Coline Devillard retains gold on vault, two other bronze medals for Les Bleues two and a half months before the Games

Frenchwoman Coline Devillard won her third gold medal on vault on Saturday in a competition where her young compatriot Ming Gherardi van Eijken won bronze. Marine Boyer is also on the third step of the podium on the balance beam.

Three charms, one of which is gold. The French women’s artistic gymnastics team had a good individual result on Saturday May 4 at the European Championships in Rimini (Italy). While the men did not win any medals in the senior categories at the end of April, Coline Devillard gleaned her third European title on vault (2017, 2023 and therefore 2024).

After signing the best score during qualifying on Thursday, the 23-year-old gymnast totaled 13.866 points to beat Bulgarian Valentina Georgieva (13.799). In 2023, she earned her place in the final of the world championships, where she finished in 9th position with a total of 13,183 points.

She did not hide her satisfaction with “the double twist (which) goes easy on the second jump” and which can allow him to raise his difficulty rating. “It’s super reassuring, it means we’re dreaming, but we’re dreaming real with my coaches”she said regarding this double twist which was decisive for success at the Olympic Games in Paris.

At the age of 16 and for his first participation in the Euro seniors, her compatriot Ming Gherardi van Eijken (13.699) took bronze. A good omen for the French clan less than three months before the Olympic Games at home.

Marine Boyer in bronze on the balance beam

The harvest did not stop there, since Marie Boyer, for her part, climbed onto the third step of the podium on the balance beam, thanks to her 14.033 points. She ranks behind the Italian Manila Esposito (14.400) – already crowned Thursday in the all-around competition – and the Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea (14.166). “There is still a long way to go for the Games. We will rework and increase the starting score to get this Olympic medal”she assured.

The Reunionese The 24-year-old has already participated in two editions of the Olympic Games (4th on the balance beam in Rio in 2016 and 6th in the team event in Tokyo in 2021). Just like Coline Devillard, she is part of the Bleues who managed to qualify France for the Paris 2024 Games by winning the team bronze medal at the World Championships in Antwerp in October.

On Sunday, the French team will try to repeat this performance on a continental scale.