EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Alain Bernard broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle for the second time in two days today, setting a new mark of 47.50 seconds in the final at the European swimming championships.

The 24-year-old Frenchman took one-tenth of a second off his record of 47.60 in Friday's semifinals, which shattered Pieter van den Hoogenband's mark set at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

"It's unbelievable," Bernard said. "I wanted to be faster today."

Bernard was relatively unknown before these championships. He finished ninth in the 100 freestyle at last year's world championships and seventh in the 2006 Europeans. Now, he has emerged as one of the favorites at the Beijing Olympics in August.

"Now I know I'm the man to beat," he said. "I have been searching for this level for years."

He powered to the 50-meter mark in 22.53 seconds, more than three-tenths of a second inside his own record time, and swam the second 50 in 24.97.

As he turned to look at the scoreboard displaying his new record, Bernard sat on the lane marker, spread his muscular arms wide and roared in delight.

World short-course record holder Stefan Nystrand of Sweden was second, nearly a second slower than Bernard in 48.40, and world champion Filippo Magnini was third in 48.53.

"Alain Bernard's time is fantastic, of course," Magnini said. "But I think I can also clock a time of 47.5 or 47.6 seconds, maybe not here, but in Beijing."