One more medal in the French purse at the European Championships in Munich (Germany). The Lebrun brothers brought a second charm, Thursday, August 18, to the French table tennis team, in the men’s doubles. A remarkable performance for their first major international senior competition. Disappointment on the other hand in climbing, where after the raid carried out at the beginning of the week, the French failed to climb on the podium.
Table tennis: a convincing first for the Lebrun brothers
A first international competition at 15 and 18, and already a medal. Associated in doubles, Alexis Lebrun and his little brother Felix won bronze in the Bavarian capital after reaching the last four. Opposed to an experienced Austrian pair, the two table tennis players lost three sets to one, failing to reach the final.
This is the second medal for the French table tennis team in these European Championships, after the gold gleaned in mixed doubles by Emmanuel Lebesson and Jianan Yuan. In singles, the two brothers will play the round of 16 on Friday. If they win, they will meet in the round of 16.
Athletics: disillusionment for Quentin Bigot, diminished by back pain
The rain dashed the hopes of hammer thrower Quentin Bigot. The Frenchman couldn’t give the full measure of his power due to back pain. The 29-year-old pitcher has indeed blocked his back on his first throw. Despite increasing trials at the end of the competition, the Messin remained very far from his standards with a throw of 77.48 m (his record is 80.55 m). Quentin Bigot ranked 7th in a competition won by the reigning Olympic champion, the Polish Wojciech Nowicki, thanks to a throw of 82 m.
Fifth in the Tokyo Olympics and fourth in the Worlds in Eugene, the Habs could legitimately eye the podium despite fierce competition (the first five in Eugene were European). During this very humid Munich evening, rather bleak for the Blues, the good performance is to the credit of Shana Grebo. The 22-year-old Rennaise qualified for the 200m final (23”13), scheduled for Friday August 19.
Climbing: disappointment for Mejdi Schalck and Sam Dovesou on the combined
However, they had started their final well. French climbers Sam Havesou and Mejdi Schalck finished respectively in 6th and 7th place in the combined, an event combining bouldering and difficulty which will be on the program of the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. At the end of the bouldering,avezou and Schalck, with 80, 6 and 80.5 points (out of 100 possible), were in 2nd and 3rd position, thus hot on the heels of Czech star Adam Ondra (80.7).
But the two Tricolores did not confirm on the difficulty test, scoring only 15.1 points for Mejdi Schalck and 40.1 for Sam Havesou, far behind the 95.1 scored by the winner, the Austrian Jakob Schubert. Adam Ondra and the Olympic champion, the Spaniard Alberto Gines Lopez, complete the podium.
Gymnastics: a team final and three by apparatus for the Blues
After the three bronze medals won by the French women (on the beam, on the uneven bars and on the jump), the Blues in turn had an appointment on the floor on Thursday. Authors of a clean qualifying competition, the French finished in fifth place in teams, synonymous with the final (Saturday).
Individually, three tricolor gymnasts have validated their ticket for the apparatus finals, which are held on Sunday: Paul Degouy on high bar (8th), Benjamin Osberger on pommel horse (5th), and Léo Saladino on vault (6th) .