TOP FIVE. People look at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, which will host Beach Volleyball during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Blind Football during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, in Paris, France on June 25, 2024. As host nation, France is looking for a top-five finish in the medal tally. (Xinhua)
PARIS – A top-five finish in the medal table. The ambitious target announced by President Emmanuel Macron for France's delegation at the 2024 Paris Olympics appears within reach due to the host nation's advantage and its recent investment in elite athlete development.
Historically, France, one of the birthplaces of the modern Olympic movement, saw its best Olympic performances over a century ago.
In 1900, when Paris hosted the Olympics for the first time, France topped the medal table. In 1924, when Paris hosted again, France finished third. Since then, apart from a third-place finish at the 1948 Games, France has not broken into the top five.
With the Olympics returning to Paris 100 years later, French athletes hope to use this opportunity to reclaim a higher position in the medal standings.
Past Olympic statistics show that host nations often see a significant boost in their medal counts.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China's medal tally increased by over 50 percent compared to previous Games. At the 2012 London Olympics, Britain's total medals grew by nearly 40 percent. And at the most recent Tokyo Olympics, Japan's medal count increased by over 40 percent. Even Brazil, with a smaller improvement, saw more than a 10 percent increase in total medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"Our goal, set in coordination with the sports minister, is to be in the top five in the medal table," a French Olympic Committee representative told Xinhua. "In the last Olympics, we won only 10 gold and 33 medals in total. In Paris, we must leverage the home advantage to achieve the best results for the French delegation in recent years."
France's ambitions are far from mere rhetoric, as they have taken action to increase their medal count.
In 2019, the country established the National Sports Agency (ANS) outside the government sports department and the French Olympic Committee. The primary goal of this agency is to integrate resources from the government, the Olympic Committee, various sports federations and different sectors of society to enhance support for elite French athletes in terms of logistics and funding.
Furthermore, France's National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP), which oversees the training and preparation of multiple French national teams, has received unprecedented funding in recent Olympic cycles.
In addition to increasing the income levels of elite athletes to allow them to focus solely on their training, several French national teams have hired a significant number of high-quality overseas coaches and improved training facilities. The aim is to provide these medal hopefuls with world-class coaching and the best possible training conditions.
"Winning 20 gold medals is a very achievable goal. With a bit of luck, we might even exceed that target," said French Olympic Committee President David Lappartient in a recent interview with French media.
According to estimates by the French Olympic Committee, the French delegation is expected to send between 550 and 600 athletes to the Paris Games.
Traditional strongholds such as judo, fencing and sailing will remain key areas for France. The French judo team, led by Olympic champions Teddy Riner and Clarisse Agbegnenou, is particularly strong, with French media predicting they could win five to ten medals.
In fencing, Tokyo Olympic men's epee champion Romain Cannone remains a top contender, while the women's sabre team, led by world number one Manon Brunet, is another key medal hope. The fencing team is expected to win five to nine medals.
In swimming, Leon Marchand has shone at the past two World Championships, and at 22, he is a strong contender for gold in the 200m and 400m individual medleys. Notably, Marchand's coach is the legendary Bob Bowman, who once coached Michael Phelps.
In team sports, France's medal hopes are even broader. Beyond the well-known football team, the men's basketball team, led by NBA top draft pick Victor Wembanyama, has the potential to win at least a bronze medal. The men's volleyball team, defending Olympic champion, also remains a strong medal contender despite recent inconsistent performances.
Additionally, the women's 3x3 basketball team and both the men's and women's handball teams have podium potential.
Newly-introduced Olympic sports like climbing and breakdancing also offer medal prospects for French climbers Oriane Bertone and Mickaël Mawem, as well as B-boy Dany Dann and B-Girl Syssy.
"Competing in the Olympics in your own country, in front of your family, is an incredible honor. I believe this honor will inspire our athletes to achieve better results. We will also organize a large French cheering squad to ensure the athletes feel the support of their home crowd," said the French Olympic Committee representative.(Xinhua)
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