The images of his fall, widely distributed on social networks, went around the world in a few minutes. Alexis Jandard, a 26-year-old diver qualified this summer for the Paris Olympic Games, lost his balance during a demonstration organized for the inauguration of the Olympic Aquatic Center (CAO) this Thursday in Saint-Denis. Under the eyes of hundreds of people gathered for the event, including the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron…
Laughing despite this fall which was especially “difficult for
[his]
ego”, he agreed to meet us a few moments later at the end of the water. The vice-world champion in mixed team diving also agreed to pose, with the Olympic pool behind his back.
How do you explain your fall?
ALEXIS JANDARD.
There's not much to explain
(smile)
: I took the board. These are things that happen from time to time, but as a demonstration, in front of the President of the Republic and all of France watching, normally it doesn't happen... Besides, at 26 years old, it had never happened to me before. arrived personally. It's a stroke of bad luck, but I left my DNA and there must still be a bit of my back on the board. But it's okay, it's just scratches.
You have already made your own mark on the history of the Olympic Aquatic Center…
It's true, but I hope to mark it in another way this summer, during the Games. I take it as a joke, it's not something serious even if the FFL
(French Lose Federation, media making fun of the failures of French sport)
immediately jumped on the images and now, I'm starting to receive lots of messages
.
It's a shame because I caught up afterwards, but that's all we'll remember, that's for sure.
This is the FFL inauguration which inaugurates. pic.twitter.com/sw00CZSJhn
— Fédé 🇫🇷 de la Lose (@FFLose) April 4, 2024
You won't think about it this summer, in this pool, when it's time to dive?
No not at all. It's okay, I didn't hurt myself and that's the most important thing. Tomorrow I'm going back to training. The problem with our discipline is that we only talk about it when there is a flat spot, a fall or when we hit the board, as happened to me today... That's how it is!