Kasama (Japan) (AFP)

French skateboarders have taken their marks gently in Japan, where their sport will appear on the Olympic program for the first time in history at the Tokyo Olympics, despite specific health conditions linked to Covid-19.

"It's going well, we are in Kasama (2 hours north of Tokyo, editor's note), there is a skate park in nature, which is great because it is quiet. They have privatized the skatepark for us, the The hotel is next door. We are alone in the hotel, there are two floors. We have our breakfast room and then we have two rooms available, one for meals and one for treatments ", explains to AFP Alain Nègre, the performance director of skateboarding, delighted with his conditions.

"We changed hotels because the United States canceled their internship because of the Covid and we were offered theirs which was closer. So that suits us. We do not suffer from covid since except for people from there. 'organization who are very careful with us and us with them besides, there is nobody. No pressure for the covid, "said the technician to AFP.

Under the eyes of some families with children holding posters "Allez-y" in French in the text, the skaters were able to begin to acclimatize to the heat, overwhelming.

"We've been here for five days and it's true that it's very hot. Hotter than in France, suddenly it's hard to acclimatize, to the heat and the sun, but we are accustomed ", notes Vincent Milou, one of the 5 selected French for the Olympics, with two women (Charlotte Hym and Madeleine Larcheron) and two other men (Aurélien Giraud and Vincent Matheron).

- "Covid awareness" -

The French are due to arrive at the Olympic Village in Tokyo on Tuesday, this village where the first cases of Covid-19 were recorded this weekend.

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"The athletes are becoming aware of the Covid. Because until now in competition the protocols were light on the skate and there the athletes are careful. They know how it will be in the village. We do not feel any embarrassment about the Covid but we know that there is the arrival in the village. We know that it is a factor ", wants reassuring Alain Nègre.

Skateboarders, like the other participants in these very special Olympics, have therefore integrated the specificities of this edition into their mental preparation.

"It can play on the mind so you have to prepare the athlete so that these factors do not affect the performance. So it's more informal discussions that we have with them, on the fact that there is no no public, that it will not be festive, no contact even with foreign friends, unlike the usual competitions, we will not see them ".

No party, a hell of a snub for skateboarders, even if participating in the Olympics changes the approach to competition.

"Our skaters are discovering the high level but what is interesting is that they are very focused on the result, and so much the better, it is a plus. We are talking about tricks, opponents, everything revolves around technique but not what is around. They know that it will not be great around the table but there is no debate. We adapt, "philosopher the technician.

The skate events are held in two stages, the "street" on July 25th and 26th, and the "park" on August 4th and 5th.

© 2021 AFP