“Normand Arnauld Manner Wins Gold at Indoor Freediving World Championships”

The indoor freediving world championships ended on May 13 in Kuwait City. The Caennais Arnauld Manner left with three medals in his category, the 50-54 year olds, including a title of world champion.

A Nomand in the French indoor apnea team to compete in the world championships in the discipline was a first. And for a first, it was a success. “I am very very satisfied because on site I managed to do everything I wanted to do: I improved my three personal records on the three disciplines in which I participated (static, bifins and without fins). It was my first ambition, because it’s really a sport for which you ultimately fight more against yourself than against others.“, says the Caennais Arnauld Manner, back from Kuwait.

Personal records beaten, each time with a medal around the neck. Two in bronze and the most beautiful of all, gold (in static). “When you get on a podium for the first time and you have the Marseillaise thrown, it still turns around a little bit“, laughs the new world champion in static indoor apnea in the Master category for 50-54 year olds.

A member of the Cap sub Caen club, the Normand was recognized for his performance and ranked Top 7 France among freedivers of all age categories. With the opening of the competition to athletes over 50 last year, it is logical that he joined the French team, like three other athletes who have also “performed” at the world championships. “We each won three medals. So the three of us won 9 medals, including this gold medal. It’s quite a nice introduction.”

While Arnauld Manner obviously celebrated his medals with his friends from the Caen and Bayeux clubs, the Norman freediver met a new family in Kuwait. “I was with a very close-knit French team, a lot of exchanges and contacts, goodwill advice and assistance among others. I discovered a lot of beautiful people. And I learned a lot of things to eventually improve myself.“The new world champion intends to finally learn to carp.”Freediving carp is a way of pushing air into your lungs to inflate them even more before departure, it’s a technique that I don’t use but that I will have to learn to go further and to hope to make even better performances. And maybe make new podiums, or even break records.“

We understand, Arnauld Manner is not ready to hang up the palms. For now, it’s the sporting holidays that are beginning. The next season will start in January 2024. The Normand hopes to leave with the French team at the world championships. “It was such a great experience, so enriching, so exciting through all the contacts, beyond the performances and the results. Well, if we get more medals or improve our records, it’s even better, but just for that, it really makes me want to go back.“