Florine Gaspard qualified for the semi-finals of the 50m freestyle on Saturday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Gaspard recorded the 14th time in the series in 24.69, 4/100ths of her Belgian record, while the 16 fastest swimmers (among 79 starters) reached the semi-finals.
In the temporary pool installed at La Défense Arena in Paris, the best time in the series went to the Swede Sarah Sjoestroem in 23.85. The world record holder (23.61) came close to the Australian’s Olympic record Emma McKeon (23.81). In the eighth of ten series, Florine Gaspard finished 7th among 8 competitors, only 31/100ths behind the Australian Shayna Jackwho finished first. The Belgian swimmer had to wait until the end of the last two races to see her qualification validated, in 14th position. She finished 3/100ths ahead of the Dutchwoman Valerie van Roon, 16th and last qualifier. The semi-finals of the event are scheduled for 8:39 p.m. The 8 best times will compete for medals in the final, Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
Florine Gaspard (22 years old) had not managed to qualify for the Olympics in her favourite stroke, the breaststroke. However, she discovered an affinity for freestyle swimming, which thus earned her a place at Paris 2024. Gaspard holds the national record in the 50m, since she became the first Belgian swimmer to go under 25 seconds in 24.65 in Amiens (France). These were the first Olympics for Florine Gaspard, born in Luxembourg and living in Marseille, France. Her best result at the world championships is a semi-final in the 50m breaststroke in Fukuoka 2023, Japan. In 2022, she competed in the final of the 50m breaststroke at the Euro in Rome (Italy).