Despite the two bronze medals brought by the judokas Teddy Riner and Romane Dicko, the French delegation had an almost nightmarish day at the Tokyo Olympics, especially in fencing and BMX.
France slips to 9th place on the medal table.
A day still far from the ambitions of the French delegation at the Tokyo Olympics. Judo star Teddy Riner lost his Olympic title on Friday in the quarterfinals in the +100 kg category, but the French giant quickly moved to save the bronze medal. The young judoka Romane Dicko also gleaned the bronze after winning the small final in the +78 kilos. Despite the great victories of the volleyball players, or even the women's rugby sevens, the French athletes experienced disappointments after disappointments on Friday.
First, the four French cyclists engaged in BMX all failed to take a medal that was promised to them.
Same result in fencing for the French swordsmen, reigning Olympic champions and beaten by only one point by the Japanese in the quarterfinals (45-44).
At the end of the day, the French team lost one place in the medal ranking and found themselves in 9th place.
Olympic Games - French
medals Infogram
Teddy Riner, from disillusionment to consolation
It wasn't what he came for, but
Teddy Riner
can be happy with his bronze medal. After a preparation for the Games truncated by a long-hidden injury to the left knee, the French judo star lost in the quarter-finals of the + 100 kilograms category against the Russian Tamerlan Bashaev, world number one, on waza- ari with the golden score. In the repechage, the reigning two-time Olympic champion spoke again of his power against the Brazilian Rafael Silva, and stood up to the Japanese Hisayoshi Harasawa in the small final to finally win. A tournament that he will remember to seek a new Olympic title in Paris, in three years.
Very happy to bring the medal home.
It was necessary to draw very far, to mobilize again to go and get it.
She comes to reward years of work and I'm proud of it pic.twitter.com/LDJo2nhLXH
- Teddy Riner (@teddyriner) July 30, 2021
Romane Dicko, the promise for 2024
Judoka
Romane Dicko
can also be proud of her Games. At 21, the young French member of PSG judo - like Teddy Riner - won in the fight for the bronze medal by ippon over the Turkish Kayra Sayit, in less than 45 seconds. A magnificent reaction a few minutes after his failure against Cuban legend Idalys Ortiz. Romane Dicko, in tears after his victory, thus succeeds in his first steps at the Olympic Games with a beautiful bronze charm. There is no doubt that she has the makings to shine at the Paris Games in 2024.
️ "We know that in judo it goes very quickly (..) then I will try to savor my medal"
Strong words from the young Romane Dicko, who is participating in her first Olympic Games.
Bravo for this medal
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- France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 30, 2021
The French swordsmen out from the quarters
This is the first disappointment of the night on the side of the France team.
The swordsmen
, Olympic team fencing champions at the Rio 2016 Games, were eliminated as soon as they entered the competition, in the quarterfinals by the Japanese at the end of the suspense (45-44). Yannick Borel, titled in Brazil, was surprised in the last relay and conceded defeat for the France team. Olympics to forget for one of the best French fencers, already beaten in individual Sunday.
What a desappointment !
The French men's épée team sees its dream of a medal fly away after a short defeat against Japan.
A first setback for the men's epee at the Olympic Games since Sydney in 2000 # Tokyo2020
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- France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 30, 2021
Medals promised in mountain biking
Big disappointment also on the BMX side. The tricolor cyclists had promised that they would bring back a medal from Tokyo, but it will not be for now. In men, the three Frenchmen on the starting line failed to grab the podium. In the last corner,
Joris Daudet
fell and saw the bronze medal slip from him.
Sylvain André
finished in 4th place, ahead of
Romain Mahieu
, 6th. Among the women, the same disappointment with
Axelle Étienne
who finished 7th in her race. The French BMX therefore left empty-handed from the Tokyo Games and with a lot of regrets.
Huge disillusionment for French BMX
The three Frenchmen finished 4th, 6th and 8th in the long-awaited final.
Niek Kimmann wins Olympic gold ahead of Kye Whyte and Carlos Alberto Ramirez # Tokyo2020 # Olympic
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- France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 30, 2021
French volleyball players achieve the feat, no problem for handball players
The French volleyball players
had to win against Russia, leaders of their group, to stay alive in the Olympic tournament.
Earvin Ngapeth's partners achieved the feat by winning the way in four sets.
The Blues, now 3rd in Pool B, must consolidate their qualifying place for the quarter-finals on Sunday against Brazil (4:05 French time).
No problem, however, for
the French handball players
, largely dominant against Spain.
Nikola Karabatic and his teammates won 36 to 31 and secure their first place in Group B. They have already qualified for the quarter-finals.
Women's team sports ensure
The women's teams are also present in these Tokyo Olympics.
The Bleues of rugby sevens
won their quarter-final against China (24-10) and will play the semi-finals on Saturday against Great Britain from 4.30 am French time.
A new chance for a medal therefore for the French delegation.
On the women's basketball side,
Sandrine Gruda and her teammates
dominated Nigeria (87-62) and thus won their first victory in this tournament, after the surprise defeat on entry against Japan.
The French will now face the unbeatable Americans for their last group match.
They must finish in the top two thirds to hope to qualify for the quarter-finals.
In short: French placed and eliminations
During Friday in Tokyo, we must highlight the fine performance of
Florent Manaudou
, 2nd in the 50-meter freestyle series behind the American Caeleb Dressel, and
Maxime Grousset's
snatch qualification
with 15th time. Among the women,
Mélanie Hènes
also qualified for the semi-finals of the 50-meter freestyle. A tricolor swimming which had still not shone so far, with the elimination of the 4x100-meter medley relay and that of
Mehdy Metella
in the semifinals of the 100-meter butterfly, his specialty.
Florent Manaudou finished 2nd in his series in the 50m freestyle behind Caeleb Dressel.
In the semifinals, the London Olympic champion will be joined by another Frenchman, Maxime Grousset, author of the 15th time # Tokyo2020
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- France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 30, 2021
Athletics also started at the Tokyo Olympics with the qualification of the young 23-year-old Frenchman
Alexis Phelut
in the final of the 3,000 meters steeplechase, and of the French
Rouguy Diallo
in that of the triple jump.
Ludvy Vaillant
and
Wilfried Happio
qualified for the semi-finals of the 400 meters hurdles which will take place on Sunday, while the discobolist
Lolassonn Djouhan
was released in qualifying.
In addition, the young
Lisa Barbelin
, 21, was eliminated in the round of 16 archery against the Mexican Alejandra Valencia (6 innings to 0). No medal also for
Boris Neveu
, second in the K1 kayak semi-final and finally 7th and far from the podium in the final.
The French equestrian team
is still in the race to glean a charm, in 7th position four points behind Japan, third, after the second day of competition. Finally, French golf is placed with
Antoine Rozner
, tied for 15th with a score of -5 and
Romain Langasque
, 25th with -3, two days from the end of the event.