MULHOUSE, France, September 16. THE French swimming federation is experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions today as it deals with the resignation of its national technical director and the return of Olympic champion Yanick Agnel to France.
Horter submitted his resignation to the national federation Monday and Agnel announced today that he was returning to his home country after spending a year with Bob Bowman at North Baltimore Aquatic Club, so it prompted speculation that the two events were related. An article in the French newspaper L’Equipe mentioned that Agnel would be guided by Horter in the next two years leading to Rio instead of returning to his former coach Fabrice Pellerin.
Horter trains out of Mulhouse, where Laure Manaudou and Amaury Leveaux trained before winning Olympic gold medals. Agnel will be looking to return to the form that won him two Olympic gold medals in 2012 and two world championship medals in 2013 in the 200 free and 400 free relay. This year at the European championships, Agnel failed to qualify for the 400 free final and collected a bronze medal in the 200 free.
Bowman, who had coached Agnel alongside Michael Phelps and other star freestylers in a large group of elite swimmers since last fall, told L’Equipe that “I support him 100 percent in his decision. Lionel Horter is a world class coach … The decision will benefit Yannick in more ways than one.”
The one hiccup to this transition is the French swimming federation. Francis Luyce, the president of the FFN, said he has not accepted Horter’s resignation. “We are committed to a policy that tries to ensure that all goes well, at least to 2016,” Luyce said in L’Equipe, suggesting that Horter was breaking a contract through his resignation.
While Agnel’s return to his home country might portend good things for next year’s world championships, the national technical director vacancy – should Horter’s resignation be accepted – puts a swimming superpower in flux leading into this December’s short course world championships.