August 8 marked the end of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. We Sport looks back at the television audiences of the various disciplines in France. A ranking where judo dominates, well in the lead with 18.1 million viewers. Fencing and swimming complete the podium.
Teddy Riner and his judoka teammates can be delighted. Judo is the sport which was the most watched in France during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Which is not a coincidence, since the discipline was put in the spotlight with eight medals obtained. By bringing back two gold, three silver and three bronze medals; France is the second nation in the judo medal ranking just behind Japan. Judo then climbed to first place in the ranking of audiences with 18.1 million viewers to support French judokas.
She did it !!!!! ????????
The French team of #judo wins gold against the great Japanese rival in the final of the mixed team event. ????
A great reward for a united and valiant team. Congratulations to you !! ???? @Judo | @francejudo_ | @TeamFRA | #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/HKg9WrPyEl
– # Tokyo2020 in French (@ Tokyo2020fr) July 31, 2021
The second step of the podium goes to fencing which gathered 10.2 million viewers. In this sport, the French fencers also showed their talent with five medals brought home. As in judo, France finished second in this discipline with two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal. To close the podium of the most viewed sports in France, swimming arrives with 8.8 million viewers. A score that makes it possible to do better than handball at the foot of the podium despite the two gold medals from the French teams (7.7 million). Basketball ranks in the top 5 with the fifth audience (7.5 million).
Football is doing well
Ranked in sixth position, football has gathered 7.1 million viewers by counting the three meetings of the men’s team. A good performance which confirms the popularity of the green rectangle. Despite elimination in the first round, football achieves a better audience than volleyball which, despite a historic Olympic champion title, gathered 4.9 million people over all matches. Volleyball thus closes the top 10. However, early morning matches may have played a role in comparison with other sports.
A smaller audience for horse riding, sailing and rugby sevens
The results of the horseback riding, rugby sevens and sailing hearings are mixed. Sports where the French still showed talent with medals won. In horse riding, the French riders brought back bronze in the team eventing. The horses attracted 3.1 million viewers in France. The girls brilliantly represented our colors in rugby sevens with a silver medal after a final lost to New Zealand. The discipline attracted 2.9 million viewers. The sailing races were not helped by the jet lag but it still brought together 2.8 million people behind the screen. A happiness allowing to admire the performances of Thomas Goyard and Charline Picon with both money around the neck; then not forgetting the bronze medal of Camille Lecointre and Aloïse Retornaz during the women’s 470 race.
???????????? VICE-OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS!
Monstrous throughout the tournament, our Bleues won the first French Olympic medal in rugby 7 ????#AllezLesBleus #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/iEw1hedPVM
– France Team (@EquipeFRA) July 31, 2021
Climbing will have to make its place
In contrast, track cycling is among the least watched sports. Despite the bronze medal of the French men’s team in team speed, the discipline attracted only 1.2 million viewers. The introduction of climbing in the Olympic Games in Tokyo failed to find the interest of the French public with a small audience (428,000 people). A sport put forward by Tony Estanguet qualifying it as “young” and “spectacular”. Enough to embellish it to offer him a second chance in Paris in 2024.
Photo credit: Tokyo 2020
