Olympic champion at 17, Laure Manaudou talks about the gray areas of her career and the over-media coverage that turned her life upside down, while a new documentary “Laure, Laure, Laure!” is about to be broadcast on Canal+.
A meteoric rise marked by media pressure for Laure Manaudou
On August 15, 2004, Laure Manaudou made history by becoming the first French Olympic swimming champion, winning gold in the 400m freestyle at the Athens Olympics. At just 17 years old, she became the new face of French swimming, achieving a string of successes with three world titles in 2005 and 2007. But this early glory came at a price: “I didn’t do sport to be famous, I did sport because I loved it and because I loved winning.” she confides today in the show C to you on France 5.
Flight as the only escape
Faced with media exposure that has become unbearable, the champion breaks down: “I lost my temper at one point and I said to myself no but I want to leave, I already left for the United States because I didn’t want anyone looking at me anymore.” An exile which marks a turning point in his career, just like his separation from his historic trainer Philippe Lucas after fourteen years of collaboration.
Media pressure reached its peak in 2007 with the non-consensual distribution of intimate photos. “I took refuge at home, alone, and I closed myself off from the world”she reveals to Le Parisien.
-The lasting impact of toxic overmedia coverage on the life of Laure Manaudou
The champion, who separated from Jérémy Frérot, still bears the after-effects of this overexposure today: “Anything negative, we don’t talk about it enough, I think.”
His journey, recounted in the documentary “Laure, Laure, Laure!” broadcast on January 19 on Canal+, addresses themes that are more topical than ever: the dangers of over-media coverage, the mental health of athletes and the place of women in sport. A testimony that particularly resonates at a time when social networks are further amplifying the pressure on high-level athletes.
France
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