The future looked a little shakey for Laure Manaudou (Mulhouse ON) today after she finished third in the 400m freestyle at Olympic trials in Dunkirk. Luckily, one of those ahead of her was Romanian Camelia Potec, coached by the Frenchwoman's former mentor Philippe Lucas in Canet. What a tangled web ...

The Olympic 200m freestyle champion won the race in 4:06.08, ahead of Coralie Balmy (Dauphins Toulouse), on 4:06.41, with Manaudou taking third place but second berth for France (who would have guessed it) in 4:06.67. Manaudou will head to Beijing as Olympic but not French champion.

'It's tough. Above all being beaten. I can only say one thing, I'm waiting for the new Arena suit,' said Manaudou after the race. It should, of course, be noted that Manaudou's form has little to do with any suit: she raced in the previous generation of Arena suts on her way to 200m and 400m world records in 2006 and 2007, while Federica Pellegrini raced to a 4:01.53 world record in the Arena R-Evolution: just wait 'til the Italian gets her polyurethane panels on in the newest new Arena Revenge ... not long now - June or at latest July. Or perhaps she'll wait to spring a loaded sub-4-minute surprise in Beijing.

Despite getting off to a poor start Manaudou was leading going into the final 100m before Potec, who has been coached for the past year by Manaudou's ex-mentor Philippe Lucas, produced a storming finish to touch first in 4:06.08.

In the same session, Manaudou showed that she is still a medal force to reckon with in other events, a 59.98 semi-final in the 100m backstroke leading the way to the final.

Hugues Duboscq (CN Le Havre) clocked 1:00.18 to win the 100m breaststroke ahead of France-based Brit James Gibson (Marseilles), on 1:01.71 and already out of the swim as far as Beijing is concerned, the Britain berth having gone to Chris Cook and Kris Gilchirst two weeks ago.

The 100m butterfly final went to former 200m freestyle world champion Alena Popchanka (City of Edinburgh/Lagardere Paris Racing) in 58.65, ahead of Aurore Mongel (Mullhouse), on 58.73, both women heading for the plane to China.

Amaury Leveaux, Mulhouse training partner of Manaudou and Mongel, was in great shape, at the helm of qualifiers for the 200m freestyle final with a 1:47.10 that suggested he will race the clock and not rivals tomorrow. Elena Bogomazova, of Russia and Canet, raced a 1:08.76 semi in the 100m breaststroke ahead of Anne Sophie Le Paranthoen (CN Marseilles), on 1:09.47. Manaudou's new beau Ben Stasiulis clocked 55.48 in the 100m back semis.

Manaudou also suffered loss on day one of trials when her 400m medley national record fell to Joanna Andraca (AC Hyeres) and Camille Muffat (Olympic Nice) on a tied 4:38.23, inside the freestyle ace's 4:40.06 from 2006, with Cylia Vabre (Lyon Natation) third on 4:38.71. How speedy the pace of change. All three would have beaten the world silver medallist at Melbourne 2007 but find themselves five and more seconds off the pace of those who lead the world so far this year. For Andraca the race marked a 7sec improvement, for Muffat 6secs and for Vabre going on for 8secs.

Former Manaudou boyfriend Pierre Henri, at Canet with coach Lucas, won the 400 medley for men in 4:18.23 to make the grade for Beijing.

There are patterns in the pool sometimes and they are not always easy to read but Manaudou is starting to look like a swimmer in danger of becoming - rightly or wrongly - one who focussed on because she might lose rather than because she might win. On paper she remains a medal and title hope, in the pool she is clearly a force to be reckoned with but consistency appears to have abandoned her.