FRANCE SURRENDERS OLY SWIMMER TO ITALIAN STALLION: The LONDON TIMES reports France is in an uproar. No, not over the recent results of the Presidential election, but the actions of 20-year-old swimming legend Laure Manaudou.

Manaudou, “who holds 36 French records, six European records and three world records, announced that she had quit her club in southern France for ‘the love of my life’”.

That love is an Italian named Luca Marin. Manaudou, who won swimming gold, silver and bronze at Athens in 2004, will soon move in with Marin, and will train for the 2008 Bejing Olympic Games in Italy. She also noted that she wants to have a child with Marin toute-suite!

More: “French officials believe that the Italians will push Manaudou into a marriage with Marin so that she acquires Italian nationality and can swim for Italy. For that reason they have been putting her under intense pressure to return.”

Knowing France’s track record in the surrender department, it’s safe to assume Manaudou ain’t coming back any time soon.