Female French Swimmer Laure Manaudou has had a hard go of it of late. Just on top of the swimming World two years ago and in love with Italian Swimmer Male Luca Martin, Laure Manaudou saw her life change rapidly.
After breaking up with Luca Martin, tossing the ring he gave her into the pool, nude photos of her surface on The Internet, embarrasing her in the process.
Fast Forward to Beijing. Luca Martin has taken up with another female swimmer, Federica Pellegrini. Beautiful, athletic, and stunning, Federica Pellegrini has Laure Manaudou's ex-boyfriend and her ex-coach.
Then on Sunday, Laure Manaudou suffers a total performance collapse, coming in last in the 400m Freestyle race. Then, to add insult to injury, Laure Manaudou's 2007 200m Freestyle record is broken by none other than Federica Pellegrini, who also turned her back on Laure on Sunday.
The only way Laure can prevail and salvage a wrecked career is to beat Federica Pellegrini in the finals on Wednesday.
I'm rooting for Laure Manaudou, as she's been through far too much and is too talented for the treatment she's gotten.
What's fascinating about this is the level of attention female swimmers are given in Europe; much more than in the United States. Swimmers like Laure and Federica appear on talk shows and in the front page of magazines, and are chased by photographers.
Laure Manaudou's naked photo scandal placed her squarely in the focus of the World last year. Now, with the Olympics in Beijing upon us and the related Torch protests, what she does is of even greater importance in the Zeitgeist.
Did this happen due to her scandal with Luca Martin, the Italian swimmer? Or was it the media attention? Whatever the case, Laure Manaudou finds herself with an uphill climb and a new problem to deal with: getting into the Olympics.
The hunger to read about Laure Manadou and see her in the flesh is arguably a World-wide phenomenon. Today, six of the tope 15 searches on the blog directory Technorati are for Laure Manaudou , using tags that have her name spelled in different ways. The photo I included shows this tag breakdown.
What's interesting is that with all of this, U.S. Presidential Ron Paul is still one of the top searches, and I can't remember a day when his name as a tag has not appeared on Technorati. So he has something in common with the "French Mermaid."
As for Laure, I think her standing will continue at least until the matter of who posted the pictures is resolved.
The unfortunate story of Laure Manaudou and the nude photos, which have been made into several kinds of videos like the one below, continues.
It's captured the attention of Europe as people from hundreds of countries have sought online content on the matter of Laure Manaudou's photos. "The French Mermaid" -- once known to a few in Europe -- is now known to manu around the World.
At first, her now ex-lover Luca Martin claimed that the apperance of the photos was not his doing, and that may be, but Canada.com has an account that would certainly seem to set the scene for that kind of behavior on his part:
Italian swimmer Luca Marin has denied putting explicit pictures of his former lover Laure Manaudou on the Internet following their spat at the European short-course swimming championships in Hungary. France's Manaudou, who took gold in the 100m backstroke and 400 metres freestyle in Debrecen, threw away a ring given to her by Marin before arguing with him in front of other swimmers and the camera in the changing rooms on Sunday. Nude photos and a video of Manaudou have now appeared on the web.
More is known today about the big clash, which took place between Laure Manaudou and her ex-boyfriend Luca Marin this weekend in Hungary at the European Championships. This one would not have appreciated how Laure would have returned the engagement ring he had given with much love a few weeks ago ... So, Luca has burst into the call room where Laure Manaudou patientait before disputing his women's 200 meters freestyle, in the morning. "He verbally assaulted. She returned," said Patricia Quint, coach of the French national team women.
In other words, Laure Manaudou embarassed Luca Martin in front of "other swimmers" (read: friends) in the changing rooms last Sunday -- just before the photos surfaced online.
But it appears that Luca Martin may not be the only person with an axe to grind against Laure Manaudou. Look at this bio of Laure I got over at RightFielders Women Sports Celebrities:
Laure Manaudou Biography
As a biography, Laure Manaudou was born on October 9, 1986 in Villeurbanne. She has had a stellar career in swimming, which started in the 400 m freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she won the gold medal. She became a hero in her native France, as it was the first time France had ever won a gold medal in women’s swimming. Manaudou also won the silver medal in the women’s 800 m freestyle and a bronze in the women’s 100 m backstroke while at Athens as well.
During the 2005 World Aquatics Championship in Montreal, Canada, Manaudou won the women’s 400 m freestyle.
While at the 2006 European Swimming Championship in Budapest, she would win the 800 m freestyle, 400 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, and the 200 m medley.
During the 2007 World Championship in Melbourne, she took the gold in the 400 m freestyle, silver in 800 m freestyle and 100 m backstroke, and a bronze in the 200 m medley.
She had been coached by Philippe Lucas from 2001 through 2007, and announced in May 2007 that she was leaving him to train with Lapresse Nuoto, a swim club in Turin, Italy. She did state that she would still swim for France.
In August 2007, she was kicked off Lapresse Nuoto and it was rumored that Manaudou and chief executive of LaPresse Nuoto club, Paola Penso, had a falling out. Evidently he did not like Manaudou’s attitude during training.
So it seems Paola Penso may also have a reason to spready nude photos of Laure around, but if true that opens up a new can of worms, like how did he get them?
At this point, it's hard, ir not impossble to find more information on Penso as connected with Laure, but it's not a stretch to think they had a relationship that could have gone toward the romantic. But first is first and he was a coach who considered her "difficult."
Rocky romance means stormy waters for French swim siren AFP - 2 hours ago PARIS (AFP) — With Beijing on the horizon, she could become one of the greatest Olympic swimmers of all time but French siren Laure Manaudou spent the year ...
Laure Manaudou's heartbreak at nude photos betrayal NEWS.com.au, Australia - 14 hours ago By Amy Dale THE Beijing Olympic preparations of France's gold medallist Laure Manaudou are in disarray with the swimming beauty an emotional wreck after ...
In roles not always best suited or served Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 20 hours ago NOW we know what Laure Manaudou's buttocks look like. If you're interested you can see her naked in the shower. Mark it up as another victory for the ...
Manaudou images posted on internet NEWS.com.au, Australia - Dec 18, 2007 NUDE photos and a video of Olympic and world championship gold medallist Laure Manaudou of France have been posted on the internet. ...
Nude photos posted of swimming glamour girl The Australian, Australia - Dec 18, 2007 NUDE photos of of international swimming's glamour girl Laure Manaudou and her ex-boyfriend Italian swimmer Luca Marin, is accused of posting them. ...
French swimmer in nude pics NEWS.com.au, Australia - Dec 18, 2007 Her Italian swimmer former boyfriend Luca Marin is accused of posting video and pictures of Manaudou, who is the Olympic and world 400m world champion. ...
Former lover Marin denies trying to discredit Manaudou Guardian Unlimited, UK - Dec 18, 2007 MILAN, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Italian swimmer Luca Marin has denied putting explicit pictures of his former lover Laure Manaudou on the internet following their ...
Lillhage stuns Manaudou in 200m freestyle final Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Dec 17, 2007 DEBRECEN (Hungary): Sweden’s Josefin Lillhage scored a surprise victory over France’s Laure Manaudou in the 200m freestyle at the European short course ...
Nude photos shatter swim star Ninemsn, Australia - 10 hours ago By WWOS staff The Olympic preparations of French gold medallist Laure Manaudou have been upset by the release of explicit photos of the champion swimmer. ...
Sports Ticker The Province, Canada - 23 hours ago MOSCOW -- Russia tennis player Anna Chakvetadze escaped unharmed after several men broke into her house in Moscow Tuesday. "Five to six unknown people ...
