The French Olympic Committee announced Thursday the names of the 14 French athletes candidates to be standard bearers of the French delegation during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26. We find in particular Florent Manaudou (swimming), Charlotte Bonnet (swimming) and Mélina Robert-Michon (athletics).
Fourteen athletes, including Florent Manaudou (swimming), Charlotte Bonnet (swimming), Mélina Robert-Michon (athletics) and Earvin Ngapeth (volleyball), are candidates to be flag bearers for the French delegation during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) announced Thursday. The two standard bearers (one man, one woman), to be chosen from these six men and eight women, will be elected for the first time by an electronic vote of all the athletes making up the delegation spread over July 9 and 10. The result will be revealed on July 12.
Some candidates have not yet validated their ticket for the Olympics
The 14 applications received were all validated, because all “respect the criteria which had been defined”, indicated Thursday David Lappartient, the president of the CNOSF, during a press point. One of the criteria had created a stir, that excluding former flag bearers from this election, a rule criticized by judoka and Olympic champion Clarisse Agbegnenou, flag bearer at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
If there is no huge surprise in the list revealed Thursday, certain candidates have not yet validated their ticket for the Olympics, starting with pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie. Five federations (athletics, boxing, fencing, swimming and sailing) presented two candidates, a man and a woman. Four others only presented one or one (basketball, football, judo and volleyball)
In the event that two athletes from the same federation come first, the one with the most votes will be chosen. For the Paralympics, the delegation will have to choose between four candidates, two men and two women from three federations.
List of candidates for the Olympic delegation
Women: Charlotte Bonnet (swimming), Romane Dicko (judo), Laetitia Guapo (basketball), Camille Lecointre (sailing), Estelle Mossely (boxing), Pauline Ranvier (fencing), Wendie Renard (football) and Mélina Robert-Michon (athletics) )
Men: Jean-Baptiste Bernaz (sailing), Florent Manaudou (swimming), Renaud Lavillenie (athletics), Enzo Lefort (fencing), Earvin Ngapeth (volleyball) and Sofiane Oumiha (boxing)
Candidates for the Paralympic delegation
Women: Nélia Barbosa (para canoe), Nantenin Keïta (para athletics)
Men: David Smetanine (para swimming), Alexis Hanquinquant (para triathlon)
