Laure Manaudou, a spectator at the 2009 FINA World Championships – Reuters (L) / AP Photo (R) via Daylife.com

Laure Manaudou’s retirement from competitive swimming was announced in a Reuters article. She was quoted in this morning’s issue of French daily Le Parisien: “Since January, I learned how to look after myself. I’m enjoying the life I couldn’t have before” (source).

The Reuters article, posted on Universal Sports, gets the point across. However, if you read French or don’t mind deciphering the Google Translate version, the full article is posted on LeParisien.fr includes a lot more background information about Laure as a public icon.

It goes into her 2007 relationship with Italian swimmer Luca Marin, her break with coach Philippe Lucas, and her recent move to the United States to follow Auburn sprinter Frederick Bousquet.