Six months before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games (OG) in Paris, not a day goes by without someone close to them asking for a ticket or involuntarily putting pressure on them by imagining they have already qualified. Overwhelmed, the vast majority of French athletes still do not know if they will compete in the Olympics at home.
Of the future contingent of around five hundred and sixty members of the French delegation – according to a recent projection from the Ministry of Sports, excluding the Paralympic Games – there are not even thirty to be selected for the deadline of a lifetime: ten judokas , seven boxers, two canoeists and two kayakers, two climbers, three surfers, a sailor, a breaker and a wrestler. Twenty-five athletes have achieved the minimums and are on favorable waivers.
The proportion of these lucky ones, who are lucky enough to be able to calmly prepare for the event, may seem small, but it is due to the qualification arrangements – quotas reserved for the host country, Olympic qualifying tournament (TQO), Olympic ranking – and the temporalities of very different selections depending on the sport.
“We cannot neglect the fact that the Games are in France”, notes Frédérique Jossinet, high-level vice-president of the French Federation of Judo and associated disciplines. Based on this observation, French judo – a sport which brought in the most medals from the Tokyo Games in 2021 (eight) and which is aiming for ten at home – has opted for the most anticipated selections possible, respecting a recommendation of the National Sports Agency.
The fencers waiting
From November 24, the selection announced to ten fighters (including Teddy Riner, Clarisse Agbegnenou, Romane Dicko and Amandine Buchard), out of a host country quota of fourteen, that they had deserved their sesame. The other four will be able to obtain it either at the beginning of March or in May, in certain cases.
The situation of judokas is the envy of other Olympians. Like his fellow swordsmen, Yannick Borel, Olympic team champion and individual world champion, will, for example, have to wait a few more months.
Being among the nations that dominate this sport – the French fencers won five medals in Tokyo – France has a good chance of obtaining the maximum quota of fencers authorized by the international federation, which is eighteen (three per weapon). ). As host country, it is automatically allocated six quotas. And she is currently in one of the top four world places required in five out of six team rankings. These will be closed on 1er april.
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