Tokyo (AFP)

A traditional medalist, the tricolor canoe-kayak slalom will this time quietly advance to the Tokyo Olympics from Sunday, with the experienced Boris Neveu leading the way.

In eight Olympic editions, the Blues led by Tony Estanguet (three titles in 2000, 2004 and 2012) won 18 podiums including seven gold medals.

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In 2021, none of the four selected for Japan dominates their discipline, without being completely foreign to the international podiums, whether Boris Neveu (35 years old, K1, 2014 world champion), Marie-Zélia Lafont (34 years old, K1, 2018 world team champion) or Martin Thomas (31 years old, C1, 2019 European vice-champion).

Marjorie Delassus (23, European champion hopes 2019), representative of the "Paris-2024 generation", inaugurates the women's canoe event for France, which replaces the men's two-seater canoe to achieve parity at the Olympic Games.

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The Blues are deprived of the reigning Olympic canoe champion Denis Gargaud, ousted by Martin Thomas at the end of the selection competition last October, ruthless as tradition (only one boat per country and per event).

Boris Neveu knows the catchphrase, he who was deprived of the Games on the wire in 2012 and then in 2016 by compatriots.

"Nephew knows what he has to do, he will have a peak of form, he does not improvise and can win if everything aligns. He is the most solid. He will guide others, he is very open. "French head coach Christophe Prigent told AFP.

The Bagnérais has been in Japan since July 6 for an international course on the Olympic basin of Kasai Rinkai Park on the edge of Tokyo Bay, a 100% artificial installation with "a lot of water movement, rather technical" but without any great surprise. .

"The last World Cup podium (3rd in Markkleeberg, Germany) gave me a boost in terms of confidence, it launches a dynamic. I've been waiting for this for a very long time, I want to enjoy it. But I do not I don't just want to go, I want to be an Olympic champion, ”the kayaker told AFP.

He was able to ask his trainer, Benoît Peschier, crowned Olympic champion in K1 in 2004, for the way.

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