Tokyo (AFP)

Five years after its Olympic team title in Rio, the French show jumping team, three-quarters renewed, arrives in Tokyo without certainty but with the desire to write history once again.

The last days of preparation, since his arrival in Japan, have passed under the best conditions.

"The team is great, the site is also great", assures Pénélope Leprevost, the only survivor of the Rio adventure, who will ride a different horse this year, Vancouver de Lanlore.

The 40-year-old champion will be in charge in Tokyo to pass on her experience to her three teammates Nicolas Delmotte (Urvoso du Roch), Mathieu Billot (Quel Filou 13) and Simon Delestre (Berlux Z), the reservist of the team, who are competing for their first Games.

Delmotte and his 13-year-old gelding have distinguished themselves in recent weeks with two victories in 5-star Grands Prix (La Baule and Chantilly).

As for Billot, despite his 35 years, he approaches the Games with the enthusiasm of a junior: "It's a childhood dream, he says, and it's a huge chance to be able to represent France in Tokyo".

"I think our couples are in very good shape," assures show jumping (CSO) coach Thierry Pomel, "following the gold medal in Rio, we have the pressure to do something good, we also hopes for a team medal ".

Even if he recognizes that the team's lack of experience does not make the French the favorites: "There was a generational change after Rio, we are in the process of rebuilding, preparing Paris 2024 with the Tokyo stage. , he says, we have couples who are growing up ".

- Air-conditioned boxes -

First good surprise for the French, the welcome in Japan.

"The horses traveled really well, the facilities are really great, the boxes are air-conditioned", welcomes Nicolas Delmotte, for whom it "is important to have Pénélope, who is already an Olympic champion, who can tell us about it and give us some advice".

# photo1

Leprévost, for example, knows how to manage the days leading up to the event, which are very different from the often hectic life that riders usually lead: "We only have one horse to ride here, so we live in slow motion. , we have time to think ", she says, impatient however to do battle.

From Tuesday, the Blue Jackets will be immersed in the competition, against the best couples in the world: the Swiss, led by their star Steve Guerdat (world No. 3) and Martin Fuchs (world No. 2) but also the returning Belgians. at the highest level, or even the Americans, with now in their rank Jessica Springsteen, the daughter of rock singer Bruce Springsteen.

All will inaugurate a new regulation which is not unanimous among the riders: from now on, only three couples per team are in contention, and all the scores count for the medal.

Previously, four couples could compete and the lowest score was not taken into account ("dropped score").

© 2021 AFP