The first selection of French athletes for the European Athletics Championships in Zurich has been made.
Christophe Lemaitre is entered in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m as he hopes to repeat the triple that he achieved in Barcelona four years ago.
His strongest challenger will likely be fellow Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut who leads the 100m European Athletics rankings with 9.95 this year.
It was already a close race between the two at the 2012 European Athletics Championships in Helsinki and Vicaut seems determined as ever to show he has improved since then.
Myriam Soumaré won the 100m for France at the European Athletics Team Championships in Zurich and will aim for podium finishes in both the 100m and 200m as she did in Helsinki with two bronzes.
The French will also be sending an extremely competitive team in the 110m hurdles led by Pascal Martinot-Lagarde who leads Europe this year with 13.05. He’s joined by his brother Thomas, finalist at last year’s World Championships in Moscow and Dimitri Bascou who will be both be targeting a medal in Switzerland.
On the women’s side Cindy Billaud has been confirmed after her impressive demonstration at the French nationals equalling the national record of 12.56.
As expected middle-distance runner Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad will double in the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase. While he’s almost sure to win over the longer distance, he will have little time to recover before attempting to conquer the 1500m, a distance in which he still lacks experience.
Yohann Diniz has enjoyed his greatest racing walking moments at the European Athletics Championships and will once again be favoured for his own succession in the 50km.
The women’s long jump is one of the most anticipated events, with so many title contenders in the field. This year Elyse Lesueur showed she can handle the pressure by winning world indoor gold in Sopot in March. She also sits top of the European leaderboard with 6.92m and will be one of the favourites for Zurich.
Pole vault world record holder, Renaud Lavillenie, will attempt to extend his 2014 unbeaten streak in Zurich. This would be the perfect setting for him to improve the 6.16m record he set in Donetsk in February. Lavillenie will be joined by Kevin Menaldo who could very well be standing beside him on the podium after some strong Diamond League results.
Antoinette Nana Djimou will defend her heptathlon and showed she’s in shape when taking second place with 6212 points at the European Cup Combined Events in Torun.
Another possible gold medallist for France is Pierre-Ambroise Bosse in the 800m. He took the 2011 European junior title in Tallinn and followed that up with Under-23 gold in Tampere in 2013. It seems only natural that he now be crowned at the senior stage, but only time will tell.
In the absence of triple jump world champion, Teddy Tamgho, Yoann Rapinier and Benjamin Compaore are tasked with bringing home medals. They will be up against Lyukman Adams of Russia and Britains Phillips Idowu in what should be a terrific competition.
The French team selection will be completed by the end of the week, the federation having decided to give athletes a few more days to show their worth.