“The water from the Seine was very good, we could have drunk it”: Océane Cassignol from Béziers looks back on her event at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Océane Cassignol a réagi après la course dans la Seine. MAXPPP – Alexis Sciard

La jeune biterroise de 24 ans n'a pas de regrets après le 10km nage libre, dans une des courses les plus dures de sa carrière, et s'est aussi confié sur la qualité de l'eau de la Seine.

Océane, you finished the race in 7th place, what do you think of your performance ?

I am very happy with my 7th place, I have no regrets, I gave it my all. This was not a race made for me. It started from the beginning, the current was very strong and the peloton very stretched. I am used to hiding and showing my speed at the finish, which I was not able to do. It's a race format where I often found myself alone, I gritted my teeth and gave it my all.

I came 7th, with the season I had and my shoulder problem. Two months ago I had an infiltration to be able to swim today. It was a risk to take, I had a tendon injury.

Also read: Open water swimming at the Paris 2024 Olympics: “I have nothing to lose, I'm an outsider”, Océane Cassignol ready to dive into the Seine

We were talking about the current of the Seine before the race, how did you feel it ?

In truth, the current in the Seine was worse than we thought, it was terrible. Every time in my head and physically, it was like doing weight training.

To see that by normally doing one stroke, we had to do two today. It was double the effort to give. Having to stick to the bank, take the brambles in the garden, over there on the course, it was difficult, it was very technical. Two hours of racing, in addition, it was something unusual, because we are not used to it.

Sharon van Rouwendaal is the title holder for the second time, it's huge

Sharon, frankly a great champion, since she has been there for a long time in open water, she dominates her discipline. The girls in front were very very strong, and congratulations to them. And frankly, it's an honor to compete with great champions like that.

Now I'm 24, it's my first Olympic Games, I'm in Paris. For me, I won everything. I represented my country, there's my family, my friends who came to see me. I can't be more proud than that.

Also read: Océane Cassignol at the 2024 Paris Olympics: five things to know about the Hérault swimmer, competing this Thursday

You said that this might be your last race, do you want to continue ?

It's true that it makes you want to continue when you do events like this. Now, it's true that the structures are a bit lacking.

Currently, we received a letter from Italy where we were kicked out, since the Italian federation no longer wants foreigners. And if I want to continue, I need suitable conditions, those that I decided, that I chose, a coach who suits me. But it's true that I spent three years in Italy, I'm all alone there, far from my family, far from everything. And it's true that mentally, it's very difficult, I can tell you. Because it's lonely every day.

When are you going to make your decision ?

So for now, I'm going to take a good break on vacation. I'm going to enjoy it. My mother came from Mauritius to see me.

She's staying there until the end of August, my brother… I'm really going to enjoy all of this, breathe and think about myself above all. And advise on the rest of my career… But I'm 24 and the best is yet to come.

Also read: PODCAST. Paris 2024 Olympics: Océane Cassignol, a Béziers native ready to fight in Paris

You talked about the brambles in the Seine, what was the water like in the Seine ?

The water in the Seine was very good, 23°C, I was even hot. The quality of the water, frankly perfect, well I'll tell you in a few days… Even in terms of taste, there was no smell. I've already swum in the port of Barcelona, ​​I've known worse.

No taste, you could have drunk it, I actually drank it several times (laughs). We could almost see in the water, I've already done waters in Japan where we couldn't even see our shoulder.

Of all the races you've done in your career, where would you rank this one ?

The hardest. Because the current is something that few people like. I'm more vague. Afterwards, we're open water swimmers, we have to adapt. At sea, on top of that, we're carried by the salt. So here, we're in a river. There you go, it's a river where there's a current. And not just anyone can swim in it.

You're going to give the boys some advice ?

Yes, of course. We're counting on our French. I think Logan and Marco have a card to play. They're going to bring us the medal, that's for sure.