UPDATE: Manaudou: I Can Win The Italian Way
From Swim news:
"In Italy I will show that I can win another way, by training another way. I'm used to pressure: over the year, I've become the only winning Frenchwoman." We assume she means in a pool, and we assume she's forgotten the European crowns won by the likes of her former teammate with Lucas, Esther Baron, and Alena Popchanka, coached by Fred Vergnoux in Edinburgh.
...
"Luca Marin will be there," he told the Italian and French press, adding that he would call French technical director Claude Fauquet today to talk about Manaudou's form. Her new coach Paolo Penso was reported as being "90 per cent" sure that she would also race at the French nationals.
Well, that's nice. Perhaps France would like to make that 100 per cent, if only to draw in the crowds." [Link]
-- • --
Laure Manaudou has significantly changed her training after spliting from her former coach. Though the type of workouts are not mentioned she alludes primarily to emotional and diet changes. In an interview with an Italian newspaper, the
Gazzetta dello Sport, Manaudou stated the following:
- While maturing, I learned more things and I opened the eyes, even if I do not disavow the past", said the world champion.
- "I had to be only a machine, whereas I have also a heart and a head. I often cried and I was not able to eat correctly", said Manaudou about her trainings in Canet-in-Roussillon (southern of France): [Link]
I think coaches have to be quasi-psychologists or diplomats I suppose to ensure both the athlete and the coach have a mutual understanding of what needs to be accomplished. Manaudou in this interview is summarily accusing this coach of abuse. Maybe it is a misunderstanding, maybe it is not. Results with tell.
WCSN which does some really great work and they are going to have online videos of the Mare Nostrum swim meet from Canet, France this weekend. You can watch it at your convenience or stream it live.
