Swimming Worlds. “I gained kilos, I lost strength…”: Damien Aubry from Montpellier, bronze in the 1,500m, comes a long way before the Olympics

Un bronze de bon augure avant les Jeux de Paris cet été. MAXPPP – Laurent Lairys

Having gone through difficult times which almost ended his career, Montpellier's David Aubry won on Sunday "the best medal of (his) career" by winning bronze in the 1500m at the World Swimming Championships in Doha.

"It's a joy, I'm over the moon", reacted the 27-year-old swimmer who thus won his second world medal after bronze in the 800m in 2019 . Between these two podiums, David Aubry experienced a long period of doubts.

The cause was a nasty shoulder injury which marked the beginning of a descent into hell and a long depression. "A year and a half ago, when I decided to resume for the Games, I knew that I was going to go through very complicated times. Last year it was difficult because I started almost from scratch. I gained kilos, I lost strength…, he said.

"But I worked really hard. It's just crazy! "Today, it's the most beautiful medal of my entire career. I feel explosive and joyful. It's an achievement because I stopped for a while and now I'm back at the top of my form. I really enjoy swimming."  

#Doha2024 | 🥉 David Aubry en bronze sur le 1500m !

🇫🇷 Derrière Daniel Wiffen et Florian Wellbrock, le Français vient chercher la deuxième médaille française de ces Mondiaux.

🔴 Le direct : https://t.co/U82RYBvjuV pic.twitter.com/CRjvLdvDM4

— francetvsport (@francetvsport) February 18, 2024

"I deserve it"

Sunday, with a time of 14'44''85, he came close to his record by 0''20  personal, five months before the Paris Games. "I'm missing a little thing at the end but I don't have too many doubts, I know I will be ready on the big day."

The title went to the Irishman Daniel Wiffen, who opened up a significant gap from the first lengths to win in 14'34'& ;#39;07, while the German Florian Wellbrock blew the silver away from Aubry for 0''24. Certainly, the defending champion Ahmed Hafnaoui was in poor form, while the Olympic champion Robert Finke was absent…

#Doha2024 | 🇫🇷 Belle récompense pour David Aubry qui peut savourer son podium après sa médaille de bronze sur le 1500m.

🔴 La dernière journée des Mondiaux en direct : https://t.co/U82RYBvjuV pic.twitter.com/ahTbkE8aJN

— francetvsport (@francetvsport) February 18, 2024

"But those who are absent are always wrong. I was there today, I won this medal and I think I deserve it,” said Aubry. In total, France leaves Doha with two medals after Mélanie Hénique's silver in the 50m butterfly on Saturday. For these Qatari Worlds, unusually placed in February, the French delegation was only made up of twelve swimmers.