It is a considerable event. The Aquapolis of Limoges hosts until Sunday the French swimming championships. All the big names in French swimming will be there for these championships which will give away tickets for major summer competitions : the Worlds at the end of June in Budapest and the European Championships in August in Rome. Guest of France Bleu Limousin this Tuesday morning, the President of the New Aquitaine Swimming League Marc Deberghes confirmed that there was “on this competition no less than 6 international qualifications, for juniors, seniors, university students“In particular. It will even be a bit already the start of the campaign for Paris 2024, as the national technical director hinted a little a few weeks ago. “Absolutely“, confirmed Marc Deberghes. “We often start Olympic campaigns right after the previous one. In addition, this year, we only have three years between two cities, between Tokyo and Paris. So three years is very short. So for the general public, it may seem long. Three years to prepare is relatively short, so you have to get into it fairly quickly“.
Limoges, “one of the most beautiful basins in France”
Asked about the adhesion that the Aquapolis basin arouses on the part of French swimmers, the President of the New Aquitaine Swimming League estimated that Limoges “is one of the most beautiful basins in France. It is part of the French top 5 even. I would even say almost Top 3. It is a pool that has the particularity of having a large volume inside. So we are not oppressed by the walls, there is plenty of space. We made sure, this time to put as much space as possible for the swimmers because when you have 600 swimmers, that’s 700 or 800 people at the edge of the pool, there has to be space” he indicated.
Finally, when asked about the future of the Pôle Espoirs Natation de Limoges (the Center for Access to Training) which is threatened with disappearance in the coming months after 40 years of existence, Marc Deberghes recalled that “this pole of Limoges was supported by the league“since 2017, which was a one-off.”I alerted everyone, saying beware: it has to be a club that is supporting. Clubs in New Aquitaine could position themselves. Some clubs have made records. It turns out that there is a club which positioned itself on the north of New Aquitaine, which is Poitiers, and a second club positioned itself on Limoges, but could not go to the end because that has a financial cost. It’s a financial package and they haven’t managed to put this case together so far.” he explained.
About the Pôle Espoirs de Limoges brought to close: “it pains me a lot”
“I do not lose hope because for me, it pains me a lot. Being a former swimmer for the French teams, I had Eric Variengien as coach. (long emblematic director of the Pôle Espoirs de Limoges, editor’s note) in the 80s and 90s, with Eric, we were very upset because indeed, with this basin, with the infrastructure that is in place, the organizations that have already been put in place, in particular the relationships that have been put in place since very long with colleges, high schools and the community, I would find it a shame if this Pole, this Center for Access to Training, closes there“Explained Marc Deberghes. “Corn I have good hope that within a year or two or three years, it will come back in Limoges because we have what it takes on site” he concluded.