A very cozy atmosphere reigns on the Esplanade des Invalides this Thursday. On the eve of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, the archery competition began in front of an audience full of journalists from all over the world… but without an audience.
The stands proudly erected at the foot of the great golden dome are still empty and inaccessible to spectators. They will only come alive from Sunday with the women’s team event. The archers’ first day is also not broadcast on television. Surprising?
Yes and no. This Thursday, it’s time for the ranking rounds (the women this Thursday morning, and the men in the afternoon). 32 targets were lined up on a side field, just a few steps from the main one, where 64 archers shot simultaneously. 72 arrows each (twice six ends of six arrows) which, according to the total points scored, then make it possible to define the matches of the eliminatory phase.
A record hidden from view
“Today, it’s just to make the picture, there is never an audience, who wouldn’t see much anyway. That wouldn’t make any sense, it’s impossible to follow 64 archers shooting at the same time. It would be counterproductive,” we are told at the French Archery Federation.
No stands at the edge of the pitch, no giant screen, no live TV. Apart from the journalists and the organization, no one was there to admire the world record of the South Korean Lim Sihyeon at the end of the morning… The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in fact considers these qualifications more as a preliminary round and do not record them. In his eyes, the “real” competition starts afterwards.
“Have everyone shoot at the same time and in the same conditions”
“We could also base ourselves on the world ranking to define the matches in advance, but it is fairer to have everyone shoot at the same time and in the same place, in the same conditions”, we estimate at the French archery federation, favorable to the current system. Hence the impossibility of having certain archers, and not others, shoot at the stadium which will then be used for competitions.
The qualifying field, just a few meters from the official site, with a view of the Grand Palais, will then serve as a warm-up area for the archers.
This almost closed session, which is “not a problem” for French coach Jean-Manuel Tizzoni, in any case allowed Amélie Cordeau, the best Frenchwoman in qualifying this Thursday morning, to “not let herself be disturbed. Even if all the media is behind our backs, it’s already impressive. We realize that there are people behind! » breathes the youngest member of the Bleues (18 years old), who is playing in her very first Games. Added to the journalists and officials from Sunday, if the Invalides stadium is full, around 8,000 spectators. Yet another atmosphere.
