Wins the European short-course 100 freestyle in Debrecen, Hungary, last December
* Bernard becomes the first Frenchman to hold the 100 metre freestyle world record since Alain Gootvalles, who broke the record in 1964. -- REUTERS