The fiasco of the boys, who will miss the Olympics, is almost forgotten. Less than ten months before the Olympic Games which they will compete at home, French gymnasts won an unexpected bronze medal in the team competition on Wednesday at the World Championships in Antwerp.
Thanks to a flawless performance, Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos, Coline Devillard, Marine Boyer, Morgane Osyssek and Lorette Charpy collected a score of 164.064 points and gave France its first world team medal since 1950, the second in its history .
The United States of Simone Biles were crowned (167,729 pts) ahead of the Brazilians (165,530 pts). When the result was announced, the French women exploded with joy, jumping onto the competition stage with the tricolor flag, before climbing onto the podium a little hesitantly. “Since we’re not used to it, we missed our entrance! », laughed Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos.
The four-time European champion won the first world medal of her career at the age of 23: “Finally,” she smiled. Released after securing the team’s ticket to the Games next year, the Martinican who trains in the United States alongside Simone Biles shone on all the apparatus, bringing in 56.50 points alone. team.
“Relaxing”
Only eighth last year at the World Championships in Liverpool, the French, who were far from being favorites, showed a radically different face this year, producing a high-level competition.
“We all did the best we could on each pass and it worked! », rejoiced Morgane Osyssek.
“This is the first time that we have approached a world team final without expectations,” added Coline Devillard. “Before, we knew we could do something, but we had to have the perfect match. There, we expected nothing, we qualified for the Games, it was the pinnacle. We arrived relaxed, we did what we had to do. »
Third before the last apparatus, the French had to conclude their evening on the beam, the apparatus most prone to penalties, which could have raised fears of a demotion in the ranking. But they ensured an impeccable rotation which opened the way to the podium.
“I just wanted to pass my beam, I couldn’t finish with a failed trick. First for me, because I had failed a little on my balance beam in qualifying, and then, I knew that by succeeding, I brought a good mark,” explained Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos. It needed 13,100 to pass China. And without trembling, she obtained 14,000.
The French were the only ones not to suffer any falls during the final: “That’s class! », reacted Lorette Charpy.
Three of them will still have chances of individual medals during the week, Mélanie “DJDS” participating in the all-around final, Coline Devillard in the vault final and Lorette Charpy in the uneven bars final.
Biles offers himself a 20th title
The victory of the Americans also offers Simone Biles, back at the high level after two years of absence, her 26th world medal and her 20th title, a new record, and the reign of the United States over the women’s team competition, which has been going on since 2011, still continuing.
“It’s crazy, we succeeded, I’m really proud of the team,” said Biles. “This is the seventh title in a row for the United States. For some girls, this is their first World Championship, I am very happy to share this with them. »
The Americans resisted the comeback of the Brazilians, who won the first team medal in their history. The reigning all-around world champion Rebeca Andrade was impressive, notably delivering a classy performance on floor, nothing surprising for the charismatic Brazilian.
Simone Biles is making her return to the international level in Antwerp, two years after the grueling Tokyo Olympics marked by the episode of “twisties”, these brutal losses of all reference in space. In Antwerp, however, she gives the impression of having never stopped and seems to be getting back on track with her career as if nothing had happened.