Paris 2024 Olympics: four medals in four Games in the 50m… Florent Manaudou between legend and emotion

Florent Manaudou a laissé éclater sa joie à la sortie du bassin puis son émotion au pied du podium. MAXPPP – Sebastien Botella

Pour son dernier défi individuel, Florent Manaudou a décroché à 33 ans le bronze sur 50 m libre et sa 4e médaille sur la distance. Historique et mémorable ! De quoi fendre l'armure…

Suddenly, the armor cracked! There, at the foot of the podium, water a little saltier than that of the Olympic pool invited itself onto Manaudou's cheeks. A flood of emotions overwhelmed us all, so easy it is to imagine the depths of the Lyonnais had to draw to win this medal.

He who had missed his semi-final (8th time), he who many thought had launched, at 33, into one fight too many, instead went on to engrave his name in aquatic legend with great blows of his gladiator arms. First swimmer to win four medals in as many different Olympics over the same distance.

After the gold in London, the silver in Rio and Tokyo, the Lyonnais will have therefore gone through more than a golden decade of French swimming without ever losing the thread of performance. Despite doubts, eclipses, despite a desire to drop everything after Tokyo…

Supported by the public

In the pool of the Paris-La Défense Arena, made boiling by the fight of the eight sharks and by the screams of a crowd from another world, the Lyonnais this time managed the ideal start, even giving for a long time the illusion of being able to invite himself onto another step of the podium. But the Australian McEvoy and the British Proud were probably untouchable.

Bust out of the water, fist striking his heart like a grateful gladiator, Flo immediately measured the scope of his exploit and doubtless how much the breath of the crowd had carried him towards the few hundredths separating glory from disillusionment.

Before this final dive in the form of a bath of youth, the adopted Marseillais had raised his huge “fins” to encourage his golden fans to clap their hands. A true racing beast, he will have therefore taken his level of pride and performance as high as the delegation's tricolor flag eight days ago.

“I wanted to live it and master it”

The fruit of a final challenge taken up in commando version, by going into exile in Australia with his staff. “To take risks, the champion will say, because I knew that I would only experience such an evening once. I wanted to live it fully and at the same time master it and that is what I am most proud of.”

He extended this pleasure, medal around his neck, pleasure slung over his shoulder, in a lap of honor in osmosis with the Arena. As in 2012 in London, he will have made other tears flow down the cheeks of Laure, his big sister, the one who traced her path through legendary rings. Except that the fiery kid of the time has given way to a warrior covered in medals and scars who will proudly lay down his arms.

“The last dance” he wrote yesterday on his social networks. A last dance that he will actually perform on Sunday in the 4 x 100 medley relay for an apotheosis exit. A final emotion under the glittering armor of an immense champion.