Vice-champion of the world on the 100 m butterfly at the Worlds, in Budapest, in June, the French swimmer wants to win a gold medal at the European Championships.
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After having tasted money, she wants to savor gold. Marie Wattel found her appetite. Vice-champion of the world of the 100 m butterfly in Budapest, on June 19, the French swimmer hopes to climb the highest step of the podium during the European championships, in Rome (from August 11 to 17). Whether on her specialty, the 100 m butterfly, as in Hungary almost two months ago, or on the 50 m butterfly, a distance where she will align herself in the final on Saturday August 13.
At 25, Marie Wattel has been emerging from the water for only a few weeks. By her own admission, she had “taken a big slap” at the Tokyo Olympic Games in the summer of 2021, taking a sixth place in the final of the 100 m butterfly. She had to get up. “I had to be patient and I gradually resume self-confidence and my performance. I had to give time to my body and my mind to leave again,” she says. >
For this reconstruction, the swimmer has chosen to leave England, where she had lived for five years (in Loughborough), to join the south of France. She now trains at the Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille (CNM). “I wanted to go back to the sun and I wanted to be in France to prepare the Paris Olympic Games, which take place in two years,” she explains.
Since her arrival in the Club of the Marseille city, she has been followed by Julien Jacquier. “It is an athlete who has a big size and power. But paradoxically, she is very fine in her gesture. She has qualities of speed and power, but also qualities of endurance. She therefore has all the Advantages to perform “, assures the coach.
” I readjusted my objectives “
First meeting of the year, the French championships, in April, in Limoges, were disappointing from its point of view with regard to the times made on the 50 and 100 m butterflies (despite a title of French champion on the 100 m butterfly): “I did not think I was going down as low and so quickly in the time”, she admits.
The silver medal in Budapest, however, came as a first confirmation of a renewal. After almost ten years spent in the French swimming team, Marie Wattel won her first individual medal during a world championship. “The work always ends up paying. When I am 100 % physically and mentally, I can do great things in competition,” she analyzes today.
For Julien Jacquier, Marie Wattel was not so far from the gold medal, the American Torri Huske, on the 100 m butterfly at the Worlds, but “he lacked a little work”. In Rome, on this same distance, the swimmer declares that she wanted to “keep [her] European champion title” conquered in 2019 (tied with the Greek Anna Nttountounaki, in 57 s 37).
To be on time in Rome, the native of Lille has revised her downward goals. “At the start of the season, I wanted to bring back as many medals as possible from the European Championships. But, after the Worlds, I realized that I did not want to exhaust myself two years from the Paris Olympic Games. I So read my goals, “she explains.
only two events on the program in Rome
The season having started since 1 er September 2021, the swimmer therefore made the choice to participate in two events in the European championships, the 100 m butterfly and the 50 m butterfly. “Leaving the world championships, there was a certain fatigue, but it was necessary to do with it. Physically, I don’t think I have a lack of training. I can’t wait to see my performances,” she launched .
During the month of preparation before Rome, his staff opted for two work areas during training: “Keep maximum mental and nervous energy, and try to keep all the automatisms it had obtained until Budapest and even increase them and increase them. “
First meeting on the 50 m butterfly, Saturday. “I have embarked on this [race] because I would like to go get my best time, which dates from three years ago [5 e place with a French record]”, advance The swimmer. Julien Jacquier rather believes in her for the 100 m butterfly, Sunday August 14: “She is quite capable of being European champion, given the progress made this year, especially in Budapest!”