Kick-off of the CAN, the Blues in shape before the Winter Olympics, the Djokovic soap opera in Australia … What not to miss from the sports weekend

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While the Covid-19 epidemic is resuming and threatening most competitions, this sports weekend has not escaped health adaptations and several postponements. Despite everything, in alpine skiing, Alexis Pinturault found the podium on the giant of Adelboden. Ditto for Perinne Laffont in mogul skiing on the double round of the World Cup at Mont Tremblant. In biathlon, the French team took third place in the Oberhof mixed relay. So much good news a few weeks before the start of the Beijing Games (February 4 to 20).

CAN 2022: the competition launched in Cameroon, despite health and safety fears

The start of the African Cup of Nations was given from Yaoundé on Sunday in a festive atmosphere. In an Olembe stadium that is 80% full, the Indomitable Lions responded by managing to win 2-1 against the Stallions of Burkina Faso. A first success signed with the seal of captain Vincent Aboubakar, who converted two penalties. Announced as one of the favorites of the competition, Cameroon did not miss its entry.

Winter Olympics: the Blues continue their good preparation

Behind the untouchable Marco Odermatt, winner of four of the five giants of the season including that of Adelboden on Saturday, Alexis Pinturault, 3rd, is recovering. Bad news, however, for Victor Muffat-Jeandet, victim of a fractured right ankle on the very dangerous Zagreb slalom last Thursday, and forfeit the Olympics.

Still in alpine skiing, Tessa Worley signed a second podium in a row finishing 2nd in the giant at Kranjska Gora on Saturday. The 32-year-old champion has just finished 5th, 4th, 1st and therefore 2nd of her last four giants.

As for the French biathlon team, several very good performances were achieved this weekend. On Friday, the Grenoblois Emilien Jacquelin took second place in the Oberhof sprint behind Alexandr Loginov, just like Julia Simon a few minutes later. It is also she who will carry the Blues, Saturday, on the mixed relay with an excellent last passage to hang a third place behind Norway and Belarus. And on Sunday, Quentin Fillon Maillet won the chase ahead of Aleksandr Loginov.

Finally, in mogul skiing, the 2018 Olympic champion in Pyeongchang Perrine Laffont had excellent outings this weekend. Three weeks after her fall at Alpe d’Huez, the world champion shone in Canada with a second place on Friday and a victory on Saturday in the double round of the World Cup at Mont Tremblant.

Australian Open: Djokovic case monopolizes all attention

For five days, we only talked about him. From his questionable medical exemption, his positive Covid test in mid-December – 24 hours before public appearances without the mask – his canceled visa, the political conflict between Australia and Serbia, his presence in a detention center. Everything except tennis and the first Grand Slam tournament of the season which is about to start this Sunday. The clap of the end of this “Djokovic affair” intervened in the night of Sunday to Monday, at the end of a hearing scrutinized by the media of the whole world …

Handball: the Blues lose in Germany for their last match before Euro 2022

It must be said that the Covid truncated their preparation. The French handball players bowed to the wire against Germany (35-34) for their only friendly match before Euro 2022, Sunday January 9. Dominated in defense, lacking rhythm, Guillaume Gille’s men nevertheless came back twenty seconds from the end of the match, before cracking on a final shot from Luca Witzke. On Monday, the French will take up their quarters in Hungary after a bus ride to Szeged, where they will face Croatia on Thursday January 13 (8:30 p.m.) for their first match of Euro 2022.


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