Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos and the French gymnastics team are meeting this weekend in Bercy for the French Open, a full-scale warm-up before the World Championships in two weeks. “It is above all a competition allowing gymnasts and staff to prepare for the World Championships,” explains Martine George, responsible for the Olympic preparation of the women’s team. The Worlds are all the more important as they will mark the main qualifying stage for the 2024 Olympics. “The objective is to work on stability and quality of work,” she continues.
Before measuring themselves against the global elite in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world, the Blues hope to shine on Saturday and Sunday in front of the public at the Accor Arena, the hall which will host the gymnastics events of the Olympic Games in ten months . Disappointed by her performance last year in Paris where she was only able to take sixth place in the balance beam final for her return to competition, the leader of the Blues Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos is present this year in the capital French confidence boosted by convincing performances in the United States.
For her first all-around competition in ten months, the Frenchwoman, who had knee surgery at the end of last year, was indeed reassured by obtaining a total of 56.20 points during the US Classic. In this prestigious competition, she was only beaten by the American star Simone Biles who thus marked her comeback. For the Paris competition, the Martinican based in the United States will be entered on the uneven bars, beam and floor. The qualifications will take place on Saturday and the ten individual finals will take place on Sunday and will reward the best gymnasts on each apparatus.
During the 2022 edition, Marine Boyer won on the beam, while Benjamin Osberger (floor) and Coline Devillard (vault) won a bronze medal. They will be present again this year to defend their chances, just like Samir Aït Saïd, back in business after a long biceps injury. On the international side, in the absence of the American gymnasts, the Brazilian Rebeca Andrade is the headliner. Olympic champion on vault in 2021, she finished second last year on the uneven bars and will aim for a new podium this year.
