While the competition is not without stakes - the tickets for the World and European Championships this summer are allocated there - the quadruple Olympic medalist seems to approach his week in Limousin with relaxation: "I didn't I don't necessarily have a stopwatch in mind, I would like to have fun and take as many benchmarks as possible", he explains simply.

Eight months after winning silver in the 50m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics, Manaudou is back in the pools for a "transition" season which should lead him to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and now welcomes the pressure of the result with detachment.

The joy of Florent Manandou, after winning the silver medal in the 50m freestyle, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, August 1, 2021 Attila KISBENEDEK AFP / Archives

"The pressure is the same, but I put it less," he says.

"I have already won what I wanted to win. Here I am in an environment where I am very happy and putting pressure on a week like this, I know it is not really useful."

"What I keep from my career is not necessarily the World, European or French Championships... It's really the human adventure", he continues.

"And for the moment, the human adventure that I have been living since October, it is incredible."

"At the center of my project"

Because since October, Manaudou has changed his living environment.

He trains today in Antibes under the direction of a tandem of coaches, Quentin Coton and Yoris Grandjean, who are also close friends.

This change "brings me a lot of peace of mind in my everyday life. I wonder how I could do without until then", he admits, confident that he suffered from a lack of complicity with his previous coach.

"I put myself at the center of my project and (...) put all the actors I wanted to have around me, the physios, the osteo, the physical trainer, the mental trainer, the pilates teacher etc."

"So far it seems to be working," he says.

"It works on my energy, on my mood, and I have the firm conviction that it will also work on performance (...) In any case, I've never been so happy to swim so it's already a Victoire."

Florent Manandou, during his press conference, April 4, 2022 in Limoges, on the eve of the French Swimming Championships Damien MEYER AFP

We are a long way from the state of mind that reigned post-Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. Out of breath and without inspiration, the little brother of Laure Manaudou had then decided to abandon the pools to indulge in his passion for youth, handball.

He then returned to swimming after a break of more than two years.

"Not the end of the world"

"My swimming stop, my transition to handball did me a lot of good. It made me put into perspective what I really wanted, it was I who chose to come back. (At the time) I continued my career because I was good and that's all, but it wasn't a choice. There, it's a real choice and I really enjoy it."

A serenity with which he envisages the continuation of his 2022 season with the World Championships in Budapest (June 18-July 3) and the Euro in Rome (August 11-21).

His goal for the Worlds?

"I would like to swim faster than at the Games (21 sec 55, editor's note). I would like to do my best time since my return, so I will be happy with a 21.4 and a medal".

Florent Manaudou, during the 50m freestyle final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, August 1, 2021 François-Xavier MARIT AFP / Archives

But it's decided, his summer will be stress-free.

"Afterwards, if there is no medal, it will not be the end of the world either, it is not the main objective of this season. (The goal) is really to rediscover a daily life and be comfortable in my skin to prepare for the next two years, but if I am able to take a medal, I will do it. Why not?"

© 2022 AFP