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.

The Popchanka v Manaudou tussle in Lyon was a good one, by accounts, the Edinburgh-based former world champion getting to the 100m turn in 57.75, to the current world champion's 58.00). The times were Manaudou's third-best ever after her Melbourne 2007 efforts, and Popchanka's second-best ever a fingernail behind her swiftest outing. 'I love racing Laure. It's a duel that helps me make progress,' Popchanka told L'Equipe. For her part, Manaudou said: 'I knew it would be a great race.' One that is helping France to become a tougher fighting force in the 4x200m freestyle.

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.

Among other results from Lyon: Alain Bernard, 48.86 in the 100m freestyle ahead of Fabien Gilot, on 49.07 and Filippo Magnini (ITA), on 49.30; Kris Gilchrist (GBR) 2:12.90 in the 200m breaststroke ahead of Loris Facci (ITA), on 2:13.16; Kirsty Balfour (GBR), 1:09.19 in the 100m breaststroke; Hannah Miley (GBR), 4:42.07 in the 400m medley.