Two medals, one in silver (Quentin Bigot in the hammer) and one in bronze (Pascal Martinot-Lagarde in the 110m hurdles) at the previous Worlds, in Doha in the fall of 2019, only one at the Tokyo Games last summer, with Kevin Mayer in silver in the decathlon: French athletes have been sailing at low tide for three years after the success of the 2016 Olympics (6 medals) and the 2017 Worlds (3 titles).
Beyond the sad sporting record, the French Athletics Federation (FFA) is overwhelmed by internal problems and even recently by cases of doping and violence.
The FFA has also suffered departures and multiplied reorganizations to manage the high level.
The most recent: the establishment in early 2022 of a duo with, in the role of National Technical Director, Patrick Ranvier, who has worked in rowing and ice sports in particular, and in that of High Performance Director, Romain Barras, ex-decathlete in the federal fold since 2017. For both of them, the Eugene Worlds (United States) will be in a way a baptism of fire.
“
This dense summer season, with Eugene before the European Championships in Munich (mid-August), will allow us to do a good review of the workforce two years from the Games (in Paris).
It is a chance.
This will allow us to determine our potential for the next major deadlines, in the short, medium and longer terms.
“explains Ranvier, projecting himself until the 2032 Olympics. “
There is the Paris 2024 Games, it is obvious.
Nevertheless, we cannot neglect the rest
, ”he adds.
In the green and rural atmosphere of Eugene, the American capital of athletics, Barras does not want to risk a goal of medals.
“
I'm not very comfortable with predictions and I won't make any
,” he replies.
“
On the other hand, we have placed demanding, ambitious selection criteria: when we take people who are potential Top 16, it traces a fairly enlightened path on the will that we have
”, continues the 2010 European champion. of the decathlon.
“
It's important to relaunch on the results.
But also in terms of character, of state of mind, which must be conquering, without complex, with a desire to perform at the highest international level
”, describes Barras.
Bigot, first chance of a podium
Who embodies the best chances of a podium?
Undoubtedly Quentin Bigot, in the running for the hammer on Friday and who launched for the first time more than 80 meters this season.
Why not, on the side of the hurdlers, the safe bet Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, even short of competition?
Or the young nugget Sasha Zhoya, first Worlds in the big leagues but with the 7th best time of the entries (13''17)?
Or the world record holder Kevin Mayer, even if his last completed decathlon dates back to Tokyo last summer?
Among the 27 selected individually, Pierre-Ambroise Bosse withdrew.
And there are only seven women, including the 800m specialist, Rénelle Lamotte, or the discus thrower Mélina Robert-Michon, who will celebrate her 43rd birthday on Monday.
Recurring business
No sprinter or sprinter is aligned for 100m.
Only one is in the 200m, Mouhamadou Fall, but he is under the threat of a possible suspension, still under consideration, for breaches of his anti-doping whereabouts obligations.
This is the other weakness of French athletics: it never ceases to be overtaken by business.
Before Fall, another in-form sprinter, Amaury Golitin, was provisionally suspended at the end of June, also for shortcomings related to his whereabouts as well as suspicions of tampering.
Wilfried Happio, specialist in the 400m hurdles, is the subject of a complaint for sexual assault, filed by another athlete resident of Insep, at the beginning of the month.
Not to mention the 18-month suspension imposed on Susan Kipsang-Jeptooo,
