Antoine Dupont changes dimension
The year of the consecration for Antoine Dupont.
Sacred champion of France with Stade Toulousain in 2019, the scrum half really exploded with the XV of France on the occasion of the Six Nations Tournament.
By covering 249 meters with the ball in hand during the last Tournament, the Toulouse player was the blaster of the Blues, brilliant seconds behind England.
Author of one essay and the origin of four others, the native of Lannemezan (Hautes-Pyrénées) was elected best player of the Tournament with nearly half of the votes cast (46%) ahead of his partners Grégory Aldritt and Romain Ntamack , with whom he shares the future of the pivotal selection.
Antoine Dupont also ended the year 2020 as he had started, scoring an exceptional try against Bordeaux-Bègles during Boxing Day (45-23).
High Five ⚫️ @ StadeToulousainpic.twitter.com / XaJa01MdK4
- Antoine Dupont (@ Dupont9A) December 27, 2020
Iga Swiatek, unexpected queen of Roland
That this one who had predicted the triumph of Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros stands out.
Unknown before the Porte d'Auteuil fortnight, the 54th in the world achieved a sensational tour de force to win, at only 19 years old, her first Grand Slam tournament.
Of rare strength from the baseline, the Polish crushed each of her opponents, like the Romanian Simona Halep (6-1, 6-2 in the eighth), yet defending champion.
Victorious over the American Sofia Kenin (4th in the world) in the final, the native of Warsaw did not drop any set to bring Poland her first major.
Her communicative good humor illuminated a tournament where she revealed herself to the whole world.
Now 17th in the world, she won the WTA "Biggest Progress of the Year" award.
>> READ ALSO - Covid-19: behind the scenes of a Roland Garros unlike any other
>> READ ALSO - Djokovic, Swiatek, Nadal, Thiem, Medvedev: the lessons of the year 2020
Hugo Gaston, a dream week
Let's stay at Porte d'Auteuil to review Hugo Gaston's performance.
Known only to sharp tennis specialists, the Toulousain was invited to tens of thousands of French homes on Sunday, October 4.
After eliminating the Swiss Stan Wawrinka, titled in Paris in 2015 in the previous round with a scathing 6-0 in the fifth set, the Toulouse climbed in the second week.
Magnificent loser of a round of 16 against Dominic Thiem, Gaston was behind to push the recent winner of the US Open to the fifth set.
A slew of shock absorbers and other blows to compensate for a rather frail physique (1.73m) and thus make a name for itself.
Now 162nd in the world, the Haut-Garonnais embodies the future of French tennis, as does his namesake Ugo Humbert (22), who climbed to 30th in the world at the end of the season after his title in Antwerp.
His second of the season after Auckland, where he won his first career title.
Camavinga, Thuram, Upamecano ... the Blues can look to the future with serenity
Since this year, the name of Eduardo Camavinga has been part of the football landscape.
The Stade Rennais midfielder, with a meteoric rise that we do not (already) present, made a brilliant debut for the France team.
A month before his 18 years, the Angolan by birth celebrated his first tenure with an acrobatic goal at the Stade de France against Ukraine (7-1, 7 October).
His great talent coupled with his refreshing style and personality establish him as a future star of French football.
He is a natural candidate for the group of 23 which will play the Euro next June.
Just like Dayot Upamecano (22 years old), the defender of Leipzig who also scored from his second cap against Croatia (4-2, 8 September) or Marcus Thuram (23 years old), who made a name by signing three first selections noted in Blue.
The 7 goals of the Blues against Ukraine (7-1)!
# FiersdetreBleuspic.twitter.com / utwXxfimQ4
- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 9, 2020
Fati and Moukouko, thunderous beginnings
Two weeks his senior, Ansu Fati follows a similar trajectory to Eduardo Camavinga.
After a promising start in 2019, the Spanish left winger has managed to carve out a place of choice for a much bigger club, namely FC Barcelona.
To the point of becoming one of the club's executives, evidenced by his title of player of the month for September in La Liga (4 goals in 7 matches since the start of the season).
A month when he discovered the Spanish selection and scored for his first tenure against ... Ukraine (4-0, September 6).
Hit in the meniscus, the prodigy from Guinea-Bissau will not return until February.
Otherwise earlier, Youssoufa Moukouko had to wait until he turned 16 to make his long-awaited debut with Dortmund the day after his birthday against Hertha Berlin (5-2, 21 November).
A month and five matches later, the native of Yaoundé scored a splendid goal for his second start against the other club from Berlin (December 1-2, 18).
Naturalized German, Moukouko is a phenomenon of precocity called to replace another in Dortmund.
Erling Haaland (20) is not expected to spend too long in the Ruhr area.
Victor Wembanyama, the future in great shape
The year Kylian Hayes was drafted in seventh position, the highest drafting round in history for a French player, another is set to break that glass ceiling in the years to come.
In 2023 precisely, when he will have passed the legal age of 19.
The rest of the story seems already written for Victor Wembanyama (17 years old on January 4), a phenomenon of precocity with rare talent, already closely watched by NBA franchises.
Across the Atlantic, specialists agree on one of the “best prospects in history”.
From the height of his 2.19 m at 16 years old (2.4 m wingspan), Wembanyama, who has not finished growing, made his debut with Nanterre in the Eurocoup (C2) against Ljubjana in November.
Injured until next February, the native of Chesnay (Yvelines) will wait to make his return to the floors of Jeep Elite and National 1 (3rd division), where he is still evolving with hopes in a logic of not cutting corners .
Even if his path is clear.
First full match with the pros.
A good time despite the defeat.
Rest and focus on the next one!
I had my first full game with the pros.
Good feeling despite the loss.
On to the next one! # Nanterre92 # EuroCup # wearejsf # teamVWhttps: //t.co/TEzgX3yntJ
- Victor Wembanyama (@ vicw_32) November 6, 2020
Tadej Pogacar, golden destiny
Saturday, September 19.
The rise of the Planche des Belles Filles as the ultimate justice of the peace in a 2020 Tour de France as unique as it is fascinating.
Rookie on the Grande Boucle, Tadej Pogacar has already splashed his panache and his insatiable attacking temper for three weeks.
On the eve of the finish, to succeed in a stratospheric time trial to overthrow Primoz Roglic at the top of the general classification.
36.2 km swallowed with 1'56 ahead of the mark of his compatriot, yet not clumsy in the exercise.
The next day, Pogacar parade in yellow in the streets of Paris where he is consecrated as the youngest winner in the history of the Tour since 1904. A performance to which is added the gain of three stages and another treble, of distinctive jerseys (general, mountain, best youngster).
One year his senior, the Swiss Marc Hirschi also revealed himself on the Grande Boucle where he never stopped attacking, winning a stage before being elected super-combative, then winning the Flèche Wallonne a few weeks later.
A few weeks after the Tour, Tao Geoghegan Hart (25) revealed himself by winning an equally hectic Tour of Italy, during which his partner at Ineos Grenadiers, the local Filippo Gana (24) distinguished himself in removing four stages including three times, a week after being crowned world champion in the discipline.
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>> READ ALSO - Covid-19: from Nice to Paris, in the wheel of a Tour de France who was afraid to walk a cluster
Joan Mir took his chance
Regularity has been added to precocity.
For a triumphant cocktail.
Moto GP world champion on the occasion of his second season in the premier class, Joan Mir benefited from the absence of Marc Marquez, injured all season, to win the setting at the end of a more open season than ever (9 winners in 15 Grand Prix).
A season during which the Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (21) had a fantastic start by winning the first two races in Jerez (Spain).
Long first overall, the Niçois will finally finish 8th after repeated setbacks, 44 points behind Joan Mir (23).
Riding his Suzuki, the Spaniard signs the feat of being crowned world champion by winning only one race (European GP, November 8), to which was added six podiums.
Always placed, his consistency makes the Mallorcan a serious contender for the title next year.
George Russell, the succession is assured
At the end of a Formula 1 season rich in lessons, several drivers have pulled out of the game. In addition to the scarecrow Lewis Hamilton, now crowned with seven world champion titles, the contender Max Verstappen, or the brilliant Pierre Gasly bringing In France his first F1 victory in over 20 years at Monza on September 6, George Russell burst in the eyes of the general public and made an appointment with the future.
The 22-year-old Briton has shown all his talent in the eyes of the paddock.
At the wheel of one of the weakest single-seater on the grid, Russell managed to hoist his Williams eight times in Q2.
He especially distinguished himself during the Sakhir Grand Prix, replacing Lewis Hamilton (positive for Covid-19) at a moment's notice.
At the wheel of the Mercedes, the 2018 F2 champion would have signed his first victory without a mistake by his team in the pit lane.
In Bahrain, he had dominated Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes driver since 2017, all weekend.
>> READ ALSO - Lewis Hamilton, king of a contrasted F1 season
Armand Duplantis, always higher
But where will Armand Duplantis stop?
The Swede made history at just 20, twice wiping out the best world performance in pole vault history.
On February 8 first, “Mondo” rose to 6.17 m indoor in Torun (Poland), one centimeter higher than Renaud Lavillenie in 2014 in Ukraine.
A week later, in Glasgow (Scotland), the one who resides in Lafayette (Louisiana) improved his own mark to 6.18m.
European champion in 2018 in Berlin, Duplantis believes “he can really jump higher.”
The youngest athlete to be crowned Athlete of the Year, the Swede is his dream favorite for Olympic gold next summer in Tokyo.
MALE WORLD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR!
✨
Mondo Duplantis is crowned Male Athlete of the Year at the 2020 #WorldAthleticsAwards
Congratulations @ mondohoss600pic.twitter.com / Kk7YX0P6do
- World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) December 5, 2020
Paulette Foppa tried everything
Uncertain before the Euro handball, Pauletta Foppa finally participated in the beautiful course of the Blue, beaten in the final by Norway (22-20).
It is even she, who with five goals, finished top scorer in the game.
Already crowned European champion in 2018, the Brestoise won in the France team, with whom she burst the screen in December, scoring 20 goals during this European campaign.
Foppa, who plays at the pivotal position, celebrated her 20th birthday on December 22 and naturally stands out as the future of the handball Bleues, with whom she took part in her third international competition.
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