2023-06-16 09:44:07
Florent Manaudou became French champion on Thursday in the 50m freestyle in Rennes by establishing the best world performance of the year in the morning. He qualified for the worlds under the eyes of his sister Laure, admiring his current form just over a year from the Paris Games.
Laure Manaudou had not followed a competition at the edge of the basin for years. She came to Rennes to see her younger brother and at the invitation of the French Federation, she will intervene with the French team before the Fukuoka World Cup in Japan. She confided in the microphone of franceinfo.
>> “It’s reassuring for him to show that he is there”: at 32, Florent Manaudou impresses at the French swimming championships
franceinfo: When you see your brother on the starting block, what do you think of?
I tell myself that all that is very far for me (laughs). But I don’t have too much stress since anyway it doesn’t change anything to stress. I’m happy to be here, to be able to support him too. I know that he is looking for the eyes of the family a little bit and it is important for me to be there in those moments. It’s nice to come back here 23 years later. I’m getting old. It’s a great time and a great day.
Florent tells us a lot that he is happy at the moment: happy in his life and in the pool. Do you feel it too?
I feel it. It’s true that we don’t see each other often. I went to see him not long ago at his house, it heals a little bit. And then it’s still my little brother. So I’m proud of him.
How does it feel to see it’s still there after all these years?
I’m happy to see him like that, to see him happy after this long career. He made a small parenthesis in handball and to see that he is still there, it is admirable for a swimmer since he is getting old. And there are the Games in Paris. I think it’s going to be huge. And if, in addition, he brings back the gold, that would be huge. I think France is waiting for that. It would be a consecration.
“Every athlete dreams of doing the Olympics in his country. For me, it’s a big regret. If he can give me this little gift, that would be cool. It’s going to be magic.”
Laure Manaudouat franceinfo
It must be said: four medals in four different games, very few athletes can do it…
It’s a monster. Beyond his stature, it’s the mind he has to stay there and not flinch, even with difficult times. It always impresses me. He trains very hard to get there, so I’m proud of him.
If you are there, it is because the federation asked you to be with the young people of the France team. Do you like this transmission role?
It’s already important to me. I was touched to be offered this. It is also our duty as former athletes to share. We want to support them as well as possible so that they last as long as possible in their careers. The career of a swimmer is very short and it is true that it is strewn with pitfalls. Be careful. So if we can motivate them, it’s with great pleasure, and even continue to follow them afterwards.
There is a swimmer who impresses, it is Léon Marchand. How do you view him and what could you say to him?
I don’t know his life. You really have to surround yourself well and be careful not to scatter. I think he has a good trainer for that and who handles it very well. There will be a lot of pressure next year because inevitably, the Olympics in his country are impressive. If the reporters can’t put too much pressure on him, that would be cool. But he has the head and the build for it. I wish him success. In any case, it’s gone well.
Does it impress you?
To see a swimmer like that, with such a level at this age, is impressive. I made French teams with his father (laughter). In any case, it’s nice to see this transmission with the family. And I hope he will also set an example for the little young people who are coming up behind.
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