400m European Title

Laure Manaudou will not defend her European 400m freestyle title in Eindhoven, according to French reports that quote her new coach Lionel Horter as saying that the Olympic champion will race 200 to 800m and the 100m backstroke (plus relays) in Beijing, and not the 200m backstroke.

If that is the case, it is an interesting choice at a time when Manaudou appears to remain more dominant in middle distance - she clocked 1:57.34 over 200m in Lyon when pressed by a 1:57.92 from Alena Popchanka - than over 16 laps. The 800m in Beijing, if not before, may well see Janet Evans's monumental world record fall under the unrelenting pressure of Kate Ziegler (USA). Could Manaudou and her sore shoulders get to that? Manaudou's potential in the 200m backstroke is vast - and yet it appears that she may take the same opt-out route of that other great potential over four laps on backstroke, Natalie Coughlin (USA), who says simply: 'No chance - I hate that event.' Fair enough.

In Eindhoven, Manaudou will arce 800m, 4x200m and the 00m backstroke. She will then return to her signature event, the 400m, and the 200m, at the French Olympic trials and national championships April 20-27 in Dunkirk.