The Blues of rugby 7s in gold, three other French medals thanks to judo and fencing… What to remember from the day of July 27

First day of the Olympic Games and already four medals for France. Judoka Shirine Boukli was the first to shine, in bronze, before the rugby players transformed the try into gold.

A spectacular start for the French delegation on the first official day of these Olympic Games. France won four medals (one gold, two silver and one bronze) on Saturday 27 July for its entry into “its” Games.

Shirine Boukli, the pioneer

First times always count. When it looks back on its Games on the evening of August 11, the French team will remember Shirine Boukli. Since her, the French delegation has amassed dozens and dozens of medals. But the first one, the one that served as the incipit of the blue novel in Paris, will bear the name of the judoka. The pioneer did not find gold but, thanks to her success against the Spanish Laura Martinez Abelenda in -48 kg, she deflowered the famous medal table with this bronze now frozen in eternity.

He had already been the first French medalist in Tokyo. Gallant, Luca Mkheidze This time left this honour to his compatriot but, big favourite in his final in -60kg, he was surprised by the Kazakhstani Yeldos Smetov. After the bronze in Japan, he nevertheless got closer to the Grail by bringing home the silver.

Antoine Dupont propels the Blues to the roof of Olympus

The bet was daring but it paid off. Beyond all expectations. By making the surprising choice to leave the XV for a while to participate in the Olympic adventure of the Blues of rugby 7s, Antoine Dupont had raised more than one eyebrow. These eyebrows now cover similarly amazed eyes.

The Stade Toulousain magician delivered his finest performance in the final against the Fijians, allowing Les Bleus to win gold for the first time in their history. But Jérôme Daret’s team didn’t stop at the oval spheres; it also, at the same time, offered France its first gold medal in these Games.

Auriane Mallo-Breton, one touch away from gold

Auriane Mallo-Breton came close to Olympic glory in the épée final. Beaten 13-12 in the deciding touch in the final by the world number 1, Hong Kong girl Man Wai Vivian Kong, the Frenchwoman, finally inherited the silver. This may not make her forget the cruel outcome of this duel, which she had nevertheless started perfectly by leading seven touches to one, but, at 30 years old, she still signed the best performance of her career.

A medal all the more precious as the Frenchwoman came close to taking the majestic door of the Grand Palais as soon as she entered the competition. Led 13 touches to 10 by the Ukrainian Dzhoan Feybi Bezhura with 35 seconds left in the third and final period, the Frenchwoman made up the deficit before the final touch succeeded.

The Blues of basketball and football on a wire, the handball players overwhelmed

Already not very reassured by a worrying series of preparation matches (four defeats), Vincent Collet’s players had sweaty hands for their entry into the competition against Brazil, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq. The first few minutes, stressful as can be, confirmed this. Fortunately, these Blues can count on an extraterrestrial and an old wolf to put them back on track. With the same number of points (19), and above all a constant defensive intensity, Victor Wembanyama and Nicolas Batum were the guides of the revolt.

A laborious victory that visibly inspired Thierry Henry’s young guard, long mistreated by Guinea as the basketball players had been by the Brazilians a few hours earlier. After a post and two goals disallowed for the Guineans, the Bleuets finally found the opening at the start of the last quarter of an hour by Kiliann Sildillia to win 1-0. 15 final minutes fatal to the reigning Olympic champion handball players. Trailing 26-25 three quarters of the match, the Tricolores sank, conceding an 11-4 to end the match with a loss of eight goals (37-29).

Remco Evenepoel rolls in gold, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz aim for it

Already European champion (2019) and world champion (2023) in the time trial, Remco Evenepoel has confirmed that he is indeed the best time trialist in the world at the moment. Still as impressive in his power and fluidity, the very recent third-place finisher in the last Tour de France has crushed everything in his path, both stopwatch and opponents.

They too have their eyes only on gold and intend to leave no chance to their opponents. Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz have successfully entered the competition in the tennis doubles tournament played at Roland-Garros. A victory in two sets (7-6)[4]6-4) for the duo who hold 15 singles titles against Parisian ochre.