Like yesterday, French rowing offered a sensational start to the night, Thursday July 29. After a sweet awakening accompanied by the legs of fire, the cartridges and the first victory of the French rugby sevens team, the lightweight two-pair consisting of Laura Tarantola and Claire Bové created a surprise by winning the silver . If the French swimmers, except Maxime Grousset, lived a complicated night, Caeleb Dressel added a new line to his list. For their entry into the running, the tricolor riders confirmed the beautiful promises that surround them. Judoka, Madeleine Malonga and boxer Mourad Aliev entered their Games perfectly.
Rowing: historic medal for French women’s rowing
25 years after silver in Atlanta 96, Christine Gossé and Hélène Cortin are no longer the only French rowing medalists at the Olympic Games. Laura Tarantola and Claire Bové snatched a magnificent silver medal in the lightweight double scull at the end of a close race where the podium took shape in the last few meters. The duo composed in 2017 brought back the ninth tricolor medal at the Tokyo Games, the second in rowing after the gold of Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias conquered on Wednesday.
Rugby 7: successful entry for the Blue
Ambitious, the French rugby sevens team got off to a perfect start to their Olympic tournament. Two tries, by captain Fanny Horta and Séraphine Okemba, each time on a serve from Camille Grassineau, crowned the victory of the Blue 12-5. Not quite awake yet or their legs a little numb by the stakes at the start of the game, the players of David Courteix showed composure to master the rest and win a precious victory. They will face Brazil for their second group match at 10 a.m.
Swimming: Dressel in gold, complicated night for the French
The untouchable Caeleb Dressel has struck again. The thirteen-time World Champion American kicked off his individual campaign with his first Olympic medal in the 100-meter freestyle solo. And since the ogre likes to win everything, he even offered himself the Olympic record in the process. He is one breath ahead of the Australian Kyle Chalmers, Olympic champion in 2016 and the Russian Kliment Kolesnikov.
Besides, the French have fallen like flies. The French were two in the semi-finals of the 100-meter freestyle. One took the water, the second missed the final by one hundredth. With a time of 53.12 Marie Wattel finished in a frustrating 9th place at the gates of the final. Charlotte Bonnet, who is having a slow start to the Games, was far from the score with the penultimate time in 54.10. A little later, Yohann Ndoye Brouard, drafted last minute after a forfeit, failed to qualify for the final of the 200 meters backstroke.
It should also be noted that for the first of the 800 meters freestyle at the Olympic Games, it was the American Robert Finke who won the title in 7’41 “87 ahead of the Italian, Paltrinieri and the Romanian Romanchuk.
BMX: the French race on the competition
The box is almost full for the BMX Blues. The three Frenchmen entered set the tone as soon as they entered the running, confirming the hopes for the medals they are carrying with them. The double world champion Joris Daudet, whose terrible fall in 2016 had marked the spirits when he left hyper favorite, qualified for the semi-finals by winning his three races.
Former world champion Sylvain André and former European champion Romain Mahieu also passed without worry. Among the French, Axelle Etienne, third at the world championships in 2019, validated her ticket unlike Manon Valentino.
Fencing: women’s team foil does not fall into the trap
The French foil players negotiated their entry into the team competition by dominating Canada in the quarterfinals (45-29). Team leader Ysaora Thibus started the blue relay well before concluding it herself to qualify for the semi-finals. They will face Italy from 6:55 am. Pauline Ranvier also came out of the game by winning two of her three stints.
The case will not be easy against the Italians who had placed two foil players in the quarterfinals of the individual event. But the hope of a first team foil medal since 1984 is still alive for the France team.
Judo: Madeleine Malonga in half
Will the judokas harvest continue today? Madeleine Malonga (-78kg) hopes to follow in the footsteps of Luka Mkheidze, Sarah-Léonie Cysique and Clarisse Agbégnénou. The French, seeded, sent her round of 16 in just over a minute. She placed a waza-ari and an ippon to Austrian Bernadette Graf.
In the next round, the Cuban Kaliema Antomarchi offered a harsher opposition to the reigning vice-world champion. A waza-ari everywhere and a golden score final that the French won on ippon to reach the semi-finals.
Boxing: Mourad Aliev unlocks the counter for France
French boxing was finally waiting for a first victory in these Olympic Games. After the defeats in the first round of Samuel Kistohurry in 52-57 kg and Maiva Hamadouche in 57-60 kg, Mourad Aliev is the first French to pass the first round, easily dominating Tadjik Siyovush Zukhurov in the over 91 kg category. . The five judges unanimously voted him the winner. Mourad Aliev is therefore qualified in the quarter-finals, Sunday August 1, against the Briton Frazer Clarke. “I’m here to win, for me it’s a tournament like any other”, warned, ambitious, the boxer after his fight.
