18th June 2013 07:56
The announcement of the French squad for the European Athletics Team Championships in Gateshead on Saturday and Sunday shows not only their intention to bid for the title, but also how strong the men's side of the sport is in the country.
Fifth in Stockholm when the event was last staged in 2011, with 286 points as Russia won with 374, France could be challenging for the trophy if the rest of the team supplement the possible six individual winners - let alone the 4x100m relay - that the men could have.
Times and distances are not always the measure of who can deliver in a Championship but the French team have men who can do both.
Christophe Lemaitre, the double European 100m champion who leads the European Athletics 200m rankings this summer with 20.17, won both the 100m and 200m in Stockholm. He will run the longer of the sprints with Jimmy Vicaut, top of the 2013 lists with 10.02 in the 100m, given the nod in that event.
Pierre-ambroise Bosse is Europe's leading man over the 800m with 1:43.91 while their strength in the 3000m steeplechase is immense.
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is the fastest in Europe with 8:06.60 but he is away training in Font-Romeu. Named in the team is Yoann Kowal, who is not only second in the rankings with 8:12.53 but is more than 10 seconds ahead of the next man, Abdelaziz Merzoighi, of Spain, with 8:22.68.
Renaud Lavillenie has pole vaulted 5.95m this summer and the Olympic and European champion - indoors and out – will be seeking another victory in an event where Bjorn Otto, of Germany, who was second behind him in Helsinki, London and Göteborg, will be a threat again.
But the timing of Teddy Tamgho's improvement has seen him leap to the top of the triple jump rankings with 17.30m and it looks like he is only going to improve.
Bouabdellah Tahri, a silver and bronze medallist at the European Athletics Championships in the 3000m steeplechase, has been suffering with an ankle injury. He is selected, though, to run in the 3000m and 5000m, but Florian Carvalho is named in the squad just in case his injury bites back.
In the women's team, it will be a busy weekend for Myriam Soumare who runs in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay.
Eloyse Lesueur's 6.78m should stand her in good stead in the long jump and Alice Decaux, third in Europe in 12.85, will go close in the 100m hurdles.
FRENCH TEAM
Men
100m - Jimmy Vicaut; 200m - Christophe Lemaitre; 400m - Marc Macedot; 800m - Pierre-ambroise Bosse; 1500m - Simon Denissel;
3000m/5000m - Bouabdellah Tahri; 110mh - Pascal Martinot-Lagarde; 400mh - Mickael Francois; 3000m s/c - Yoann Kowal; High Jump - Mickael Hanany; Pole vault - Renaud Lavillenie; Long Jump – Nicolas Gomont; Triple jump – Teddy Tamgho; Shot put – Tumatai Dauphin; Discus – Lolasson Djouhan; Hammer – Quenton Bigot; Javelin – Killian Durechou; 4x100m relay – Emmanuel Biron, Jeffrey John, Lemaitre, Arnaud Remy, Vicaut; 4x400m relay – Mame-ibra Anne, Angel Chelala, Toumany Coulibaly, Yoann Decimus, Macedot.
Replacement: Florian Carvalho.
Women
100m/200m – Myriam Soumare; 400m – Marie Gayot; 800m – Clarisse Moh; 1500m – Laurane Picoche; 3000m – Christine Bardelle; 5000m – Sophie Duarte; 100mh – Alice Decaux; 400mh – Phara Anacharsis; 3000m s/c – Claire Perraux; High jump – Melanie Melfort; Pole vault – Marion Lotout; Long jump – Eloyse Lesueur; Triple jump – Teresa Nzola Meso Ba; Shot put – Jessica Cerival; Discus – Melina Robert-Michon; Hammer – Alexandra Tavernier; Javelin – Sephora Bissoly; 4x100m relay – Stella Akakpo, Celine Distel-Bonnet, Jennifer Galais, Carima Louami, Soumare;
4x400m relay – Anarcharsis, Gayot, Floria Guei, Lenora Guion Firmin, Estelle Perrossier.