Seven athletes from Vaucluse were competing in different competitions during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Three of them won silver and bronze. The Department, which had launched the operation ”Le Vaucluse takes on the games”, honored them on the 12th October as well as all the people who directly or indirectly participated in this fantastic momentum.
What do Michaël Guigou (triple Olympic champion with the French handball team and torch bearer), Sylvain André (vice-champion at the Olympic Games) have in common? 2024 in BMX Racing), the judges or referees and the volunteers who worked hard to ensure that the passage of the flame in Vaucluse was a success? Their unfailing commitment which made the department shine during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Vauclusians (around twenty in total) including Dominique Santoni, head of the departmental executive – accompanied for the occasion by Christelle Jablonski-Castanier, president of the sports commission – wanted to give a tip of the hat by bringing them together at the Hôtel de Sade in Avignon for an informal reception complete with a medal presentation.
« This department is beautiful and you are a collective pride», Launched Dominique Santoni as a welcome. Before adding: “ This pride of ours is also to see that in the table of 64 medals won by France, there are three which have the taste of Vaucluse ».
You should know that before Paris 2024, in the Olympic Games rankings, Vaucluse ranked 37eamong the French departments with 12 medals won since the creation of the Olympic Games in 1896. After Paris 2024,the department therefore has three more, hanging around the neck of the Orangeman Joris Chautard (silver) who played the final with the French football team against Spain; of Sylvain André (silver)born and licensed in Cavaillon, and Romain Mahieu (bronze)registered with the Sarrians club, who finished second and third respectively in the BMX Racing event.
The first was absent, the other two present, which gave everyone the opportunity to remember images supporting this evening of Friday 2 August, the BMX final and its 100 podium % tricolor, two-thirds composed of Vauclusians.
« VSeeing all these forces united for one and the same goal, it’s really the France we love and it’s good to see that everyone played the game», rejoiced Dominique Santoni. Allusion to the operation “Vaucluse is playing games” launched on the 23rd June 2023 : 478 days of popular fervor during which Vauclusiens vibrated to the rhythm of the performances of French athletes.
« Today it ends, but it’s also the beginning of something,we have a duty to support young people towards sport which exudes so many positive values and which unites people », declared for his part Michaël Guigou, sponsor of the operation.
