French swimming star Florent Manaudou has officially announced the end of his illustrious career at the age of 35, according to reports from France Télévisions. The six-time Olympic medalist, who has not competed since 2024, confirmed that he will step away from the sport during a dedicated retirement ceremony at the European Swimming Championships in Paris.
Closing the chapter on a sprint career
Speaking directly to France Télévisions, Manaudou stated that two years after the Paris Olympic Games, the time has come to make his retirement official. The formal farewell ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at 18:00 local time at the continental championships.
A legacy forged on the Olympic stage
Manaudou first captured global attention at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he secured a surprise gold medal in the men’s 50-meter freestyle. That triumph established him as one of the premier sprinters in modern swimming, a reputation he reinforced by earning silver medals in the same event at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Most recently, he added two bronze medals to his career tally at the Paris 2024 Games, finishing third in the 50-meter freestyle and contributing to France’s effort in the 4×100-meter medley relay.
Dominance across European and world waters
Beyond his Olympic success, Manaudou’s résumé includes multiple titles at the highest levels of international competition. Records show he claimed four European titles during the 2014 championships in Berlin—winning the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay—followed by three world crowns at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, in the 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
Family ties and pursuits beyond the pool
Swimming roots run deep in the Manaudou family. He is the younger brother of Laure Manaudou, a former swimming superstar who became the first French woman to win an Olympic gold medal when she triumphed in the 400-meter freestyle at the Athens 2004 Games.
Throughout his career, Manaudou proved willing to explore opportunities outside the pool. Between the Rio and Tokyo Olympic cycles, he temporarily stepped away from swimming from 2016 to 2019 to pursue professional team handball, playing for Aix-en-Provence. He has also worked as a sports pundit and commentator for France Télévisions, and expanded his public profile by participating in reality television programming, appearing on TF1’s Danse avec les stars in 2025.
A final farewell before a home crowd
Having last competed at a regional event in Saint-Dizier in October 2024, Manaudou took on an ambassadorial role as the official patron of the current European Swimming Championships. Saturday’s ceremony in Paris will mark his final official appearance in competitive swimming gear before a home crowd, celebrating a career that spanned at the elite level of aquatic sports.
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