In Rio de Janeiro in 2016, French boxers had collected six medals, including two gold for Estelle Mossely and Tony Yoka. The Blues are already sufficiently strong enough to dream of achieving such a performance in Paris, eight years later. This Friday, Davina Michel (-75 kg) and Billal Bennama (-51 kg) were the sixth and seventh Tricolores to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games. The 26-year-old sportswoman and the 25-year-old vice-world champion have reached the final of the European Games, the first qualifying tournament for the Olympics.
If the qualification of Bennama, victorious over Kiaran MacDonald (5-0) in the semi-finals, was expected, that of Michel is more surprising. The Martiniquaise revealed to L’Équipe that she felt unwell on the day of the draw, before arriving in Poland to face the competition.
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The Martinican was able to take up the sizeable challenge of qualifying for Paris 2024 by successfully reaching the final of these European Games! ????
Our warrior confirms her place as leader in her category (-75 kg)! pic.twitter.com/mSW3eLRDr3
— FF Boxe (@FF_Boxe) June 30, 2023
The two Frenchies join five Blues who had already obtained their sesame this week. Wassila Lkhadiri (-50 kg), Amina Zidani (-57 kg), Estelle Mossely (-60 kg), Sofiane Oumiha (-63.5 kg) and Makan Traoré (-71 kg) shone at Nowy Tag. France has therefore started its qualifying phase in style, while thirteen French boxers could hope to propel themselves towards Paris 2024 from this tournament.
The French team also took advantage of these European Games to collect medals. Traoré and Mossely, gold medalist in Brazil in 2016, adorned themselves with bronze. The rest of the squad will have the opportunity to go for gold this weekend. They are all engaged in the final of their respective tournament.
