French olympian Laure Manaudou will not be attending the World Championships in Rome this year.

"Laure Manaudou has decided to call a halt to her 2008-2009 season and take a break from training as an elite athlete. She will therefore not compete at forthcoming competitions, domestic or international, in the 2008-2009 season,” announced her agent and lawyer Didier Poulmaire this morning.

Manaudou, 22, won three medals at the 2004 Games in Athens, including a gold in the 400 metres freestyle, becoming the first French woman ever to win a gold medal in the Olympic pool.

The statement continued: "The second reason is that Laure is suffering again from pain in her shoulder and migraines which interrupt her training."