Swimming. Élodie Marie, French vice-champion in artistic swimming, trains near Caen

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The Sunday morning regulars of the Aquanacre poolshas Douvres-la-Délivrandenorth of Caen (Calvados)have certainly noticed the presence ofa swimmer like no other. While everyone is doing laps to maintain their shape, in a corner of the sports pool, a naiad moves. More often underwater than on the surface, Élodie Marie moves with infinite grace and performs a succession of figures imposed on any practitioner of artistic swimming.

“At the beginning, I put myself in my bubble,” laughs the swimmer. I didn’t come to show off. I barely got my legs out of the water. And little by little, by swimming every week at the same time, people got used to it and now I train normally. They even come to see me to question me and discuss.”

A revelation then a passion

Élodie Marie, who will celebrate her 40th birthday next month, was already champion When the discipline was still called synchronized swimming. “I started thanks to a friend who suggested I try this sport,” she remembers. At that time, Élodie was only 11 years old, only swam breaststroke that her dad taught her and was not particularly attracted to water or aquatic sports.

But for the little girl, synchronized swimming is a real revelation which will become a real passion. From 11 to 17 years old, Élodie spends more time in water than on land. She learns the four strokes at the Chemin Vert swimming pool in Caen which became his favorite club.

Through training sessions and hard work, Élodie finds herself among the best swimmers from France.

I certainly had skills but it was the result of hard work. In the water and at home.

At home, the little girl takes care its flexibility and multiplies the big gaps. “For the preselection of the French team, they measured whether we were missing a few centimeters of splits with our heads upside down,” she remembers, thinking back to the demands she had to meet to reach the level that was then his. “Even though I had some inclinations, I always wanted more and I pulled hard,” she smiles. Élodie continues competitions until the second step of the podium of the French National 2 championships with his Caen club. She even participates in the preselection for the French team that she misses two small places.

Fifteen years without setting foot in the water

Following this disillusionment, Élodie stayed away from the pools for 15 years: “I couldn’t even watch competitions on television anymore. It hurt me too much. I didn’t even put a toe in the water anymore. I stopped very suddenly because I hadn’t achieved what I wanted. »

Passion, when it is anchored to the body, reserves many surprises for the mind. Also, in 2017, Élodie dove back: “Here again, it was at the request of a friend with whom I swam in a club,” she observes. Fifteen years have passed during which Élodie had time to start a family. The discipline has changed its name and the swimmer is once again among the best.

Silver medal last June in Aix-les-Bains during the French Master championships in the 40-49 year old category, Élodie still has a competitive spirit and the same appetite for victory. She resumed training due to four hours per week and one hour bonus, on Sunday in Dover: “Today, we are asked to do core workouts and abs, we need to be armed in terms of muscles. » Now a mother of two children and an ATSEM at the Dover school, Élodie supports her husband who is a family assistant (host family) for the children. And she still finds time to train and win medals. Solo silver and team bronze.

I like this team spirit. I love the cohesion and the emulation. I still have a competitive soul and the desire to go further still lives in me.

On Sundays, the Dover basin serves as a workshop for Élodie. “I look for new figures and I create them to submit to the coach or I perfect my compulsory figures. » She also works on her splits under the discreet but stunned gaze of the other swimmers.

“In the water, I am another character”

And even when she doesn’t always want to, it’s passion that pushes her to take the plunge and indulge in her favorite sport. “A mix of acrobatics, dance, technique,” ​​she describes. A mix that I haven’t found anywhere else, I’ve never been able to find a sport that resonates with me as much as artistic swimming. » And in which she flourishes. “In the water, alone, I am another character. I am someone else. I, who am rather shy, play a role. » The spark in his eyes and the conquering expression on his face should once again seduce the jury of the next French championships in June 2025.

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