The year 2024 is close to closing, but the biathletes are starting their season and they have no intention of slowing down. They thus reached six podiums including two victories during the stage in Hochfilzen, in Austria. A podium on which PSG sits in Ligue 1 after its success against Lyon at the end of the 15th day. The headliners of French Rugby also shone in the European Cup and a majority of French clubs won. Bad luck on the other hand for the handball players, fourth in the Euro. Didn’t follow the weekend’s results? Franceinfo: sport summarizes the sports news of recent days.
Biathlon: the French still at the forefront with two victories
The French delegation leaves Hochfilzen with full suitcases. In Austria, there was always a French representative on the podium during the six races of the weekend. Sophie Chauveau and Fabien Claude launched the blue weekend by finishing second and third respectively in the sprint on Friday. On Saturday, Lou Jeanmonnot, perfect in shooting, won the pursuit, an event where Emilien Jacquelin finished second.
On Sunday, the women’s relay, second, then the men’s relay, winner, completed this very good run. The Blues showed very good form on skis, a week before playing at home in Grand Bornand, whose stage will be deprived of relays. Lou Jeanmonnot can aim to take the lead in the general ranking of the World Cup, in the fight with Franziska Preuss and Elvira Oeberg.
Ligue 1: OM and Monaco are stalling, PSG benefits
Beaten sharply by Arsenal in the Champions League, Monaco was not really reassured against Reims. Held in check on the Champenois pitch (0-0), the Monegasques are tied for third with Marseille. Same frustration on the side of the Marseille runner-up, since forced to a draw by another candidate for the podium, Lille. Picked up on the wire at the Vélodrome (1-1), OM missed the opportunity to put pressure on PSG.
A Paris which was therefore able to play more liberated and which quickly made its task easier against Lyon, before winning (3-1) to have a seven-point lead at the top of the championship. Quickly ahead thanks to goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha, the Parisians briefly shook after Georges Mikautadze reduced the score but quickly regained control of the match after the break, concluding with a goal from Gonçalo Ramos in end of meeting. A match marked by a furtive end to the match because of insulting chants in the Parisian stands.
Rugby: Toulouse and UBB solid, La Rochelle in control
As on the first day of the Champions Cup, Stade Toulouse, Union Bordeaux-Bègles and Stade Rochelais were full this weekend. In the closing match, the Toulousains shone and impressed on the Exeter pitch (64-21), just after Toulon’s narrow victory against Glasgow (30-29). The Bordelais won in Ireland against Ulster (40-19), just like the Rochelais, who mastered Bristol (35-7) to move to the top of their group. Friday evening, the Castres overthrew the Irish from Munster (16-14).
Among the disappointments, Racing 92 lost in Salford against Sale Sharks (29-7), Clermont did not create the feat against Leinster (15-7) and Stade français suffered a second defeat consecutive against Saracens (17-28).
Handball: new Euro without medal for the Blues
Second Euro in a row without a medal for the Blues. The French, logically dominated by Denmark in the semi-final on Friday, were unable to find the resources to snatch bronze from Hungary during the small final on Sunday (25-24). For their first competition under the orders of Sébastien Gardillou, former assistant to Olivier Krumbholz, the French women were unable to maintain the momentum of the Paris Olympics, where they had obtained silver.
Yet undefeated in the group stage and during the main round, the Blues were too leaky in defense in the last two matches. They will have to wait to win a second continental title after 2018, but are still very far from the Norwegians, crowned queens of Europe for the 10th time on Sunday against Denmark.
Swimming: an American record at the Worlds in short course, the Blues without a title
The World Short Course Swimming Championships in Budapest will remain as the place where a new star of world swimming emerges. Little known to the general public, Gretchen Walsh won seven gold medals. The 21-year-old American broke 11 world records there.
Without Léon Marchand, who preferred to give up the competition to rest, the French did not win a title. Gretchen Walsh’s performances deprived Béryl Gastaldello of several titles, but the Habs still left with three medals. Maxime Grousset won the silver medal in the 100m butterfly behind Switzerland’s Noé Ponti, while Mewen Tomac took bronze in the 200m backstroke.
