After the immense disappointment of the individual races (Léonie Périault 5th, Vincent Luis 13th), the triathletes had the same enthusiasm for the mixed relay (300 m of swimming, 6.8 km of cycling and 2 km of running) new to the Olympic program.
In this little game led to hellish pace, Léonie Périault, Dorian Coninx, Cassandre Beaugrand and Vincent Luis snatched the bronze medal in an event won by Great Britain (14 '' ahead of the United States and 23 ' 'in front of the Blues).
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The Blues, quadruple world champions in the specialty (2015, 2018, 2019, 2020), bring back to France their 14th medal (3 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze) in Tokyo. After a mad chase. 14th at 22 '' when leaving the water in the first stint, Léonie Périault at the cost of a superb run had replaced the Blues in 5th place at 26 ''. Dorian Coninx at ease in the cycling part then put the France team 8 '' from the podium.
Cassandre Beaugrand at the cost of a furious race passed the last stint to Vincent Luis 33 "from the British and 12" from the Americans. After a great start, Vincent Luis, on the attack in the cycling part, hoisted the Blues to 2nd place before paying for his efforts and had to settle for placing the Blues on the third step of the podium (30 '' ahead the Netherlands). A relief. Pride.
“I was put in good shape. I did the easy part of the job. From the start I felt I was okay. We end with bronze, we must not denigrate. We will correct that and in three years we will come back to take center stage. We have suffered a lot of criticism in recent days. We deserve more respect than we have had in recent days. This medal will be hung on the wall, ”
he summed up at the microphone of France Televisions. With the satisfaction of a job well done and a deep feeling of revenge. Spectacular, invigorating, the triathlon will be a curiosity in Paris in 2024. With the Tricolors motivated after having passed around the neck the first blue medal in triathlon at the Olympic Games, a discipline which has been on the program since Sydney in 2000.
