2023-10-27 21:25:34
Straddling their water lines, Maxime Grousset, 24, and Florent Manaudou, 32, congratulate each other while laughing. The two Tricolores have just engaged in a great fight over 50 m NL and the first won by a tiny hundredth in the Jean-Bouin swimming pool, in Angers (20”98 for 20”99).
Manaudou was in the lead coming out of the corner but could do nothing to prevent the title holder from returning to the wire. Despite his second place on the French podium for his probable final national championships in the 25m pool “done seriously”, the triple Olympic medalist, gold in London 2012, is not shying away from his pleasure.
“It was cool,” he breathes, smiling into his full beard. I did exactly what I wanted to do and I have information for the future. It’s good to have a rivalry like that, that one doesn’t put three tenths behind the other. That way, we get away with it…” The duo thus ensured qualification for the short course Euros in Bucharest at the beginning of December.
“Obviously, Maxime is very happy to beat me,” says the eldest. But the goal was to qualify. » The protégé of James Gibson and Quentin Coton only seriously returned to work in mid-October. And swam “with talent” his first dive on the 4x50m NL relay.
“Actually, I’m looking for long course swimming,” he explains. And it annoys me to have a wall between the two because I don’t work on that. Basically, that’s why I don’t put any preparation on the little bath at all. I’m not shaved at all. I have almost no training, but I can do it anyway. And what I see between the 15m and the 25m, then between the 35m and the 50m, I really like. »
Never mind the lack of training and physical condition. “The most important thing is to be very fit to work in January,” he continues. This is for fun. I put on a bit of a show, people like it, they came for that. » Some may no longer see it on a plot.
The colossus who is still waiting a little to erode takes the opportunity to show off his new tattoo in progress, a zebra which adorns his right forearm. And refers his current state of mind to the inscription in capital letters “LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL” which crosses his abs.
“Frankly, 20”99 is almost what I did last year at the Worlds (20”91) while being shaved,” he observes. So perhaps I can utopically aim for 20′6, 20′7 at the Euros. We’ll see what happens. » Until then, to paraphrase a famous slogan, the adopted Antibes will continue to work on mastering its power.
“I do a lot of resistance work with elastics, the parachute, the Power Tower (weight training machine), he explains. I also try to get inspiration from swimmers like Fratus or Morozov before or McEvoy. Swimmers who are not big, not necessarily powerful, but who have something extra. I tell myself that if I can master what they master with my power, I will necessarily go faster. That’s why I take example from guys less strong than me. »
Next stop in the Romanian basin of Otopeni before launching the final straight line towards the dream of a fourth charm in the rings with a winter preparation course in Australia.
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