Yannick Borel will take the French swordsmen to the Olympic Games in Tokyo (July 23-August 8) alongside Daniel Jérent and Alexandre Bardenet individually, while Romain Cannone completes the team selection, the French fencing federation announced on Tuesday. 2018 world champion and triple European champion (2016, 2017, 2018) individually, Yannick Borel will aim for the supreme title at the Tokyo Games and will try to succeed Eric Srecki, the last French swordsman in gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Traditionally the strongest weapon in French fencing, the French épée won the last three Olympic team titles, in Athens in 2004, in Beijing in 2008 and in Rio in 2016 (the weapon was not on the program by teams at the 2012 Olympics in London). Reigning World Champions,the French will be favorites for the Olympic title on Friday July 30. Before that, the individual event will be played on Sunday July 25. The French women's team failed to qualify and only Coraline Vitalis, 2019 European champion, will defend the French colors individually on July 24.
Very ambitious sabers
Before épée, the saber and foil selections had been unveiled. French sabers Cécilia Berder, Manon Brunet and Charlotte Lembach will compete in the individual event and will be joined by Sara Balzer for the team event. 2018 world champions and 2019 vice-world champions in teams, in a slightly different configuration (Berder, Brunet, Lembach with Caroline Queroli), the French sabers will aim for a first female tricolor medal at the Olympic Games for this weapon, entry into the Olympic program at Athens in 2004. In Rio, Manon Brunet had created a surprise at just 20 years old by reaching the semi-finals, but had finally failed at the foot of the podium. Since then, she has established herself among the best world sabers, just like Cécilia Berder, bronze medalist at the 2017 Worlds,and Charlotte Lembach. The men's team, however, failed to qualify. Only Bolade Apithy has obtained his ticket and will compete in the individual event (July 24).
Thibus and Lefort, the winning tandem in foil?
Ysaora Thibus, 2018 world vice-champion, and Enzo Lefort, 2019 world champion, will lead the French women's and men's foil teams. The two French teams qualified at the end of the period from April 2019 to April 2021, which also secures three places for the French foilists in the individual events in Tokyo. Individual silver medalist at the 2018 Worlds in Wuxi (China), Ysaora Thibus (29) is one of the three French shooters, with Pauline Ranvier (27 years old on Wednesday), also individual vice-world champion, in 2019 in Budapest, and Anita Blaze (29). At 38, Astrid Guyart was selected as a substitute for the team event. It is in this team composition that the French won bronze at the 2018 Worlds.Enzo Lefort (29), the first French foil player to champion the world since Philippe Omnès in 1990, was selected, as were Maxime Pauty (27) and Julien Mertine (32). In teams, Erwann Le Pechoux (39 years old) will replace. The French foilists are 2016 Olympic vice-champions in Rio. In this team configuration, they won silver at the 2019 Worlds, beaten in the final by the United States. Foil gave French fencing its last individual Olympic champion. It was in 2004 in Athens and Brice Guyart was adorned with gold.The French foilists are 2016 Olympic vice-champions in Rio. In this team configuration, they won silver at the 2019 Worlds, beaten in the final by the United States. Foil gave French fencing its last individual Olympic champion. It was in 2004 in Athens and Brice Guyart was adorned with gold.The French foilists are 2016 Olympic vice-champions in Rio. In this team configuration, they won silver at the 2019 Worlds, beaten in the final by the United States. Foil gave French fencing its last individual Olympic champion. It was in 2004 in Athens and Brice Guyart was adorned with gold.
The French selection in fencing:
Men's épée: Yannick Borel (Levallois), Alexandre Bardenet (Rodez), Daniel Jérent (Levallois).
Team substitute: Romain Canonne (Saint-Maur)
Ladies' épée (individual only): Coraline Vitalis (Levallois)
Men's foil: Enzo Lefort (Melun), Julien Mertin (Rueil-Malmaison), Maxime Pauty (Issy-les-Moulineaux).
Substitute by teams: Erwann Le Pechoux (Aix)
Fleuret women: Anita Blaze (Aubervilliers), Pauline Ranvier (Melun), Ysaora Thibus (Bourg-la-Reine).
Team substitute: Astrid Guyart (Melun)
Men's saber (individual only): Bolade Apithy (Dijon)
Women's
saber
: Cécilia Berder (Orléans), Manon Brunet (Orléans), Charlotte Lembach (Strasbourg).
Substitute by teams: Sara Balzer (Strasbourg)
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