10 Questions: France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier on the fascination of open water swimming, his Paris 2024 bounce-back and his hopes for Stari Grad 2025

France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier, 28, is one of the leading contenders at the European Aquatics Open Water Championships which start in Stari Grad on Wednesday (May 28).

The Rio 2016 10km open water bronze medallist who finished seventh at his home Olympics last summer before winning the overall men’s title in the 2024 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup series. 

A 2017 world champion in the 5km and team events, Olivier has so far amassed five silver and three bronze medals in the EA Open Water Championships.

What are your ambitions for Stari Grad and how are you feeling about the competition?

“As with every major competition, it’s all about winning and enjoying yourself at the same time!”

Given the dominance of European swimmers in the global event, one imagines these Championships must feel quite like a World Championships. Is that the case?

“It’s even more complicated because the big nations like Germany, Italy and Hungary can field three swimmers!

“The density is greater, so there’s more competition. But it’s interesting to do a competition like this six weeks before the World Championships.”

Two world silvers, two European silvers and overall victory in the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup series. How do you look back on your achievements in 2024?

“The 2024 season was one of my best season on the international stage. I’m naturally a bit disappointed with my seventh place at the Paris Olympics, but I’m proud to have bounced back and claimed the overall World Cup title – a historic first for France.

“It was also an incredible experience to compete in such an important event as the Olympics in my own country. I have memories from last summer that will stay with me forever. The beauty of the place and the overall organisation in Paris made it a great success.”

At the World Championships, European male open water swimmers occupied the first nine places in the 5km race and the first four in the 10km event. At the Paris Olympics, they secured the top 10 places in the 10km. How do you account for this consistent success?

“I think that as Europeans we’re lucky to have two international circuits – the World and the European tours – which means twice as many races throughout the season, and that gives us more experience through the years.”

What has been the proudest moment of your career – so far?

“I think my Olympic medal comes first – achieving that at such a young age, at just 20 years old. And also being able to raise my level every year for the past 10 years to stay among the best in the world.”

What has been the biggest challenge of you career – so far?

“The biggest challenge of my career was being able to bounce back after my first big failure of my career at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”

Who has been your sporting inspiration – either in your own sport or any other?

“I never really had a sporting inspiration, except when I was younger – it was Fabien Gilot (Olympic 4x100m gold medallist in 2012, Olympic silver medallist in 2008 and 2016) because he trained at the same club as me and he was truly inspiring.”

What started you in open water swimming and what is most satisfying about it?

“When I joined the federal structure training centre in Rouen in 2012. What I love most is being out in nature and, during races, the strategic side of open water swimming. It’s constantly evolving and has changed a lot since I first started. You can’t get bored with this sport!”

If you hadn’t become an open water swimmer what do you think you would have been?

“I would have continued playing football – I loved it! Right now though I love to play paddel whenever and wherever I have the opportunity…”

What would you like to have achieved by the end of 2025?

“To be able to combine my family life, which will be growing this summer, with retaining my World Cup title. A great challenge awaits me in 2025!”

Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics

The post 10 Questions: France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier on the fascination of open water swimming, his Paris 2024 bounce-back and his hopes for Stari Grad 2025 first appeared on European Aquatics®.