Manaudou ready to give up Olympic place to friend

Former Olympic champion Laure Manaudou booked a second spot at the London Games on Saturday after winning the 200 metres backstroke, but then offered to give up her berth to her close friend. The 25-year-old clocked 2min 08.06sec at the French trials, the third quickest time in the world this year, ahead of Alexianne Castel (2:08.57) who also achieved the qualifying standard. Her close friend and Marseille teammate Cloe Credeville was third in 2min 09.79. "There's going to be talk but I am ready to give her my place, even if Brett (Hawke, her coach in the USA) and Romain (Barnier, her coach in Marseille) don't agree," said Manaudou. "It's the true spirit of the team. If she had not got to the final, then I would not have been able to go so fast." Manaudou, the 400m freestyle champion at the Athens Olympics in 2004, had already claimed her place at the London Games in the 100 metres backstroke earlier in the week in a time of 1min 00.16sec. That was her best performance in the event since returning to competition in June 2011, just over a year after the birth of her child in April 2010 with fellow French swimming star Frederick Bousquet. "We'll have to see what the rules say first of all, we'll see what's possible," added Manaudou. "Cloe is a friend. She has given everything to be here. She deserves it, it'll be a great gift to give her. I have learnt a lot this week, in particular that there is a great spirit in the squad." Manaudou had a miserable experience at her last Olympics, in 2008 at Beijing, where she finished eighth and last in the 400m, seventh in the 100m freestyle and failed to qualify for the 200m backstroke final. She then took a three-year break from the sport.