Bruno Fratus plans return for end of the year: ‘Paris is the main goal’
The Brazilian swimmer told Olympics.com that it's not on his plans competing at the Brazilian trials, the World Championships and the Pan-American Games in 2023, in order to recover from a shoulder surgery.
Swimming
Bruno Fratus doesn't want to rush his return to competition. The Brazilian 50m freestyle swimmer, who went through a fourth shoulder surgery after the 2022 World Championships, revealed to Olympics.com that he might forfeit his participation at the 2023 Brazilian trials. If he does, he would**, then, miss the 2023 World Championships and the Pan-American Games in Santiago**.
"I'm most likely that I won't be at the trials, which means that probably I won't go to the Pan-American and the Worlds. It's all for being 100% recovered for the Paris Games. It's the big stage, the main goal," Fratus said.
Olympic bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020 in the 50m freestyle, Fratus hasn't competed since the 2022 World Championships, where his injury worsened.
"Many times, we have to make sacrifices in a sporting career. This [not going to the 2023 Worlds] is a sacrifice that I believe I'm going to have to make to be healthy next year. Healthy and firm. The battle we want to battle is massive. So I don't want to be with any kind of pain. In Paris, I don't have to have any doubts," the 33-year-old said.
Fratus still wants to compete in 2023, though, at the Brazilian Jose Finkel Trophy, in November, and the US Open, before the 2024 World Championships in February in Doha.
"We are doing everything right, with lots of love, with lots of care. It's like a grandma preparing a cake," Fratus explained on his recovery.
"In order to treat the body with more care, more respect, I'm taking it slow, allowing myself to be 100% physically, mentally and emotionally next year, when the race that really matters will happen."
MORE | How to watch Ledecky, Dressel and McIntosh at the Atlanta Classic