Tokyo (AFP)
Two medals out of five boats entered, French rowing hit hard in Tokyo: the day after the coronation of Matthieu Androdias and Hugo Boucheron, Claire Bové and Laura Tarantola became Olympic vice-champions in a lightweight pair on Thursday, bringing to nine the total of French medals at the Olympics-2020.
Leaving with the status of outsiders after finishing second in their semi-final the day before, Claire Bové and Laura Tarantola had no problem facing the Italians, Dutch and British.
After a final uncertain until the end, they won their silver medals thanks to a breathtaking packaging, but had to wait a few seconds to find out if they were on the podium.
"When we cross the line, we don't really know how many we are. And when I see the panel (of the results), I say to myself + it's not true, they must have been wrong +. It was a big dream" for us, reacted Laura Tarantola, between laughter and tears.
The vice-champions of Europe in 2019 were only a few centimeters ahead of the Italians Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini.
The two other medal providers of the French delegation, fencing (2 including a title) and judo (4 including a title) also have good podium chances.
- Iddir eliminated from entry -
In the women's team foil event, Ysaora Thibus, 2018 world vice-champion, will be keen to erase her disillusionment with the individual tournament (elimination in the round of 16).
On the tatami mats of Nippon Budokan, the day after a day without a medal, a first in Tokyo for French judo, Madeleine Malonga (-78 kg) is one of the references in her category, her first fight very easily won attests to its shape.
# photo1
In a very tough table, Alexandre Iddir (-100 kg) fell from the start against Azerbaijani Zelym Kotsoiev (waza-ari), on the eve of the entry into the running of Teddy Riner (+100 kg).
After the failures of road cycling and especially mountain biking, it is BMX's turn to enter the competition and Joris Daudet, cador of the world circuit who lives in the United States, dominated the quarterfinals and climbed with authority in the semi-finals, scheduled for Friday, just like Sylvain André and Romain Mahieu.
Lisa Barbelin is the last hope of the French archery team so far behind: her duel in the 32nd final is scheduled for 4:26 pm (9:26 am French).
Contenders declared to the podium, the Bleues of rugby sevens started their tournament with a narrow victory against the Fijians 12 to 5, and should experience even less difficulties against the Brazilians in the afternoon.
For French tennis, things are starting to get serious with Ugo Humbert and Jérémy Chardy, qualified to everyone's surprise for the quarter-finals of the men's singles tournament where they will be opposed respectively to Russian Karen Kachanov and German Alexander Zverev .
- Grousset 4th in 100 m free -
Highlight of the morning and even of the week in the swimming pools, the 100m freestyle, the main event of the discipline, was dominated by the American Caeleb Dressel, two reigning world champion, while that Maxime Grousset surprised his world by finishing 4th at 22 years old in this royal final.
# photo2
Finally, in the evening in Tokyo (7:50 p.m., 12:50 p.m. in France), the shadow of an absent person will hover over the general gymnastics competition.
Unless she comes to follow the events as she did on Wednesday when she came to encourage her comrades in the men's United States team.
Simone Biles was to be THE star of this prestigious all-around competition, which she won in 2016 in Rio, but the American faltered and forfeited, exhausted by the pressure and plagued by "(her) demons".
In his absence, this general competition loses a lot of its salt and will turn to the explanation between Russians and Americans, with possible referee the French Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos.
© 2021 AFP