Lisa Pou Makes History as Monaco’s First World Championships Medalist in Aquatic Sport
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Monaco celebrated a historic milestone when **Lisa Pou**, an open water swimmer representing the Principality, captured a **bronze medal** in the women’s 10 km race at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. This achievement marks the **first-ever World Championships medal** in any aquatic discipline for Monaco—a landmark moment for the tiny nation’s sporting legacy ([NEWS.MC – Monaco News][1]).
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### 🌊 Grueling Race, Monumental Result
The 10 km event took place on July 16 off Singapore’s Sentosa Island, under punishing conditions including water temperatures nearly reaching 31 °C and strong currents that forced many competitors to withdraw. Pou delivered a gutsy performance over two hours of racing, finishing in **2:07:57.5**, just about six seconds behind the gold medalist and roughly one second behind silver ([Monaco Life][2]).
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### 🏊 Journey of a Champion
Born in France in 1999, Pou switched sporting nationality to Monaco in 2023 after representing France earlier in her career. Her father, Michel Pou—a two-time Olympian for France—coaches her with AS Monaco Natation, where she’s trained since childhood ([HelloMonaco][3]).
Her journey is one of steady progression: ninth at the 2024 World Championships (earning Olympic qualification), and now a podium finish in 2025. In previous competitions, she placed fourth in the 25 km at the 2019 championships and helped Monaco win a bronze in a mixed team relay at the 2018 European Championships ([Monaco Life][4]).
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### 🎖 Why This Matters
For Monaco—a country of under 40,000 people that has never won an Olympic or World Championship medal in swimming—Pou’s result is monumental. Her success has already inspired local media, sports officials, and young athletes in the Principality. She was named Monegasque Female Sportsperson of the Year multiple times even before this breakthrough ([SwimSwam][5]).
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### ✨ What’s Next
With two more races—5 km and 3 km events—still to swim in Singapore, Pou has the opportunity to extend her historic medal haul. Regardless of those outcomes, her bronze already represents a seismic moment for Monegasque sport: demonstrating that even the smallest nations can achieve world-class success through talent, grit, and determination.
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### 🏁 Final Take
Lisa Pou’s bronze medal doesn’t just elevate her personal career—it elevates Monaco’s standing in global aquatics. In a demanding sport and harsh conditions, she swam her way into history. Expect Monaco to build momentum behind her success as they look to support and cultivate future aquatic champions.
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