His Olympic dream therefore did not last until the end. Retired in 2013 after a prosperous career which saw him conquer four Olympic medals (including gold in the 4x100m in 2012 in London), four world medals (including gold in the 4x100m in 2013 in Barcelona) and break five world records in short course (he still owns the 100m in 44”94), Amaury Leveaux announced his return to the pools in September 2018 with the ambition of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games and becoming Olympic champion over 50m.
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A hope after the French championships in Angers
After resuming training in Mulhouse under the baton of Lionel Horter, the coach of his glorious years, Leveaux (35) then left for Dijon with Eric Rebourg, the coach of his beginnings. It was with him that he had, at the French Small Basin Championships in Angers, in December 2019, shown some beautiful things by finishing third in the 50m. Before, finally, returning in June 2020 to Mulhouse.
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But Leveaux was leveling off. Present in the fall at ISL in the ranks of the London Roar, he had swam very little and his times were average. Coached on site by a Brazilian, he even received a proposal from him to go and continue the adventure in Sao Paulo. But he had decided to stay in Alsace.
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Four Olympic medals
He then skipped, last December, the French Championships in Saint-Raphael, the starting point for the Olympic selections. He then said he was too uncompetitive and Horter, at that time, explained that his student was working.
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But the ties have gradually loosened between the two men. Until the rupture, at the end of February, sounding the end of the Olympic dream of the one who will remain, for many, one of the greatest talents of French swimming. Olympic 4x100m champion in 2012, he also has three silver medals (4x200m in 2012, 4x100m and 50m freestyle in 2008).
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