Stuttgart (Germany) (AFP)

The French gymnasts brilliantly completed their Olympic mission by placing fourth in the World Championship qualifiers concluded Saturday in Stuttgart (Germany). And illuminated, already, by the irresistible Simone Biles.

In the evening, Biles (22) entered the competition with a roar. The little Texan bomb has succeeded from its first diagonal on the ground its triple-double - understand a triple twist and a double salto - original and a new difficulty. An hour later, she concluded her competition with her perilous outing to the beam in double-double - here double twisting and double salto - there also of the never-seen. As tradition dictates, both feats will now carry his name: "The Biles II" (another movement on the ground is already named after him) and "The Biles" were born.

For the Blue, the contract was clear: to pocket a group ticket for the Olympics 2020 - the guarantee to be represented in Tokyo by at least four gymnasts - it was necessary to rank among the nine best nations, outside the United States, Russia and China, already qualified for their world team medals won in 2018.

- Ideal scenario -

In the running on Friday, the French, led by triple European champion Melanie De Jesus dos Santos (general competition in 2019, ground in 2018 and 2019), surprised themselves by delivering a competition "almost perfect", as they qualified him in chorus.

"We made small calculations, we found stuff around 165.5, but there, when I saw 166.7, I did wow," said Lorette Charpy, the day before. "It's true that we were surprised at the end," confirms "DJDS", while Marine Boyer looks forward to a "historic score" with "sixteen successful moves".

With a total of 166,712, they finished the first qualifying day in second place, only ahead of the Chinese (169,161). At the end of the second, they were exceeded only by the Americans (174,605) and the Russians (168,080).

Which, beyond the Olympic challenge, gives substance to their declared ambitions to climb the podium of the team competition Tuesday. This would be historic for the tricolor gym, which has not experienced such a collective success since 1950. And to say that before qualifying for the world finals in 2018 (5th finally), she would run after more than ten years (2007 )!

"The first goal, the Olympic qualification, is done !," breathes Véronique Legras-Snoeck, director of the high-level women tricolor.

- Biles on all fronts -

"It's really the scenario we wanted: to be an outsider, we had a great game, no fault, we do not have any pressure, we enter a new battle, we go to raise as much as possible, "she told AFP.

In this collective final, are added four individual finals, including three just for "DJDS" (19 years), which does not hide that she is already claiming a medal: in the general competition (3rd, 56,782) , on the ground (5th, 13.966) and on the beam (6th, 13.616). The young Aline Friess (16 years old) will accompany her Thursday in the final of the general competition (17th, 53,999).

Around her two breathtaking new acrobatics, Biles sparkled once again: the four-time Olympic champion and fourteen-time world champion qualified for the five individual finals, in addition to the team finals. She dominated the all-around qualifications (59.432), more than two points ahead, as well as the floor (14.833) and beam (14.800). And took the second place in the jump (15,199) and the seventh on uneven bars, the apparatus that succeeds the least (14,733).

It promises !

Sunday and Monday, place at the men's qualifications, with the same race at the last Olympic Ses ses by team. Led by Samir Aït-Saïd and Cyril Tommasonne, the French, who are weakened, will compete at midday (13:00).

© 2019 AFP