Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau retired on the sly after the Tokyo Olympics. Only members of his entourage knew. Now she returns to competition, two years later, with the aim of finally being able to realize her biggest dream: winning an Olympic medal.
The Press went to meet the 26-year-old athlete last week in the quarters of the National Sports Institute (INS). If the double Olympian had not announced her retirement in the media, in 2021, she wants her return to the water to be made public.
“I am back with the aim of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games,” she assured at the start of the interview.
To obtain its ticket to Paris, the Canadian team will have to meet the eligibility criteria for the Pan American Games in Santiago this fall, or for the World Aquatics Championships in Doha in February. However, Simoneau will not be able to help her teammates during the first meeting.
According to some World Anti-Doping Agency rules, an athlete must wait six months, once officially out of retirement, to return to action. “I completed all the paperwork this summer, so I will only have the right to compete in 2024,” specifies the Montrealer.
An unexpected, but expected return
Before bowing out, Simoneau was at the height of his glory. Two participations in the Olympic Games, four gold medals at the Pan American Games and four appearances at the World Championships. A resume making her the most prolific Canadian artistic swimmer of her generation.
She had decided to retire ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. She even organized a small party with her loved ones to highlight her career and put an end to it. “I’m going to have to call them all back to apologize,” she said, laughing as she walked through the corridors of the INS.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jacqueline Simoneau in 2014
For 24 months, Simoneau has not left the world of artistic swimming. Occasionally, she visited the members of the young Canadian team to support them, support them and guide them.
This summer, when I was giving my clinics, I was still able to do a lot of technical things in the water. I had the ability to do it.
Jacqueline Simoneau
More importantly, she still has the flame. Nothing went wrong with her, even with an absence of several months and studying medicine in Trois-Rivières.
“I was diving into the water to show them little tricks. So I think it’s better to be directly in the team to push them even more. It’s better to be internal than external,” she maintains.
New system
In artistic swimming, as in a range of other disciplines, the fate of the athletes rests in the hands of the judges. The preconceptions are so decisive that it is difficult, once at the Olympic Games, to hope for a medal if the team is not already a podium finisher.
However, the international federation has adjusted its scoring criteria. From now on, execution and degree of difficulty will be taken into greater consideration. And this change certainly convinced the Quebecer. “I received a lot of messages from people in the Canada Artistic Swimming community. I was told that the new system was made for me, I was encouraged to come back. And I said to myself: why not? »
Especially since his professors at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières saw no objection: “The school will be there all my life. This is really my last chance to experience the Olympic Games. My school has been understanding and encouraging. »
Between athlete and mentor
Jacqueline Simoneau kept in shape during her short retirement. Even if she acted as a mentor since the last Games, it would be surprising to see the swimmer fall behind in training alongside her young teammates.
The desire to return never really left her. “When I came here, I had the role of mentor. I was giving advice and the coaches were teasing me that I should come back. From day 1 of my retirement. »
By making his comeback, which will probably have echoes throughout the world of artistic swimming, Simoneau first wishes to carve out a position on the national team. She takes nothing for granted. She then wants to finally be able to come back with an Olympic medal around her neck. In any case, above all, she wishes to leave a rich legacy to the sport that has trained her, fulfilled her and transformed her for the better.
“It’s a very young team and I would like to offer it my knowledge so that it has rhythm in 2024 and in 2028 so that it continues. It has been difficult in recent years to pass the torch. When I started, I had that. I want to push the team as much as possible. »
And no, the fact that Paris is the host of the next Games had no impact on his decision. Even if the city of love stands out thanks to its charm, “the Games are too special”. “I would have come back even if it had been on another planet! »