The party can begin. While the opening ceremony will not take place until Friday, July 26, the first events of the Paris 2024 Games begin on Wednesday. The opportunity for franceinfo: sport to present the 24 French players to follow between now and August 11. Whether they are stars, big chances for medals or great Olympic stories. They are listed here in order of entry into the competition.
Antoine Dupont (rugby 7s)
The Toulouse player wants his revenge. Beaten with the French XV during the last World Cup, “Toto” hopes to make the French rugby team shine. As preparation with the seven-a-side team, he won the tournaments in Los Angeles and Madrid.
The men’s tournament runs from Wednesday 24 to Saturday 27 July.
Wendie Renard (football)
For her third Games, the 34-year-old captain hopes to lead the French football team to their first Olympic medal. But, between Spain and the United States, the competition promises to be tough for the last competition under the leadership of her namesake, Hervé Renard.
The women’s tournament runs from Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, August 10.
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Lisa Barbelin (archery)
At Les Invalides, she will not want to miss the target. At 24, the double European champion must take advantage of the training she has acquired with South Korean coach Oh Seon-tek to climb onto the podium individually and in teams.
She will be on the firing line from Saturday July 25 to Saturday August 3.
Victor Wembanyama (basketball)
Less than a year after his NBA debut, “Wemby” will take his first steps with the Blues in a major competition. The San Antonio Spurs pivot has the mission of leading Vincent Collet’s team to a trinket in a tournament where LeBron James’ Team USA is the scarecrow.
The men’s tournament runs from Saturday, July 27 to Saturday, August 10.
Nikola Karabatic (handball)
Can the farewell of the French handball legend end in any other way than with a fourth Olympic title at the age of 40? This new consecration is in any case the objective of Guillaume Gille’s group, crowned European champion in January.
The men’s tournament runs from Saturday, July 27 to Sunday, August 11.
Earvin Ngapeth (volleyball)
A status to defend. The leader of the French volleyball team intends to weigh in on the tournament after winning gold in Japan in 2021. And this is especially true since his team is arriving fully pumped up: they just won the Nations League at the end of June.
The men’s tournament runs from Saturday, July 27 to Saturday, August 10.
Estelle Mossely (boxing)
In 2016, she became the first French Olympic champion in her discipline. Eight years later, the boxer from Créteil is among the favorites for a medal in the under 60 kg category. Enough to set the Roland-Garros ring alight.
In its category, the tournament runs from Saturday July 27 to Tuesday August 6.
Felix Lebrun (table tennis)
He is bidding to be the youngest French medallist. At 17, the world number 5 wants to take advantage of the absence of two of the four Chinese players ahead of him in the rankings to get on the box. He will be accompanied by his older brother, Alexis, and Simon Gauzy during the team tournament.
After the singles tournament from Saturday July 27 to Sunday August 4, the team tournament will take place from Monday August 5 to Friday August 9.
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Samir Aït Saïd (artistic gymnastics)
He wants to sublimate his complicated history with the Olympics. Seriously injured in the vault in Rio, then left just off the podium in Tokyo after having been flag bearer, the rings specialist has a score to settle.
Qualifying takes place on Saturday 27 July, before the finals from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 August.
Vahine Fierro (surfing)
Teahupo’o is the kind of spot that you have to know well to shine there. That’s good, Vahine Fierro is from the neighboring island of Huahine and has been surfing this legendary wave for years. Her victory at the Tahiti Pro at the end of May confirmed the trend: you have to keep an eye on the 24-year-old Polynesian.
Qualifying begins on Saturday July 27, with a final on the night of Tuesday July 30 to Wednesday July 31.
Leon Marchand (swimming)
400m medley, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 200m medley and 4x100m medley relay… With him, the issue is not whether there will be a medal, but how many. The French swimming prodigy can offer himself, for his second Games, a sweep worthy of Michael Phelps, eight times crowned in Beijing in 2008.
If he reaches all the finals, he will be in the pool from Sunday July 28 to Sunday August 4.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (mountain bike)
She has won almost everything in cross-country. At 32, “PFP” wants to beat the odds at the Olympics, where she has never done better than 10th in three participations. This time, the Rémoise will have the Elancourt hill (Yvelines) as her playground to finally adorn herself with gold.
The Olympic race will take place on Sunday, July 28.
Romain Cannone (fencing)
No more surprise effect for him, but an Olympic champion status to assume. The 27-year-old fencer wants to both thrill the Grand Palais and forget the preparation of the French fencers, in open conflict with their federation.
The individual tournament takes place on Sunday, July 28, before the team event on Friday, August 2.
Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos (artistic gymnastics)
Having won bronze with the French team at the Antwerp World Championships at the end of 2023, the Martinique native, who came close to a podium in Tokyo, has high hopes. While the uneven bars and beam are her favourites, the all-around competition could also be her thing.
The apparatuses follow one another, from the qualifications on Sunday July 28 to the last final, Monday August 5.
Clarisse Agbegnenou (judo)
Olympic champion in the under-63 kg category in 2021, the Tokyo flag-bearer wants to repeat her performance in front of her daughter, Athena. After putting her career on hold to give birth to her in 2022, she made her comeback with a world title in 2023, which she nevertheless did not retain in May 2024.
His individual tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30.
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Cassandre Beaugrand (triathlon)
Ready to enter the Seine, but more comfortable on the bank. If she widens the gap with her pursuers thanks to her running qualities, the reigning vice-world champion has a good card to play, a year after her second place on the test event in Paris.
The women’s triathlon takes place on Wednesday, July 31, before the mixed relay on Monday, August 5.
Florent Manaudou (swimming)
The Olympic flame still burns brightly within him. First torchbearer at the finish of the Belem in Marseille and flag bearer on the Seine, Laure’s younger brother has a fourth individual podium in a row in his sights. After his victory in London in the 50m freestyle, he took silver in Rio and Tokyo.
Its final is scheduled for Friday, August 2, the day after the series and semi-finals.
Teddy Riner (judo)
The colossus is aiming for an unprecedented three-peat in his category. Gold medalist in the over 100 kg category in London, then in Rio, the Guadeloupean with 11 world crowns wants to delight the French public again after failing to win the individual Olympic title in the country of judo in 2021.
His individual tournament is scheduled for Friday, August 2.
Mélina Robert-Michon (athletics)
At 45, “MRM” is extending the pleasure in Paris. The Olympic discus throw vice-champion in Rio has not stood on a podium in a major championship since 2017, but she dreams of reaching a final for her seventh Games, which she will open as flag bearer.
The women’s discus qualifications are scheduled for Friday, August 2, with a final on Monday, August 5.
Kevin Mayer (athletics)
Present, but at what cost? Qualified for the Olympic decathlon thanks to his result at the European Championships in Rome, the world record holder in the discipline injured a thigh during the Paris meeting on July 7. Launched in a race against time to hold his place, he seems unlikely to win gold in these conditions.
The decathlon is scheduled from Friday August 2 to Saturday August 3.
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Julian Alaphilippe (road cycling)
The double world champion has marked the date. The steep slopes of the Butte Montmartre and Pré-Saint-Gervais correspond to the Soudal-Quick Step rider, to the point that he skipped the Tour de France to perfect his preparation.
The men’s road race is scheduled for Saturday, August 3.
Cyréna Samba-Mayela (athletics)
European champion in Rome in mid-June, “CSM” has made an appointment with the purple track of the Stade de France for the 100m hurdles. Second in the World Indoor Championships in the 60m hurdles this year after her title in 2022, she is exploding in the eyes of the public, who could carry her towards the feat.
From the heats to the final, the 100m hurdles will be run from Wednesday 7th to Saturday 10th August.
Mathilde Gros (track cycling)
Having won gold in speed at the 2022 World Championships in her velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the 25-year-old track racer has two opportunities, with the keirin, to make us forget her lackluster Tokyo Games. Her recent performances have reassured us about her form.
The keirin will be run from Wednesday 7 to Thursday 8 August and the speed from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 August.
Celine Boutier (golf)
A year after winning her first Major at Evian-les-Bains, something no French woman had done since 2003, the 30-year-old golfer is expected to do so. She will have a real card to play on the Guyancourt green, of which she knows every corner.
The women’s competition runs from Wednesday, August 7 to Saturday, August 10.