Six-time Olympic medalist Florent Manaudou announces a break from swimming: “It's hard to stay motivated after Paris 2024”
The flag bearer for France at Olympic Games Paris 2024 won't compete at short course French nationals and the World Championships, and will step away from swimming, but has plans to return.
Swimming
One of the faces of Olympic Games Paris 2024, French swimmer Florent Manaudou has announced he will take a break from the sport.
The first torch bearer when the Olympic Flame arrived on French soil, flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony, and bronze medalist in 50m freestyle, the 33 year-old has had quite a year, but that won't include participation at the short course French Championship (31 October- 3 November), nor the World Championships (10-15 December).
“It's hard to stay motivated when you don't have something to look for, with all the emotions to assimilate,” he said to French media outlet l'Équipe. “For Paris 2024, the goal was beautiful, it was easy.
"It's hard to say, but a short course World Championships, where I know I won't swim fast and being in a swimming environment for a week, I'm not sure it will be good for my mental health.”
Looking back on his successful fourth Olympics in Paris, where he won his fifth and sixth medals, Manaudou said:
“Those Games were exceptional, with very strong emotions. But everything was beautiful because it was ephemeral. [People] always put me back in the Games. I don't blame anyone, it's absolutely normal, but I want to move forward. I don't want to be stuck in August 2024 for months and months.”
The London 2012 gold medallist has been one of the biggest stars of the French swimming team for more than a decade, and now wants to leave a legacy to the new generation, including four-time Olympic champion Léon Marchand.
“I was the headline of the French team in 2016 and 2020 and I have the feeling that I've passed the baton to Léon, who uses it pretty well. I'm happy to be a bit behind. I want to be on the side when people go crazy watching the races of Léon, Max (Maxime Grousset), Yohann (Ndoye Brouard), Anastasia (Kirpichnikova)...”
Like after Rio 2016, he has joined a handball club, in Antibes this time. “Handball helps me because it's the only moment when I don't think, where I'm in the present.” He also thinks he'll get some fresh air and maybe see his friend Dorian Grandin, with whom he swam with in the swimming club in Marseille. “I think I'll travel a bit, maybe see Dorian in Australia or somewhere else. It will be good for me to see something else.”
Manaudou didn't say he was retiring though, with the Swimming European Championships 2026 in sight, which will take place in France for the first time since 1987, in the new OIympic Aquatic Center in Saint-Denis.
“I don't stay I stop because I want to finish on cool stuff at the European Championships in Paris. But right now, it makes no sense to be at the French and World Championships.”