Eighth day of competition in Munich during the European Championships and two new medals were added to the purse of the French clan (41 in total), Friday August 19. Eddie Potdevin was the first to strike, in bronze, on Munich water before Wilfried Happio came to win silver on the track.
In mountain biking, Victor Koretzky did not go far from the podium but failed in fourth place. As for table tennis, disappointments in singles for the Lebrun brothers and for Jianan Yuan, eliminated just before the semi-finals.
Athletics : Wilfried Happio in silver in the 400m hurdles
Wilfried Happio transcended himself to get the silver medal in the 400 meter hurdles in 48″56. Arriving 4th at the Worlds in Eugene (United States) in July, the Frenchman finally climbs on the podium and thus confirms his beautiful progress in recent weeks.
In Munich, he crossed the line just behind the Olympic champion over the distance, the Norwegian Karsten Warholm and world record holder (45 “94). The latter, who had finished 7th at the Worlds after his injury in June, brought down the European championship record in 47″12. Ludvy Vaillant (48″79) misses the podium for a hundredth, just behind the Turkish Yasmani Copello (48″79).
In the 3,000 meter steeplechase, the two Frenchmen involved, Djilali Bedrani (8th) and Louis Gilavert (15th) could not do anything against the Finn Topi Raitanen who won ahead of the Italians Ahmed Abdelwahed and Osama Zoghlami.
Among the women, Shana Grebo defended her chances in the 200 meters final, for her first international final. But the Frenchwoman finished in 6th position (23″06), far behind European champion Mujinga Kambundji (22″32).
Para canoe: Eddie Potdevin wins bronze
First French medal in these online para canoe European championships. Like three years ago, Eddie Potdevin tasted a bronze medal on Friday in the 200 meter sprint in the Va’a (Polynesian canoe) VL3 category. Sixth in the Games in Tokyo, the 42-year-old ceist was overtaken by the Briton Jack Eyers and the Ukrainian Vladyslav Yepifanov. The other Frenchman involved in this final, Adel Aber, finished in sixth place.
“This medal has a special flavor, I was deprived of Worlds in Canada and I had it in my throat” he explained at the microphone of France Télévisions. “I didn’t come for revenge but I wanted to show that I was back. This is just one step towards Paris 2024, I hope my colleagues will continue this momentum.”
MTB: Tom Pidcock untouchable, Victor Koretzky at the foot of the podium
Tom Pidcock got off to a good start in his crazy ambition of a hat-trick in 2022. Starting shortly after halfway during the mountain bike event, the Briton won his first European title in the discipline. The 23-year-old runner will aim for the same metal on August 26 during the Worlds of the discipline in the resort of Les Gets, in France. Whoever also gleaned a stage victory in the last Tour de France will also try to aim for gold in September at the Road Worlds in Australia on September 25.
In the fight for the podium, Frenchman Victor Koretzky finally finished in fourth place, unable to catch the wheel of Sebastian Carstensen (2nd) and Filippo Colombo (3rd) when these two competitors took a few meters lead. . As for the other Habs involved, Joshua Dubau and Stéphane Tempier finished 14th and 15th. Thomas Griot was forced to retire.
Table tennis: the Lebrun brothers and Jianan Yuan eliminated in singles
In bronze in doubles for their first international competition, Alexis Lebrun, 18, and his brother Félix, 15, were eliminated prematurely in singles. The youngest suffered the law of Swede Kristian Karlsson in the round of 16 (1-4) while the eldest stopped a lap later, in the 8th, against his brother’s executioner (2-4).
In the women’s draw, Jianan Yuan narrowly missed her ticket to the semi-finals. Gold medalist with Emmanuel Lebesson in mixed doubles, she lost Friday against the German Nina Mittelham (3-4). Frustrating, especially since the French led three sets to two, 9 points to 6…
