Manaudou and Bernard to race in Berlin

BERLIN (AFP) - France's Olympic champion Alain Bernard and former gold medallist Laure Manaudou will both swim at the seventh and final leg of the shortcourse World Cup when it comes to the German capital on November 15-16.

Three-time world champion and 2004 Olympic champion Manaudou will make her season's debut after disappointing performances at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

The 22-year-old Frenchwoman will compete in six of the short-course events in Berlin: the 100m and 200m freestyle, 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke as well as the 100m individual medley.

Manaudou suffered a nightmare in Beijing where she was eighth in the 400m freestyle, seventh in the 100m backstroke while also being eliminated in the semi-finals of the 200m backstroke.

She will be joined by Bernard, who is having an exceptional year and will compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle events.

At the European long-course Championships in March, the 25-year-old sprinter pulverised the 50m and 100m freestyle world records and then defeated world record holder Eamon Sullivan to win the 100m freestyle gold in Beijing.

Bernard also won bronze in the 50m freestyle as well as a silver medal with the French 4x100m relay team behind the United States.

Four world and three European records were broken at the same event last year.