McGill swimmer Secchi qualifies for FINA world championships in Budapest

LIMOGES, FRANCE -- Swimmer Clement Secchi, who was named last week as McGill University's male athlete of the year, has qualified to compete for France at the 2022 FINA world championship in Budapest, June 18 to July 3.

Secchi, a 21-year-old management senior from Aix en Provence, France, won the men's 100m butterfly in 52.31 seconds at the French Elite Championships in Limoges on Saturday. He shaved 0.65 seconds off his personal best long course time to qualify for the butterfly segment of his country's 4x100 medley relay quartet.

The 5-foot-11, 157-pound sprinter also swam personal bests in the 200m butterfly (1:58.72; third) and the 50m butterfly (23.84; fifth). His bronze medal time in the 200 fly knocked just over a tenth off his previous PB.

The six-day meet, which concluded on Sunday, is the premier selection competition for the "worlds" in June, though France is using a hybrid selection model with various meets considered. The meet is also considered to be the start of the race for a berth with the France Olympic team, which will feature a maximum of 24 swimmers for at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

"Who would've thought four years ago that I'd be swimming fast enough to sit on lane ropes and break records," wrote Secchi on his Instagram account recently. "Not me. And nobody else other than (McGill) head coach Peter Carpenter. He was the only North American coach who replied to my emails, believed in me and gave me the opportunity to represent his university swim team."

Last month, at the Canadian university swim championships, Secchi earned All-Canadian honours after winning four gold medals and a pair of silvers. He became only the second male from a Quebec institution to be named U SPORTS swimmer of the year. Last week, he won McGill's prestigious Forbes trophy to become the University's first male to merit athlete-of-the-year honours three times.

SECCHI'S MEET RESULTS

SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012
www.mcgill athletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca

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Players Mentioned

Clement Secchi: 5' 11"; Fourth Year; 3

Players Mentioned

Clement Secchi
: 5' 11"; Fourth Year; 3