The French experienced more disappointment than joy on Tuesday, and are heading into a day without a title for the first time since the start of the Games, remaining stuck at 11, the performance of Tokyo.
France won four medals, two silver and two bronze, while still waiting for the end of fencing. Despite this stagnation, it remains in fifth place in the medal table.
. Athletics: Kouakou cracks at the end
Charles-Antoine Kouakou, the first French athlete in adapted sports to become a Paralympic champion, failed to retain his title in Tokyo. The Frenchman started strong in the 400m, but cracked towards the end and finished last.
Already in the morning, the jumper Arnaud Assoumani, one of the most famous French athletes involved with his black, futuristic-looking prosthesis on his left forearm, had only finished fifth in the T47 long jump category.
French flag bearer Nantenin Keita did not pass the 100m T13 heats for her entry into the Games, even though she is mainly aiming for a medal in the 400m, the heats of which will be contested on Thursday evening.
. Medals but no gold in swimming
The French swimming team lived up to expectations, but failed to claim the title. Third despite being the reigning double world champion in the 50m butterfly S6, Laurent Chardard was satisfied.
“It’s third place, but it doesn’t matter, I feel like I have a gold medal because it’s my first medal. I’ll never forget it,” he savoured in front of the press.
Alex Portal brought home a fourth medal, his third silver, in these Games, but again fell behind Belarusian Ihar Boki who finished the competition with five titles in five races, bringing his total to 21.
Ugo Didier’s fantastic comeback in the 100m breaststroke S9 was not enough to give him a second gold, he left with silver.
. Frustrations in table tennis
French table tennis had a frustrating day. It had started well: French para-table tennis player Fabien Lamirault, already bronzed in doubles, ensured to give a second medal to France after qualifying on Tuesday for the semi-finals in singles MS2, where athletes are in wheelchairs.
But the rest was not of the same ilk: as in Tokyo, where he finished in silver, Matéo Bohéas first gave way to the Pole Patryk Chojnowski and only collected the bronze of the unfortunate semi-finalists.
The quarter-finals were fatal for many players, such as Alexandra Saint-Pierre in five sets or Léa Ferney. Even Thu Kamkasomphou, medallist in every edition since 2000, will not continue her series and was beaten at this stage of the competition.
. Delay at the Grand Palais fencing
For the first day of wheelchair fencing competition in the legendary Grand Palais, it was necessary above all to be patient. The program was several hours late.
The French were not particularly lucky in the sabre, since all of them fell quite early in the table. Having been dropped back into the repechage, only Brianna Vidée can still hope for a bronze medal.
They will have a chance to make up for it on Wednesday after the foil events, with some competing in both weapons. But all eyes will be on Italian star “Bebe” Vio, who was one of the final torchbearers at the opening ceremony.
fs/zub
