Getting to know Marc-Antoine Olivier
Following his 10km bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Marc-Antoine Olivier confirmed that he is one of the best open water swimmers by winning the 5km world title this summer in Budapest. How did he get there? Let’s find out!
When did you start open water swimming and why?
When I was 15 years old, I went to Rouen. Since I was a good long-distance swimmer, my coach, Eric Boissiere, signed me up for a leg in the French championships. A few months later, I was a double French and European open water swimming champion.
What do you like about open water swimming?
Open water swimming is very different from swimming in a pool, and that’s what I like about it. Open water swimming is like a game of chess. The difficulties come from the variety of venues (river, lake, sea…), the weather, water temperature, and the presence of waves and currents.
What are the qualities of an open water swimmer?
I guess, first of all, you must be a good long-distance swimmer, but you should also be able to sprint.
You must adapt your strategy according to the race conditions.
Your first international medal was at the European Junior Championships, what are the main differences between senior and junior races?
For the past 2…
