the best French chances for the European Championships

10 charms. This is what France was able to bring back from the European Championships in Berlin in 2018. Still on the same land, the tricolor delegation hopes to do better this year in Munich. All united behind their captain Kevin Mayer, the only medalist at the World Championships in Eugene (Oregon), many of them can hope to bring back a medal from Germany.

Kevin Mayer for a double

The inevitable double decathlon world champion, the only Frenchman to have brought back a medal from Eugene, is the big favorite in the decathlon. If his participation was uncertain a few days ago, Kevin Mayer will indeed participate in these European Championships, with the aim of achieving a double victory by winning gold. Although the sequence of two decathlons in a few weeks is extremely difficult, the form of the moment of “keke” can give us hope.

Read alsoMarie-José Pérec: “French athletics has the results it deserves”

Nicolas Navarro will attempt the feat

For his second appearance in the tricolor jersey, the tricolor marathon runner can compete with the best and get a podium this year. A performance that would be historic since France only won one medal in the men’s European marathon, it was Dominique Chauvelier (bronze in 1990). Beyond the individual objective, the member of Sco Ste-Marguerite Marseille intends to bring back a collective charm. For this, the French team must achieve the best possible average time with its three best athletes at the finish. In the absence of Hassan Chahdi (who favored the Eugene Worlds), Nicolas Navarro, Benjamin Choquert and Michael Gras should be the three most successful tricolors. Florian Carvalho could also pull out of the game.

Jimmy Gressier, a revenge to take

“Morally diminished” before the Worlds in Eugene (11th in 27’44”55), the Frenchman is tackling the biggest goal of his season. Big favorite with a personal best of 27’24”51, the Boulonnais will give everything to bring home the gold. It would be a nice gift for the one who has already established himself as one of the figures of the French delegation for the Paris 2024 Games.

Read alsoJimmy Gressier: “I try to break all the codes of athletics”

Quentin Bigot dreams of a podium

Fourth in Eugene a few weeks ago, the French hammer throw champion hopes this time not to bring home a chocolate medal. In direct competition with the Poles Fajdek and Nowicki, and the Norwegian Henriksen (the podium of Eugene), Bigot will undoubtedly have to launch more than 80 meters if he wants to hope to get on the box. It would therefore be necessary to approach his personal best (80m55), see to improve it.

Renaud Lavillenie, remembering the good old days

No, the old pole vaulter has not disappeared. And he could even surprise us once again on the Munich side. Even if Duplantis, who improved his world record in Eugene, seems untouchable, the podium remains within shooting range, or at least pole. Fifth in the Worlds, Lavillenie can count on his current form, which is gradually returning after his injury in Tokyo.

Wilfried Happio, title goal and nothing else

At the foot of the podium in Eugene behind a Brazilian and two Americans, the 23-year-old Frenchman will try to run for a European title. Revealed to the general public a few weeks ago, Happio could materialize all the work done for a few years now and become one of the great hopes of French athletics for the 2024 Olympics.

Sasha Zhoya, Just Kwaou-Mathey and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, the magic trio

The French triplet has the podium at the end of the points. An experienced champion, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, and two diamonds in the rough, Sasha Zhoya and Juste Kwaou-Mathey. On a big day, the three can go for a podium. For Martinot-Lagarde, it would be a sign of a great return to the best of times, while for Sasha Zhoya, it would be the confirmation, among the big boys, of a young shooter on the way to becoming a reference in his discipline.

Gabriel Tual and Benjamin Robert

There we can get wet, it’s gold or nothing. The two Habs are surely the two best half-founders in Europe at the moment. In any case over 800 meters, Gabriel Tual and Benjamin Robert will both aim for the title, and it will be “May the best win», as Robert declared at the Paris Meeting in June. For the moment, advantage Tual who managed to slip into the final of the Worlds in Eugene and to make a promising 6th place. Robert him had stopped in half. We can even afford to dream of a double!

Rénelle Lamote, the hope of the women’s 800

The task will be much more complex for the Frenchwoman than for her male counterparts. But on a good day, Rénelle Lamote can hope to bring back a medal from Munich. Eighth European at the World Championships in Eugene a few weeks ago (where his race had stopped in the semi-finals), it will now be necessary to approach his best performance of the season (1’58”48) to try to upset the pre-established hierarchy in Oregon.