Former golden girl Manaudou to take plunge in Shanghai

PARIS - France's former golden girl, Laure Manaudou, has returned to training with a view to compete at next summer's world swimming championships in Shanghai, French federation officials confirmed on Thursday.

Manaudou, who announced her retirement in September 2009 and gave birth to a baby girl in April, has been training in Marseille, France, under coach Romain Barnier since this week.

French swimming's national technical director (DTN), Christian Donze, said: "I learned a month ago that Laure wanted to return to swimming and to get back into the water for competition. It's good news."