Tokyo (AFP)

The French sabers qualified, in pain, for the final of the Olympic team tournament thanks to their victory 45 to 39 against Italy, Saturday in Chiba, where they will be opposed for gold to Russia competing under the flag neutral.

The final is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local (12:30 p.m. French).

But that the Blue were scared!

While they were largely leading 30-14, the seventh assault between Charlotte Lembach and Michela Battiston, the replacement for the transalpine team, entered to try everything for everything, turned into a nightmare: 18 to 5 for the Italian!

Manon Brunet then took things in hand, during the penultimate assault (5-1, for a total of 40-33), before Cécilia Berder climbed onto the track as a finisher.

Faced with Rossella Gregorio, "Céc '" struggled (5-6) but thanks to the small amount of keys in advance, the qualification in the final was finally acquired, to the great relief and joy of the French camp.

Asked in the mixed zone about this famous 7th assault, Charlotte Lembach smiled: "ah I knew you were going to tell me about it!"

"This is what is beautiful in a team: there can be holes (but) I am with three magnificent colleagues and they made sure that I put at least the five keys (to finish the assault, editor's note) , that was the most important, ”explained the Strasbourg resident.

- "inspiring" -

"We told him + you take a wave but all we ask you is to mark these five + hits", added her teammates, saluting their opponent, Michela Battiston, who was "very strong on this relay : what she did was inspiring! ".

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This is the first Olympic final for the Tricolores in the women's saber.

This event was only introduced in Beijing in 2008 and was not scheduled for those in London in 2012. Only two Olympic titles have therefore been awarded for the moment in this competition, to Ukraine in Beijing. and to Russia in 2016. This is to say if that of Tokyo is exciting.

Favorites on paper, by their results at the recent World Championships (world champions in 2018 and vice-world champions in 2019), the French had warned, after their quarter won easily (45 to 30) against the United States, that the Italians were serious customers.

It is therefore in an electric atmosphere that the meeting began, the "daje, su, forza" of the Italian camp responding to "go Noune" (the nickname of Manon Brunet, individual bronze medalist on Monday) and "go Chachou ", especially during the seventh assault.

It will take encouragement against Russia and its two individual medalists - Olympic champion Sofia Pozdniakova, and compatriot Sofya Velikaya, silver medalist and world No.2.

"Russia is going to be hell, they all have different styles. They are strong but we will go into battle and fight to the end for this Olympic medal," promised Manon Brunet.

© 2021 AFP