Tokyo (AFP)
Returning with a rich harvest of three medals in 2016, the French equestrian team is less successful in Tokyo, while the next generation is slow to be built in the queen event, show jumping, and that the new formats in force disrupt the game. But it has the advantage of the eventing.
Two gold medals by teams (show jumping and complete) and a silver medal in individual (Astier Nicolas in full) had made the blue riders and their horses euphoric in Rio.
Five years later, the harvest shouldn't be so plentiful.
"There was a generational change after Rio, we are rebuilding, preparing Paris 2024 with the Tokyo stage. We have couples who are growing up, unfortunately tender for the Tokyo Olympics", a underlined the coach of show jumping (CSO), Thierry Pomel.
Of the four riders crowned in 2016, only Pénélope Leprevost managed to come to Tokyo with a horse capable of performing at this level (Vancouver de Lanlore).
For her third Olympics, she will be accompanied by Nicolas Delmotte (Urvoso du Roch) and Mathieu Billot (Quel Filou 13), who will play their first Games.
Delmotte and his 13-year-old gelding have caused a sensation in recent weeks with two victories in 5-star Grands Prix (La Baule and Chantilly).
Simon Delestre (Berlux Z) will be a reservist.
- Three instead of four -
The Tricolores will have a lot to do during the show jumping - which will be the highlight of the equestrian events (August 3 to 7) - against the Swiss, led by their star Steve Guerdat (world No.3) and Martin Fuchs (world No.2) but also against the Belgians returned to the highest level, and the Americans, with now in their ranks Jessica Springsteen, the daughter of the 'Boss', the rock singer Bruce Springsteen.
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All will inaugurate the rule changes which have not convinced the riders side and which have even irritated.
From now on, it will be the scores of the three rider / horse pairs entered that will be taken into account, in the three disciplines of the only completely mixed sport.
Previously, four couples could compete and the lowest score was not taken into account ("dropped score").
"Our sport is experiencing significant growth, we must give more countries the opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games. Reducing from four to three has allowed us to have many more flags. After Tokyo we will assess with the IOC and see if we can still improve, but I am confident, I think we have consolidated our position in the Olympic movement ", argued the President of the International Federation (FEI), Ingmar de Voos, to AFP.
The equestrian competition will begin a few hours before the opening ceremony, Friday, with dressage (until July 28), where France has "no hope of a medal" according to the DTN while the team is building for Paris 2024 but with "the objective of running the individual finals".
Gold seems promised to the German Isabelle Werth, the most medalist rider of the Olympics (six gold).
- Hope for a medal in full suit -
Just after the dressage, the horses will bite the dust during the eventing (July 29-August 2), a kind of equestrian triathlon that suits the Tricolores well.
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"We clearly have a hope of medals and why not individual, it is the discipline where we are quite rich, there is a great groundwork done for years unlike show jumping where we forgot for a few years of build the next generation, ”explains DTN Sophie Dubourg to AFP.
"There is an important culture of performance and the medal (in a suit), it's very concentrated, it's the west of France, we have a training center, we don't have the same economy, we have athletes who rely a lot on everything that is organized by the federal staff, "she says.
The French contenders will be Thomas Carlile (Burmese), Christopher Six (Totem de Brecey), and Nicolas Touzaint (Absolut Gold * HDC) and Karim Laghouag (Triton Fontaine).
They will have to shine against the superstar, the German Michael Jung, triple Olympic champion (2012 and 2016).
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