Florent Manaudou: biography, news, photos and videos

Born November 12, 1990 in Villeurbanne, Florent Manaudou followed his sister's sporting career Laure Manaudou thanks to the training of his older brother Nicholas. From the start, he positioned himself as a conqueror, reaching second place in the 50m butterfly at the French Swimming Championships, just behind Frederick Bousquet, after a year spent in the army in 68th African Artillery Regiment.

Following this first performance, he qualified for the World Championships in Shanghai where he came fifth in the final. A sudden rise that augured a prestigious career. In 2012, at the French swimming championships in Dunkirk, Florent Manaudou finished second in the 50m freestyle, earning him his ticket to the London Olympics. It is the prologue to a beautiful story: announced as an outsider, he triumphs in the 50m freestyle, wins the gold medal and becomes the first Frenchman to win in this discipline.

One victory leading to another, he won gold in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay at the World Championships Barcelona, and won the gold medal in the 50m freestyle and the 4x100m medley at the French Championships in 2013.

In 2014, he achieved his consecration: he left the French Championships with gold medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle, the 50m butterfly and the 50m breaststroke. The gold medals continued to pile up at the European Championships in Berlin (50 and 100 m freestyle, 50 m butterfly, 4 x 100 m freestyle).

So what is missing for the Marseille swimmer, in a relationship with Fanny Skalli, apart from a world record? He achieved his goal at Doha Short Course World Championships where, in addition to winning six medals, he beat 50m freestyle world records and 50 m backstroke.

Having become the spearhead of the French swimming team, Florent Manaudou continues his momentum at World Championships in Kazan, in 2015, where he won gold in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 4 x 100m freestyle.

Arrived full of ambition at Rio Olympics, he left with the mask, “only” winning silver in the 50m freestyle and 4 x 100m freestyle. Shortly after, Florent Manaudou, now single, announced that he was putting his swimming career on hold to devote himself to handball. He joined the Aix-en-Provence club.