Marseille, France - French swimming star Laure Manaudou has decided to sit out the 2009 season and not compete at the world championships in Rome later this year.

In a statement issued on Wednesday through her lawyer, the 2004 Olympic 400 metre freestyle champion said she no longer has the will to swim competitively.

"Laure currently feels totally saturated and this has deprived her of the pleasure and desire to swim.

"Without this desire to swim, which drove her on to put together one of the finest records in international swimming, Laure no longer can produce the physical and mental qualities needed to achieve top performances," the statement said.

The president of Manaudou's club Paul Leccia confirmed that the 22-year-old would sit out the season. "I think she is just tired of the whole thing," he told the French radio station RTL. (dpa)