Manon Brunet-Apithy withdrew due to loose right shoulder, Cécilia Berder pregnant and awaiting birth to her first child, Charlotte Lembach retired for a time before finally reconsidering her decision… None of the three headliners having led the French saber team to the second step of the Olympic podium in Tokyo will not be present in Antalya, Turkey, for the European Championships (June 17-22).
This allows the fourth musketeer, the one who had the status of substitute in the Japanese capital but who had taken the place of Lembach in the final, to be in the light.
Namely Sara Balzer who, at 27, finds herself propelled into the role of leader.
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A status, or a promotion, which does not disturb the young woman more than that: "
It is true that there were a lot of last minute changes with Manon's package, but also earlier in the year with different staff.
The watchword was to adapt to the circumstances, which will again be the case in this European Championship.
Of course, my role will be different in this competition than the one I had at the Games, for example.
I have more experience.
But it doesn't require any particular effort.
And I'm very happy if I can bring more to the team, in a new role, and pass on some of my experience as others have been able to do with me before.
"Even if the transmission will not be his main watchword in Antalya: "
I definitely hope to come back with an individual medal.
It's my aim.
I had a pretty good season and I think I can do it.
The team event will be important too, but I want to focus on the individual first.
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A ranking that keeps climbing
For this, the native of Strasbourg can rely on a steady progression since this disastrous year 2017 soared due to complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee.
A real setback for the saber, which took a long time to rebuild.
“
I have no idea where I would be today if I hadn't had this injury.
What is certain is that it was very difficult to live with, to take it.
But looking back, I also have the feeling that it brought me a lot.
I tried to get as much positive out of it as possible and that's what I managed to do.
It changed my way of working, of seeing things and it gave me a really immense rage to prepare for Tokyo.
Falling to 137th place in the world, she who was approaching the Top 10 before this twist of fate, Balzer has never stopped making up for lost time: 73rd in 2019, 39th in 2021 (after a blank year due to the Covid in 2020), 20th today.
It was one of my biggest dreams to experience the Games and win a medal there.
Sara Balzer
“
My ranking is going up, I'm moving forward and I'm happy with that
,” she confided in the Insep setting, just before flying to Turkey.
"
It's also one of my goals to be among the top 16 in the world to experience the first rounds of tournaments perhaps less stressful.
There, I have no point to defend either at the European Championships or at the World Championships that will follow (July 15-23).
I have a great operation to do in these two competitions.
I feel good.
I trained well.
Physically, I'm in good shape.
So I think I did everything necessary to tackle this double deadline as well as possible.
"And for that, she can rely on her team Olympic silver medal in Tokyo, which made her grow:"
It was one of my biggest dreams to experience the Games and win a medal there.
To have achieved this makes me extremely proud.
This brought me both serenity, but also a lot of motivation for the future.
I want to go get other medals in Paris.
Mentally, it gave me a lot too.
These were very stressful times, during which we had to face and today, when I am in a similar situation, I tell myself that I knew how to manage it in Tokyo and I use it.
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And if this summer goes as she wishes, it will then be time for the fencer to turn resolutely to Paris 2024, where she will be 29 years old, a kind of golden age in her discipline: "
Paris is not not in that long.
And even if I didn't want to think about it, I'm told about it so often that it's impossible to pretend it doesn't exist.
But first, I have steps to take, like getting an individual medal in a major championship.
I am extremely motivated.
I think I can do it and so far, on what I've achieved this season, I think I'm on the right path.
“Even if she immediately adds:”
I am a very perfectionist, very hard on myself.
I always want to do better, and I tend to focus only on the negative.
But to tell myself that I have this Olympic medal reassures me.
It's good to remember the positive.
Especially when the best may yet be yet to come.
