Michel Chrétien on Maxime Grousset at Mare Nostrum: “He’s Exhausted, Exhausted, Exhausted”

2026 Mare Nostrum Tour – Monaco

• May 23-24, 2026
• Prince Albert II Nautical Center
• LCM (50 meters)
• Mare Nostrum Tour Central
• Live Results
• Livestream (FREE)
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap

In the midst of a heavy racing load in Monaco for the Mare Nostrum tour, French world champion butterflyer Maxime Grousset is feeling the effects, as the double gold medalist from last summer’s World Championships in Singapore in the 50 fly and 100 fly, failed to make the podium in the 100 free, and failed to qualify past the quarterfinals in the 50 fly.

In a report by L’Equipe, Grousset’s coach, Michel Chrétien, commented on the fatigue the world champion is currently dealing with, repeatedly stating that Grousset is “exhausted”.

“He’s exhausted, exhausted, exhausted. He hasn’t yet recovered from the training cycle we’ve been doing,” Chrétien said in the report.

Cheretien mentioned that when the results go according to plan, Grousset is “fine”. But the antithesis of that, when things get a bit more rocky, Grousset tends to take it pretty hard.

“He’s really struggling to get going in this race (50 fly),” Chrétien said. “When things are going well, everything’s fine, but when things are going badly, he tends not to take things in the right direction. He tries to put even more intensity into it, but without swimming very well.”

On the first day, Grousset finished 5th in the 100 free in 49.01, about nine tenths off of what Kristof Milak was to win the event in 48.13, though Grousset was the 2nd fastest qualifier in the event in the prelims in 48.80.

In the 50 fly, Grousset threw down the fastest time in the prelims in 23.02, over a quarter of a second faster than the rest of the field. He then finished tied for 5th in the eighth final in 23.33, qualifying him for the quarter final. Later in the session, Grousset raced in the quarterfinal. He finished 5th in 23.24, just five hundredths outside of 4th, which would have qualified him for the semifinal.

On Day 2, Grousset raced the 100 fly, with a reduced lineup compared to the four races he swam on Day 1.

In that 100 fly, Grousset finished 3rd in 51.49, well off his career best from last summer’s world championship victory in 49.62, a time that makes him the 2nd fastest performer in history.