Florine Gaspard (born 28 December 2001) is a Belgian competitive swimmer specializing in sprint breaststroke events. She is the Belgian record holder in the long course and short course 50-metre breaststroke. She placed sixth in the final of the 50-metre breaststroke at the 2021 European Short Course Championships. At the 2022 European Aquatics Championships (long course), she placed eighth in the final of the 50-metre breaststroke. At the World Short Course Championships, she placed eleventh in the semifinals of the 50-metre breaststroke in 2021 and 2022.
Background Gaspard was born 28 December 2001 in Belgium."Florine Gaspard". FINA. Retrieved 18 November 2022. In 2022, she relocated from her hometown of Bastogne to Marseille, France to train with CN Marseille leading up to her appearance at the 2024 Summer Olympics, which were held in Paris, France.Deprez, Pierre (12 March 2022). "Florine Gaspard : De Bastogne à Paris à la nage, "parce que maman avait la phobie de l'eau"" (in French). RTBF. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
Career 2018–2019 Competing at the 2018 European Junior Swimming Championships, held in July in Helsinki, Finland, when she was 16 years of age, Gaspard placed twentieth in the 50-metre breaststroke with a time of 32.58 seconds, thirty-ninth with a time of 1:12.64 in 100-metre breaststroke, and fortieth in the 200-metre breaststroke with a time of 2:37.73.LEN (8 July 2018). "2018 Helsinki LEN European Junior Championships Swimming: Results Book". Microplus Informatica. Retrieved 18 November 2022. The following year, as a 17-year-old at the 2019 World University Games, with swimming competition conducted in July at Piscina Felice Scandone in Naples, Italy, she placed eighteenth in the 50-metre breaststroke with a time of 32.05 seconds, twenty-third in the 200-metre breaststroke with a 2:35.84, and thirty-second in both the 50 metre freestyle, with a time of 26.76 seconds, and the 100-metre breaststroke with a time of 1:11.79.FISU (10 July 2019). "Napoli 2019 30th Summer Universiade: Swimming Results Book". Microplus Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Later in the year, at her first short course senior continental-scale Championships, the 2019 European Short Course Championships in December in Glasgow, Scotland when she was 18 years old, she placed twentieth in the 50-metre breaststroke with a 30.74, thirtieth in the 100-metre breaststroke with a 1:07.11, and thirty-ninth in the 50-metre freestyle with a time of 25.59 seconds.LEN (8 December 2019). "Glasgow LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019: Results Book". Microplus Informatica. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
2021 2021 European Short Course Championships On day one, 2 November, of the 2021 European Short Course Championships conducted at the Palace of Water Sports in Kazan, Russia, Gaspard placed twelfth in the semifinals of the 100-metre breaststroke with a personal best time of 1:05.58.LEN (7 November 2021). "2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships Kazan (RUS): Complete Results Book". Microplus Informatica. Retrieved 18 November 2022.Vande Weyer, Philippe (8 November 2021). "Natation: peuchère, revoilà Florine Gaspard!" (in French). Le Soir. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Four days later, in the semifinals of the 50-metre breaststroke, she set her first Begian record with a personal best time of 29.70 seconds and advanced to the final ranking fourth."Natation : Florine Gaspard bat le record de Belgique du 50 m brasse" (in French). RTBF. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Day six of six, she competed in the first international championships final of her career, tying Klara Thormalm of Sweden for sixth-place in the final of the 50-metre breaststroke with a time of 30.17 seconds, which was 0.37 seconds behind bronze medalist Nika Godun of Russia.
Following her success at the European Short Course Championships, Gaspard competed at the long course 2021 French Winter National Championships in Montpellier, France, setting a new Belgian record in the 50-metre breaststroke with a personal best time of 30.56 seconds, which was 0.19 seconds faster than the former record of 30.75 seconds set by Fanny Lecluyse in 2015.French Swimming Federation (9 December 2021). "Championnats de France Elite Hiver 2021 - 50 m: Résultats 50 Brasse Dames" (in French). liveffn.com. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
2021 World Short Course Championships The first day of the 2021 World Short Course Championships, contested starting 16 December at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Gaspard tied Molly Renshaw of Great Britain for sixteenth-place in the preliminaries of the 50-metre breaststroke with a time of 30.45 seconds, which meant the two swimmers would need to compete in a swim-off to determine which one got to compete in the semifinals."Mondiaux en petit bassin: Fanny Lecluyse et Florine Gaspard se qualifient pour les demi-finals du 50 m brasse" (in French). Le Soir. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2022.FINA (16 December 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Breaststroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022. In the swim-off, she lowered her time to 30.11 seconds, finishing 0.22 seconds ahead of Molly Renshaw to qualify for her first World Championships semifinal.FINA (16 December 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Breaststroke Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Later in the day, in the evening semifinals session, she placed eleventh with a time of 30.10 seconds.FINA (16 December 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Breaststroke Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Three days after that, she did not start competition in the 100-metre breaststroke.FINA (19 December 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 100m Breaststroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
2022 At the long course 2022 Belgian National Championships, held in April in Antwerp, Gaspard won three gold medals and national titles, the first in the 50-metre breaststroke and the second two in the 50-metre freestyle, with a personal best time of 25.80 seconds, and the 100-metre breaststroke with a time of 1:08.17."Championnats de Belgique de natation – Deux titres supplémentaires pour Florine Gaspard" (in French). bx1.be. 23 April 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022."BK zwemmen: Florine Gaspard blinkt palmares op met twee extra titels" (in Dutch). Gazet van Antwerpen. 23 April 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022."Triplé pour Gaspard, ticket européen pour Hanquet" (in French). L'Avenir. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
2022 World Aquatics Championships Gaspard was named to the Team Belgium roster for the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, held starting in June at Danube Arena in Budapest, Hungary, in both sprint breaststroke events, the 50-metre breaststroke and the 100-metre breaststroke.Monbaillu, Laurent (18 June 2022). "Cinq Belges en action aux Mondiaux de natation à Budapest" (in French). La Dernière Heure. Retrieved 18 November 2022. It marked her first FINA World Aquatics Championships.Jonette, Daniel (3 August 2022). "L'objectif de Florine Gaspard avant l'Euro de natation : laisser son stress au vestiaire" (in French). La Dernière Heure. Retrieved 18 November 2022. In her first event, the 100-metre breaststroke starting on day two of pool swimming competition, she placed twenty-sixth overall with a time of 1:09.22.FINA (19 June 2022). "19th FINA World Championships Budapest (HUN): Women's 100m Breaststroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022."La Bastognarde Florine Gaspard sortie en série du 100 m brasse au Mondial" (in French). L'Avenir. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Five days later, in the preliminaries of the 50-metre breaststroke, her second and final event, she placed seventeenth with a time of 31.10 seconds, which was 1.33 seconds behind the first-ranked swimmer in the preliminary heats Lara van Niekerk of South Africa.FINA (24 June 2022). "19th FINA World Championships Budapest (HUN): Women's 50m Breaststroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 November 2022."Florine Gaspard rate la demi-finale mondiale pour une place" (in French). L'Avenir. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
2022 European Aquatics Championships In August, Gaspard competed at her first LEN European Aquatics Championships, the 2022 European Aquatics Championships with pool swimming competition at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy. For her first event, the 100-metre breaststroke, she placed twenty-third in the preliminary heats with a time of 1:09.45 and did not qualify for the semifinals.LEN (12 August 2022). "European Aquatics Championships Roma 2022: Results 100m Breaststroke Women Preliminary". Microplus. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Four days later, on the morning of 16 August, she ranked ninth in the preliminary heats of the 50-metre breaststroke with a time of 30.94 seconds and qualified for the semifinals.LEN (16 August 2022). "European Aquatics Championships Roma 2022: Results 50m Breaststroke Women Preliminary". Microplus. Retrieved 18 November 2022."Euro de natation: Florine Gaspard qualifée pour les demies du 50 mètres brasse" (in French). L'Avenir. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022. Later in the day, she achieved a 30.86 in the semifinals, qualifying for her first final at a LEN European Aquatics Championships and second final at a European Championships ranking sixth overall.LEN (16 August 2022). "European Aquatics Championships Roma 2022: Results 50m Breaststroke Women Semi-Final". Microplus. Retrieved 18 November 2022."Euro de natation: Florine Gaspard en finale du 50 m brasse" (in French). La Dernière Heure. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022."Sterke Florine Gaspard plaatst zich voor finale op 50m schoolslag" (in Dutch). Sporza. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022. The following day, she placed eighth in the final with a time of 31.46 seconds.LEN (17 August 2022). "European Aquatics Championships Roma 2022: Results 50m Breaststroke Women Final". Microplus. Retrieved 18 November 2022."Valentine Dumont wordt 7e in finale 400m vrij, Gaspard 8e op 50m schoolslag" (in Dutch). Sporza. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.Jonette, Daniel (18 August 2022). "Florine Gaspard, 8e Européenne sur 50 m brasse" (in French). L'Avenir. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
2022 Swimming World Cup