“I have finally come out of my comfort zone,” says the bronze medalist from the Tokyo Games, still in search of the qualifying limit for Paris in the 200m medley (1’57”94).
The Genevan has rediscovered the pleasure of “going into the cellar”, he explains in an interview with Keystone-ATS. “I went through a long, excruciating training course a month ago in Tenerife. I had weight to lose while having to do very hard training. And when you lose weight, you lack energy,” explains he.
“The work was very well done. It had been a while since I had worked so hard, so well, that I had not had so much time. It brought back good memories,” continues the double medalist. European (gold in 2018, silver in 2021), who lost five kilos in two weeks to regain his ideal weight.
The basic rule
“When I was 14, my coach taught me an essential rule, while I was having fun in the water with my training friends: +when you laugh in training, you drool in competition. But when you have a hard time in training, it’s a laugh in competition+ Little Jérémy quickly understood that,” he says.
Were the training sessions not hard enough under the rule of the demanding Philippe Lucas, whom he left at the end of 2023 after two years in Martigues? “The problem was that I needed to gain confidence by achieving good times in training. So I wasn’t training at 100% without a second thought,” he slips.
“I was giving 99% in training, and that wasn’t enough to perform well in competition. Whereas before, I could achieve lousy times barely a week before a big competition without it worrying me,” recalls the 2019 world vice-champion.
Rigor
“I had tried to be more relaxed in training, but the result was the same in the end. I should have agreed to put myself in the cellar. But, after Tokyo, it seemed difficult to me to bear witness to such rigor for two or three years” with a view to the Paris Games, he admits.
“It’s hard to restrict myself when it comes to food. I have a huge appetite,” laughs the Genevan. “I got back into micronutrition and dietetics in March. It’s really hard to resist these days with the energy I expend. But I still indulge in a splurge from time to time,” smiles -he.
In Belgrade, where the 200m medley is scheduled for June 22 (heats and semi-finals) and June 23 (final), his No. 1 objective is of course this famous limit, which he missed by 0”06 during the 2023 Worlds and for 0”23 during the 2024 Worlds in Doha in February. “I also want to find good sensations in the water,” he slips.
Ego
“I hope to find a more lucid strategy in order to be able to let the horses go in the final. In Fukuoka and Doha (editor: theaters of the 2023 and 2024 World Championships), I lacked confidence and did not know if I would last three races. I had gave everything from the heats”, each time signing his best time before failing in the semi-finals.
“It was frustrating. But I was patient. And I prepared for these Europeans as if it were my last chance. Even though I know that I will go to the Games, whether as a torchbearer 4×100 m medley or thanks to an invitation because of my time (edit: even if this last option is unlikely), my ego needs me to succeed in this limit”, he underlines.
“Everything will be simpler once I get back under 1’58”, assures Jérémy Desplanches, who has not swum under 1’58 since the final in Tokyo (1’56”17, his Swiss record ). Does he see himself on the podium in Belgrade? “It would of course be great to win a medal. But above all I have Paris in my sights,” he concludes.
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