The French archery teams compete, this Saturday for men and Sunday for women, the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament (TQO) by teams, in Charléty. They can count on their leaders, Jean-Charles Valladont and Lisa Barbelin.
This is the last chance tournament for French archers. Yes Lisa Barbelin and Jean-Charles Valladont have their ticket to Tokyo since the individual qualifying tournament in Antalya (Turkey), on June 4, they still have to take the French teams with them. On Saturday for the men and Sunday for the women, they will have to finish on the podium of the world team TQO.
The arena of the difficult battle ahead: the Charléty stadium, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, whose lawn has been studded with targets for a few days, to host this TQO followed by a World Cup stage (22 to 27 June).
In order to respect a period of isolation upon return from Turkey, and switch to team mode, the archers spent nearly two weeks in Sologne. From where they come back pumped up.
Valladont, Chirault, Plihon: a trio of experience
Everyone knows that these three wouldn’t go on vacation together. But when Jean-Charles Valladont the wise, Thomas Chirault the silent, and Pierre Plihon the “All crazy”, as he defines himself, get on a firing point, they can overthrow the whole world. Since their first association, in 2017, they have notably beaten the Koreans in the World Cup (in the final in Berlin), won a world silver medal (2017) and won the European Games (2019). The same year, they fail, for an arrow, in 9th place at the Worlds. The first eight qualified for the Games …
These last few days they have been practicing shooting together. A good way for Thomas Chirault, 23, to put aside his disappointment in Antalya: first to win his quarter-final, synonymous with Olympic qualification, he had failed in the semi-final and saw Jean-Charles Valladont, finalist, take the quota (only one per country). “I was a little frustrated, because there was no direct confrontation between the two of us, regrets young Picard. But I didn’t hold it against Jean-Charles, and today we’re boosted. “
For Pierre Plihon, 31, competing in teams is a real pleasure. “Something emerges, the fact of sharing, it transcends me, explains Plihon. It’s a team that is doing well, and I’m having a blast. “ And Jean-Charles Valladont, 32, vice-Olympic champion in 2016, does not forget that he owes his ticket to Rio to a team qualification (which allocates three individual places). “And that’s one more chance to come back with a medal”, he remarks, pragmatically.
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Their challenge: to come out in the top three among twenty serious contenders and a few big guns (Germany, Russia, Ukraine, United States …).
Barbelin, Gaubil, Cohendet: a group that is discovering itself
Lisa Barbelin describes her team as “A very compact ball”. The group she forms with Mélanie Gaubil, 23, and Angeline Cohendet, 29, did not exist a few months ago, however, before a qualifying tournament between French archers. The internship in Sologne allowed them to get to know each other better, even though the first two coexisted at INSEP, while Angeline Cohendet lives in the Lyon region, where she works.
Their luck: the explosion of Lisa Barbelin, 21, at European level this season. Just senior, she won a Grand Prix in Porec (Croatia), reached the final in Antalya (Turkey), then won the individual TQO, and the European title two days later. It is now world number 1.
“She has a contagious enthusiasm, which reflects on the entire France team, appreciates Anne Reculet, captain of the French teams. In addition, she is a warrior on the ground. “ In Charléty, Barbelin’s clear mission is to pull his team up, in a table where the French are far from favorite.
