Gwangju (South Korea) (AFP)
Jeremy Stravius failed to climb into the final of the 50 backstroke, the only individual race in his program, for his last World Swimming Championships on Saturday in Gwangju, South Korea.
Stravius, co-world champion in the 100 backstroke in 2011 and vice-world champion in the 50 backstroke in 2013, who will end his career after the Olympic season, swam the eleventh fastest time of the semi-finals in 24 sec 98.
"I said that if I did not go in the final, it would be a big disappointment.It is one.It was accessible, it was just, in quotation marks, repeat the time of this morning (24.78 in series, ed) I made a lot of small mistakes, especially my exit from the water, it's a shame and at the end of the race, I disunited a bit, it costs me two tenths and a place in the final ", explains Stravius, who at the age of 31, had the last race in the World Championships of his career.
"I was not ready, I really thought I would be in the final, I'm thinking about a lot of things, I know that next season, when I stop, it'll be the end of everything, but I'll keep a lot of memories of The only thing I can boast about today is having spent so much time in the French team and having honored so many selections, "said the former Amiens, today hui Nice, selected for the first time ten years ago and has not missed any major meeting since.
Of his eight world medals, including three in individual, gold of the 100 backstroke shared with Camille Lacourt in 2011, which has converted them into the first French swimming champions (men's side), is his "biggest pride" .
"I tell myself that I still wrote a page of French swimming, it is not given to everyone," said the triple Olympic medalist in relay.
For the Olympic season, Stravius will focus on the 100m and the 100m butterfly, the 50m back not swimming at the Olympics. "I can not wait to be in the next season, in Nice (where he trains), many swimmers are world class, I'm going to use that, I hope and I think I will not be the same next year, "he plans.
© 2019 AFP