This week’s ZUMO Performance of the Week goes to Florent Manaudou, who had an impressive showing in the 50 freestyle skins at the first International Swimming League meet in Indianapolis.
Manaudou announced his comeback to swimming earlier this year after he initially stepped away from the sport after the 2016 Olympic Games. Manaudou has been training at Energy Standard in Turkey with coach James Gibson alongside some of the world’s best swimmers in Chad Le Clos, Ben Proud and Sarah Sjostrom. He joined the Energy Standard ISL team and many swimming fans wondered where Manaudou would be in his comeback. He was the 2012 Olympic Champion and the 2015 World Champion and was the fastest man in the world leading into 2016.
Manaudou picked up right where he left off at the first ISL meet in Indianapolis with wins in the 50 free (20.77) and 50 fly (22.66). But his most impressive performance was in the 50 free skins, which was three 50 frees back-to-back-to-back in a span of ten minutes. Manaudou proved he is still in good aerobic shape by touching first in all three 50’s, finishing ahead of Proud who was the fastest man in the world in 2018 and was fourth at the World Championships this year.
Manaudou has not explicitly said he is training to swim for France at what would be his third Olympic Games next summer, but he showed over the weekend in Indianapolis that he is still just as good as he was before as if he hadn’t taken any time off at all.
Previous Zumo Performances of the Week
ZUMO Performance of the Week: Daniel Krueger Blasts 41.9 100 Free at Texas Intrasquad
ZUMO Performance of the Week: Abbey Weitzeil Blasts 48.4 in 100 Free
ZUMO Performance of the Week: Ihar Boki Wins Six Gold Medals at World Para Swimming Championships