“
Sorry, we're no longer serving anything, we didn't anticipate that there would be so many people…”
At the entrance to the Trocadéro, this restaurateur seems very desperate.
On the esplanade at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, they are hundreds to have come to greet the Olympic champions of Tokyo.
So there will not be food for everyone.
But hunger is elsewhere.
To discover
The full Olympic program
The Olympic medal table
The hunger to finally see those who kept them awake during the French nights but Tokyo days. Young and old alike flock to the Trocadéro, where a fanzone had been installed since the start of the Games to follow the events live on a giant screen. While waiting for the arrival of the champions, everyone can try out different sports, in workshops offered by the city: weightlifting, badminton, table tennis and… judo. Undoubtedly THE sport that was the most successful on all fronts this Monday. Raymond Demonière, judo teacher who came on site to introduce the youngest, recognizes that the many medals won at the Olympics "
help a lot
", particularly in convincing young girls to "
pass through the doors of the dojos.
".
On the podium, the triathletes open the ball, which will see nearly 34 athletes parade the medal around the neck.
The Trocadéro esplanade between sports activities and welcoming athletes Anne-Elise Carreau
A meeting with the public to realize
“
We all realized when we arrived here, when we share that it's really different, I've only been realizing for an hour or two,
” says Vincent Luis, the leader of the mixed relay, bronze medalist, on the podium under the sun. The athletes present their medals to the public who cheer them with small flags distributed by the volunteers of Paris 2024, in what looks like an appetizer before the Paris Olympics. "
Today, I'm doing circles in the water, it's not much use apart from winning races for me, so it's cool to share and make people thrill
», Quips Thomas Goyard, silver medalist in sailing.
After their speeches, the athletes slash the champagne and then descend the few steps that separate them from the crowd to sign a few autographs for the fastest supporters.
And they lend themselves to the game. Bryan, accompanied by his dad, will have the chance to don a few medals lent by the athletes for a photo.
“
One in bronze, one in silver, one in gold,
” he explains.
Bryan with Charline Picon and Thomas Goyard Anne-Elise Carreau
Dark circles are present on almost all faces. Sportsmen and spectators. "
They told us that they got up very early to follow us, we were surprised to see so many people follow this at complicated schedules
," said Cecilia Berder, silver medalist in team saber. The girls, strongly acclaimed by the public, are tired but put on the show: "
You can't imagine how much you are doing us good, we haven't slept for 48 hours, but now I could go back to fight without any problem!"
In the front row, Camille, Pierre-Louis and Lucas came with their parents to "
see all the athletes with their medals.
".
From the top of his nine years, Pierre-Louis says he got up in the night to see fencing, under the eyes of his mother who has trouble blaming him.
Pierre-Louis and his family with Cecilia Berder Anne-Elise Carreau
A rockstar welcome for judokas
Triathletes, sabers and windsurfers leave their place as a heavy downpour temporarily disperses an increasingly dense crowd.
Almost all are waiting for one thing: the arrival of the judokas, crowned by team against the Japanese.
The rain continues to fall on the beaten earth of the Trocadéro which is filled with spectators braving the bad weather.
A cloud of umbrellas therefore takes place in front of the stage.
Then come the heroes of the day, welcomed like real rock stars.
The first French medalist in Tokyo Luka Mkheidze leads the way, closely followed by the nine crowned by teams.
And with the applause, it's obviously Teddy Riner who wins.
The judokas acclaimed by all the public Anne-Elise Carreau
As comfortable on this podium as on those of the Olympic Games, the five-time Olympic medalist harangues the crowd. "
Are you there ??"
he asks an audience that raises the tone on each of his answers. Before passing the baton to the other leader of this gold medalist team, Clarisse Agbegnenou, also Olympic champion in individual. His “
Hip, hip, hip
” quickly found the “
houra
” of an audience that was just waiting to ignite and ended up singing songs to their glory. Eva, who came from Châteauroux by train this morning, is also ecstatic for the judokas: "
We said to ourselves that it was the opportunity after confinement to find the atmosphere of the Olympics rather than being behind. TV !"
The rallying cry is echoed by all the supporters present, who then follow the dance steps initiated by Romane Dicko and Sarah-Léonie Cysique.
Teddy Riner igniting the crowd with a few dance steps Anne-Elise Carreau
Rain and tears of joy
A few minutes later, the judokas come in turn to sign some autographs.
A supporter jumps out with tears in his eyes: “To
see them in person is our little medal.
They are humble, welcoming, it's great.
I work and I took my afternoon to come and see them here. ”
Mickaël and Dorothée brought their two young daughters to experience this moment: "
We came because they made us dream, so we wanted to see them for real
."
Reciprocal dark circles have given way to stars in everyone's eyes, supporters discovering those they have supported from their living room, athletes realizing the extent of their success after confined Tokyo events.
Clarisse Agbégnenou presenting her medals to supporters Anne-Elise Carreau
Leaving the crowd to answer the journalists, Teddy Riner expresses his emotion at the meeting of the public: “
There are some who have tears, others who tell us that they got up to look at us. It's heartwarming and it gives us the energy to start again!
"Double medalist at these Games, Clarisse Agbégnenou also admits not being aware of her medal until now, in front of the Parisian public:"
In the village we had time to be nostalgic, to tell ourselves that it will end soon, that it is 'passed quickly. It was there when we arrived here that we said to ourselves: “We didn't actually experience anything, we didn't have blinders!”. There is only happiness and emotion. "
And like each of the sportsmen who presented themselves this Monday at the Trocadéro, she did nothad only one word in his mouth "
thank you
":"
Thank you for getting up so early to see us, I hope you will have a good rest in a week! "
(editor's note: end date of the games)
