Lisa Pou wins Monaco’s first swimming medal
Lisa Pou with her coach and Théo Druenne last year at the Stade Nautique Rainier III before leavng for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games © Mairie de Monaco
The 26-year-old Monegasque swimmer won bronze in the 10km open water event at the World Championships in Singapore, giving the Principality its very first world medal in water sports.
Lisa Pou finished third in the women’s 10-kilometre open water event in Singapore on Wednesday, six seconds behind the winner Australian Moesha Johnson. Her performance earned Monaco the first medal in its history at a water sports World Championship. The Principality has never won an Olympic medal in any sport.
The race took place in particularly difficult conditions, with water temperatures reaching 30 degrees and high waves. The event had already been postponed twice due to poor water quality.
“It means a lot to me,” said Lisa after her race, as reported by World Aquatics and Swimswam. “It wasn’t easy, especially at the start of the season, when I had a few problems with my body. It’s a great way to end the season. It was really very hot. I usually prefer to swim at 19 degrees Celsius, like some of the other girls. Today was really difficult for everyone. We overcame it and finished very well today.”
In a Facebook post, the Mayor of Monaco and the members of the local council congratulated the Monegasque on her historic performance.
Constant progression
A native of Fréjus and a former member of the French national team, Lisa Pou chose to fly Monaco’s flag in 2023. She became the first Monegasque athlete to officially qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she finished 18th. At the last World Championships in Doha, she took ninth place , showing steady progress that now earned her a podium finish in Singapore.