Since their creation in 1896, the Olympic Games have been the scene of numerous performances by French athletes. Throughout the history of the Games, France has accumulated an impressive total of 759 medals in various disciplines, making it one of the most successful nations on the world Olympic stage.
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French Olympic history is marked by many unforgettable moments, such as the gold medals won by Marie-José Pérec in the athletics events at the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996, or the legendary performances of the men’s handball team, which won gold three times in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Without forgetting the exploits of big names like Teddy Riner in judo, Martin Fourcade in biathlon and Tony Estanguet in canoe-kayak, who added to France’s reputation at the Olympic Games.
This summer, as host country, France wants to shine on its own soil and make Olympic history, just like the opening ceremony. But also by achieving exceptional performances in a multitude of sports. After finishing eighth in the medal standings during the Tokyo Games, with 33 medals, these Olympics are synonymous with revenge for the French, with whom the French will have very high expectations. According to the forecasts of Wladimir Andreef, sports economist, France should obtain between 47 and 48 medals at the Paris 2024 Games. His predictive model, based on historical data and very specific variables, places France between fifth and seventh place on the medal table.
These forecasts contrast with initial expectations, notably those expressed by the former Minister of Sports, Laura Flessel, who envisaged a target of 80 medals. While W. Andreef believes that this objective is far too high. “ It was not based on an objective analysis of the athletes’ performance », reacted the former president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) from 2009 to 2021. Although some members of the government have expressed optimistic hopes, MP Karl Olive also seems to be largely optimistic with nearly 80 medals.
The current Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, is much more cautious. She simply aspires to a ranking in the “ top 5 », in agreement with Wladimir Andreef’s projections. For his part, Emmanuel Macron also wants the French to finish in the top 5 of the medal rankings.
