One year from the Games in Paris, France is not short of gondola heads to try to beat its record of 15 Olympic titles obtained in Atlanta in 1996.
«Objective 80 medals“. In 2017, Laura Flessel, then Minister of Sports, had established this objective for France, which had just obtained the organization of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In the ambient euphoria, such ambition already seemed disproportionate, all the more so by going back to a recent past in London in 2012 where Great Britain had been able to sublimate itself at home to reach the… 65 podiums. An already exceptional result, won thanks to a very specific sports policy, which can be summed up as follows: all the efforts are placed in a few strong disciplines and providers of medals. To the detriment of others thus left to the most complete abandonment. This is exactly the opposite of French culture, which does not want to leave any athlete alone by the side of the road, even if he has no chance of winning the Olympic Grail.
Today, with the hindsight of the past six years, winning 50 medals would already be a great satisfaction, President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, evoking a place in the Top 5 of nations, which means that this total will have to be supplemented with a certain number of titles, probably around fifteen. One year before the Games, there is no shortage of gold diggers in France, in particular in certain particularly well-stocked sports, such as judo or fencing. Review in detail – far from being exhaustive as the list deserves to be extended – of French athletes who can dream of hearing the Marseillaise between July 26 and August 11, 2024.
Léon Marchand, already like a fish in water
Freshly struck in the 400m medley of the last world record of swimming legend Michael Phelps to spin towards his third world title on Sunday, Léon Marchand promises to be the terror of the basins at the Paris Games, he who will play at home. At 22 (he will be on May 17), the student of Bob Bowman in Arizona, Phelps’ former mentor, will aim to take advantage of his versatility to build up a rich loot combining medley, breaststroke and butterfly. No French swimmer has yet been crowned double Olympic individual champion. “There’s no real limit to what I can do“, he believes. It remains to be seen how he will handle the pressure, even if he has the advantage of already knowing the Games, which he discovered in 2021 in Tokyo.
Léon Marchand Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto / PANORAMIC
Clarisse Agbégnénou and Teddy Riner, leaders of a starving judo
In Tokyo, judo had achieved a tremendous harvest with 8 podiums, including the titles of Clarisse Agbégnénou in individual and mixed team. At the Arena Champ de Mars, the discipline hopes to do at least as well. Even better in terms of gold. After her maternity break, Agbégnénou, who had been the flag bearer alongside gymnast Samir Aït Saïd, made a thunderous comeback on the tatami by winning her 6th world title in Doha on May 10. His dominance in his under 63 kg category is such that it is difficult to imagine him anywhere but on the top step of the podium.
Teddy Riner Naoki Nishimura / PANORAMIC
The one that Teddy Riner also dreams of. While he will be 35 next summer, the judoka wants to win this third individual Olympic title which escaped him in Tokyo. He also world champion in Doha, he certainly no longer has the same margin on the competition. But bringing him down at home will be a formidable challenge. Alongside them, Romane Dicko (+78 kg), Amandine Buchard (-52 kg) or even Madeleine Malonga (-78 kg) would also be candidates for the title.
Read alsoClarisse Agbégnénou: “Becoming a mother calmed me down”
Kevin Mayer, so alone to carry French athletics
Unless there is a great surprise, no need to lie to each other, the Stade de France public should hardly have many opportunities to be enthusiastic about the exploits of the French representatives. For several years now, French athletics has been in crisis and lacking in results. With a succession that is slow to point the tip of its nose. So that at 32, Kevin Mayer will, once again, be the only credible candidate to bring back a title and preserve his team from a painful zero point potential. Even if he no longer dominates his discipline, the decathlon, as before, the world record holder demonstrated last year, by winning the second world title of his career in Eugene, that he remained a benchmark. For what will perhaps be his last big challenge, the native of Argenteuil does not want to miss himself while the Olympic title is the only one he misses.
Read alsoKevin Mayer: “This J-500 reminds me that the 2024 Olympics are getting closer, that the desire is rising”
Fencing, a traditional purveyor of Olympic gold
While the World Championships in the discipline are currently taking place in Milan, fencing remains, it should be remembered, the sport with the most medals for France in the history of the Games, with 123 podiums. A tradition that could continue under the glass roof of the majestic Grand Palais. Even if he comes out of a more difficult season, Romain Cannone will challenge his title with ambition in the sword. World champion in 2022 and Olympic team vice-champion in Tokyo in foil, Ysaora Thibus wants to win the title that is still missing from her formidable record, which is also the case of Enzo Lefort, double world champion in foil. In team competitions, the Blues should also be formidable.
Ysaora Thibus Federico Pestellini / PANORAMIC
Kylian Mbappé and Victor Wenbanyama, standards of excellence in team sports
In Tokyo, France had amazed the world with its raid in team sports, between the two titles in handball – men and women –, that in men’s volleyball or even silver for basketball players and bronze for their female counterparts. A fabulous group shot which could be even more impressive in Paris, where all French teams are automatically qualified, which already offers them a certain comfort of preparation. If handball will have a lot to do to keep its two crowns, as well as volleyball with Earvin Ngapeth’s band, basketball will aim for gold with undoubtedly in its ranks Victor Wembanyama, the number 1 of the last NBA draft who will arrive on the heels of a hoped-for magnificent season with the San Antonio Spurs. And football could be invited to the party, especially among men with the reinforcement of a certain Kylian Mbappé, who has clearly announced his desire to participate in the Games.
2023-07-25 15:19:17
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