Luxembourg (AFP)
Florent Manaudou had a great performance in the 100m freestyle with the fastest time in the Euro Meet series on Sunday in Luxembourg, in 48 sec 67.
The French swimmer establishes the 14th best world performance of the season for his first 100m in private since his return to competition in June 2019, after three years of absence. It was even the 8th fastest time in his career over this distance.
He was well ahead of the Ukrainian Sergii Shevtsov, who finished in 48 sec 94, and the Serbian Velimir Stjepanovic, in 49 sec 27.
The best French time of the season is 48:56, achieved at the end of December by Maxime Grousset in Amiens. Also aligned in series, he did no better than 5th in 49 sec 34.
The final is scheduled for Sunday at 5.30 p.m.
Olympic champion in the 50 freestyle in London in 2012, Manaudou did not make the 100 freestyle the priority of his return, announced in March 2019 after two and a half years of break and experience in handball.
However, with the shoulder injury and the package for Tokyo of Mehdy Metella, Manaudou could constitute a solid withdrawal choice for the tricolor 4x100 m freestyle relay at the JO-2020.
On Saturday, Manaudou won the 50m freestyle in 21.56 for his comeback in 2020.
This meeting in the Grand Duchy could be one of the only two outings from Manaudou -with the Marseille meeting from March 20 to 22- before the French Championships in Chartres (April 14-19), which will qualify for the Olympic Games- 2020.
© 2020 AFP