Swimming: Maxime Grousset in the final of swimming’s most prestigious event!

The race of all races

Maxime Grousset achieved a swimming exploit in Tokyo! For his very first Olympics, at only 22 years of age, he succeeded in reaching the final of one of the competition’s two key races: along with the 100m track event, the 100m freestyle is the other most high-profile race in the Olympic Games. This young member of the French National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) clocked the 5^th best time in his semi-final and completed the race in 47.82 seconds, the 8th best time overall in the semi-finals, a performance that earned him a place in the final scheduled for Thursday morning at 4:37am French time. 
Just like the 100m track event, the mere fact of reaching the final is already an exploit that gives you the status of a full-fledged member of the swimming elite, a competitor in the final of swimming’s most prestigious event! 
Grousset trains at the INSEP with the experienced coach Michel Chrétien who, working in Amiens in northern France, had previously accompanied the swimmers Jérémy Stravius and Mélanie Henique to the highest levels. The fact of bringing to the 100m final the young and promising Maxime Grousset, supported by Banque de Nouvelle Calédonie for the past 4 years, represents yet another success for the coach.

Auspicious results for the Olympic Games Paris 2024

The French sports bodies were looking forward to good results at these Tokyo Games but they were also counting on this competition to give young emerging talents an opportunity to gain valuable experience for Paris 2024. Maxime Grousset is a perfect case in point in this respect. What he’s about to experience on Thursday morning is unique; he’ll share the stress of what is one of sport’s greatest moments. The whole world will be watching this race and Grousset will experience these instants at first hand: the oppressive waiting in the call room, the immense stress of the start, the imposing presence of the world's leading swimmers alongside him... All of this, he will store up, learn from, see, and remember… to the effect that, in three years’ time, he will already have personal experience of racing at this level. When he has to confront these moments again, he will know exactly what to expect; he won’t fear the unknown. This is tremendous advantage. But today, while all of New Caledonia is holding its breath in anticipation, it’s up to him to experience these next few hours to the fullest and to give the very best of himself.

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Photo copyright: KMSP