Laure Manaudou
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Laure•Manaudou |
| Used name | Laure•Manaudou |
| Born | 9 October 1986 in Villeurbanne, Rhône (FRA) |
| Measurements | 180 cm / 69 kg |
| Affiliations | CNMVS, Melun (FRA) / Mulhouse ON, Mulhouse (FRA) |
| NOC |  France |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 1 |
| Silver | 1 |
| Bronze | 1 |
| Total | 3 |
Biography
One of the prominent female swimmers of the first decade of the 21st century, Laure Manaudou excelled in the long distance freestyle events, as well as the backstroke. Her first major international event were the 2004 European Championships, during which she claimed three golds (400 freestyle, 100 backstroke, medley relay). At the Athens Olympics later that year, Manaudou became the first Frenchwoman to win an Olympic swimming title, claiming the 400 freestyle gold. She added a silver in the 800 free, and a bronze in the 100 back. In the next few years, she collected a large batch of medals, including three golds at the World Championships (as well as two silvers and a bronze), an additional six European titles and eight European short course titles. In 2007, she was proclaimed World Swimmer of the Year. Manaudou also beat world records in the long distance freestyle event, although she has since lost all her records. In 2007, Manaudou was featured prominently in the press, first leaving her coach, then breaking up with her Italian swimmer boyfriend Luca Marin, which was followed by nude pictures of Manaudou emerging on the Internet. The 2008 Olympics turned out to be a deception for Manaudou. While she reached two Olympic finals, she failed to medal in either of those, and this would be her last major competition until she officially announced her retirement in 2009. After giving birth to a daughter (her boyfriend being fellow swimmer Fréd Bousquet), Manaudou made a comeback, and returned to the Olympics in London in 2012, but again did not medal. She again retired in 2014.
Personal Bests: 400 m freestyle – 4:02.13 (2006); 800 m freestyle – 8:18.80 (2007); 100 m backstroke – 59.50 (2007); 200 m backstroke – 2:06.64 (2008).
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | FRA |
Laure Manaudou | |||
| 400 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 800 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 2008 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | FRA |
Laure Manaudou | |||
| 400 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 8 | |||||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 7 | |||||
| 200 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 15 | |||||
| 2012 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | FRA |
Laure Manaudou | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 22 | |||||
| 200 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 30 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | France | 14 |
Olympic family relations
- Sister of Florent Manaudou
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (200 m freestyle – 28 March 2007 - 11 August 2008: 1:55.52 (28 March 2007; Melbourne, AUS); 400 m freestyle – 15 August 2004 - 24 March 2008: 4:05.34 (15 August 2004; Athina, GRE), 4:03.03 (12 May 2006; Tours, FRA), 4:02.13 (6 August 2006; Budapest, HUN); 800 m freestyle – 2 August 2006 - 14 August 2008: 8:19.29 (2 August 2006; Budapest, HUN), 8:18.80 (31 March 2007; Melbourne, AUS); 100 m backstroke – 27 March 2007 - 19 February 2008 and 20 March 2008 - 21 March 2008: 59.87 (27 March 2007; Melbourne, AUS), 59.50 (20 March 2008; Eindhoven, NED))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Short Course Swimming (200 m freestyle – 17 November 2007 - 8 August 2009: 1:53.48 (17 November 2007; Berlin, GER); 4:00.20 (4 December 2005; Chalon-sur-Saône, FRA), 3:56.79 (10 December 2005; Trieste, ITA), 3:56.09 (9 December 2006; Helsinki, FIN); 800 m freestyle – 9 December 2005 - 10 April 2008: 8:11.25 (9 December 2005; Trieste, ITA); 1500 m freestyle – 20 November 2004 - 26 November 2009: 15:42.39 (20 November 2004; La Roche-sur-Yon, FRA); 100 m backstroke – 14 December 2007 - 10 April 2008: 57.34 (14 December 2007; Debrecen, HUN))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (200 m freestyle – 28 March 2007 - 11 August 2008: 1:55.52 (28 March 2007; Melbourne, AUS); 400 m freestyle – 12 May 2006 - 24 March 2008: 4:03.03 (12 May 2006; Tours, FRA), 4:02.13 (6 August 2006; Budapest, HUN))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Short Course Swimming (400 m freestyle – 10 December 2005 - 8 August 2009: 3:56.79 (10 December 2005; Trieste, ITA), 3:56.09 (9 December 2006; Helsinki, FIN); 800 m freestyle – 9 December 2005 - 12 October 2007: 8:11.25 (9 December 2005; Trieste, ITA); 1500 m freestyle – 20 November 2004 - 12 October 2007: 15:42.39 (20 November 2004; La Roche-sur-Yon, FRA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (9–1–3 2004 Madrid SWM gold: 400 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, and 4×100 m medley relay; 2006 Budapest SWM gold: 400 m freestyle, 800 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, and 200 m medley, bronze: 200 m freestyle, 4×200 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay; 2008 Eindhoven SWM gold: 200 m backstroke and 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 100 m backstroke)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Swimming Championships (25 m) (9–2–4 2003 Dublin bronze: 100 m backstroke; 2005 Trieste gold: 400 m freestyle, 800 m freestyle, and 100 m backstroke; 2006 Helsinki gold: 400 m freestyle, 800 m freestyle, and 100 m backstroke; 2007 Debrecen gold: 400 m freestyle and 100 m backstroke, silver: 200 m freestyle, bronze: 4×50 m medley relay; 2008 Rijeka bronze: 100 m backstroke; 2012 Chartres gold: 50 m backstroke, silver: 100 m backstroke, bronze: 4×50 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (3–2–1 2005 Montréal SWI gold: 400 m freestyle; 2007 Melbourne SWI gold: 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle, silver: 800 m freestyle and 100 m backstroke, bronze: 4×200 m freestyle relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Mediterranean Games (2–0–0 2005 Almería SWI gold: 400 m freestyle and 50 m backstroke)