Strokes and disappointments this Friday in Tokyo, here is the recap of the day and what to watch for this Saturday.
Perfs of the day
Handball. The French women’s handball team won in the semi-final of the Games against Sweden and will face Russia in the final this Sunday, revenge for the Rio Games where the Russians won 22-19. At the end of the suspense this Friday at the Yoyogi stadium, the “Battantes” overcame the Swedes 29 to 27 to offer themselves a second consecutive Olympic final. They join their male counterparts, who will also compete for gold this weekend. Just like the French basketball players and volleyball players, also qualified for an Olympic final. Read the story of our special correspondent in Tokyo.
Athletics. Third in the 400m, Allyson Felix won her tenth Olympic medal, an unprecedented performance for a female athlete who makes her the equal of Carl Lewis, perhaps better before. The American is playing her fifth Games in Japan. Her performance of the day invites her into a world of her own. The most medalist athlete in athletics history at the Olympic Games, she will be 36 in November. The story of our athletics specialist in Tokyo.
Sensation also on the relay 4 x 100 meters, which won the Italians. Titled last Sunday over 100 meters, Lamont Marcell Jacobs signed the double. Great Britain and Canada complete the podium.
Disappointments
Basket. Surpassed in all areas of the game, the Blue were outclassed by insolent Japanese success. All that was needed was to ensure that the festivities of sport co indoor are complete. It will not be. The Blue basketball players broke the mood a bit, crashing down with a crash in the semifinals against Japan. And the disillusion could leave some aftereffects, as the players of Valérie Garnier seemed to lack everything, everywhere. The French will play again on Saturday against Serbia, European champions, for a bronze medal. Read the story of our special correspondent in Tokyo.
Athletics. “It was the Olympiad too many.” In Sapporo, the French Yohann Diniz was forced to retire at the 29th kilometer. This last version of the 50 km walk before transformation in Paris, in 2024, was won by the Pole Dawid Tomala. “I couldn’t say stop in time, I struggled. It’s a shame, but it’s part of my character ”, said the 43-year-old Rémois. Read our article.
Disappointment also for the Dutch Sifan Hassan, who chased an incredible hat-trick 1,500-5,000-10,000m. She had raised Monday the first part of her bet. On Wednesday, she took only third place in the 1,500 meters. The Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, defending champion, won, Olympic record in the key. Briton Laura Muir takes second place.
Program: in Tokyo, it’s already tomorrow
You will have to get up early (or not go to bed) so as not to miss the clash between France and the United States in the final of the basketball tournament. Kick-off at 4:30 a.m. The meeting could be historic: the Blues have never won Olympic gold. “In the life of an athlete, the Olympics are something special. And playing a France-United States in the Olympic final is a childhood dream ”, declared Vincent Collet, the coach of the France team after the incredible victory of the Blues in the semi-final against Slovenia on Thursday. Read our presentation of the match.
Then, choices will have to be made: the handball team will play gold against Denmark from 2 p.m. (French time), the volleyball players will start their final against Russia at 2.15 p.m.
Between the two, the French basketball players will try to snatch the bronze against Serbia (9 hours).
On the Olympic stadium, the women’s 4 x 400 relay could allow Allyson Felix to go for an eleventh Olympic medal.
The sides
Freedom of press. The Chinese attacks on the Western press and the obstacles to the work of journalists are reinforced by the treatment of the Olympic Games or the recent floods in China. Read our article.
Road-trip. Anne Hidalgo reaffirmed her wish for “Popular Games” in Paris in 2024 and announced that the Olympic banner, which she will collect on Sunday at the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Games, will soon begin a great stroll across the country. The project of the socialist mayor of Paris responds to Emmanuel Macron, who made his wish public of a “truly unique and revolutionary” opening ceremony “on the Seine”, for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our article.
Sanctions. The International Olympic Committee withdrew their accreditations from two Belarusian coaches, sanctioning their role in the Krystsina Tsimanouskaya affair, this athlete threatened with being forcibly repatriated after having criticized the sports authorities of her country. The Belarusian Olympic Committee for its part announced that it will continue to “Protect the interests of all athletes and coaches against all forms of discrimination”. The Belarusian Olympic organization is chaired by the son of Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian leader in power since 1994. Our article.
Medal table
Day without medals for the French delegation. But with the qualification of the handball players for the final, it is a guaranteed medal this Sunday. Three more medals will fall on Saturday, maybe four. Gold or silver for the men’s basketball, volleyball and handball teams, bronze perhaps for the basketball players. For now, France remains stuck at 27 medals, and goes down from 8th to 10th place in the table.
Seven in gold (the karateka Steven Da Costa, the shooter Jean Quicampoix, the French men’s foil team, and the swordsman Romain Cannone in fencing, the mixed team and Clarisse Agbégnénou in judo and the duo Matthieu Androdias-Hugo Boucheron rowing). Eleven en argent (Kevin Mayer in the decathlon, swimmer Florent Manaudou, judokas Amandine Buchard, Sarah-Léonie Cysique and Madeleine Malonga, windsurfers Charline Picon and Thomas Goyard, the French women’s foil team and the French women’s team saber in fencing, the French rugby sevens team and rowers Laura Tarantola and Claire Bové). New in bronze (the sailors Camille Lecointre and Aloïse Retornaz in sailing, the team sprint riders, the eventing riders, the judokas Teddy Riner, Romane Dicko and Luka Mkheidze, the mixed triathlon team, the taekwondoist Althéa Laurin , fencer Manon Brunet).
Chronicle “in the Olympic bubble”
In Tokyo for the Games, our special correspondent Romain Métairie tells the story of adventure within adventure. On the twentieth day, he is now one of the veterans there but is still trapped during the saliva test.
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