Lisa Barbelin, Audrey Adiceom, Melanie Gaubil, Pierre Plihon, Thomas Chirault and Jean-Charles Valladont have been named to the French recurve team for the upcoming season.
Under new head coach Oh Seon Tek, the squad will represent France at the European Championships in Munich in early June and at the first three stages of the Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya (Turkey), Gwangju (Korea) and Paris (France).
A week of trials held near Tours concluded at the weekend.
Four of the six archers that were selected also competed at last summer’s Olympic Games, including all three men.
Valladont is the most decorated of the group, having won the silver medal at Rio 2016, while Barbelin is quickly becoming one of the world‘s best recurve women.
The current world number four rose to prominence last season when she won the European Championships and continental qualifier for the Olympic Games last June in Antalya.
“I’m really proud of my hard work,” she said after securing her ticket to her debut Games. “It’s a dream come true.”
She built on those impressive results by making the last 16 in Tokyo – and has since secured the European indoor title, too. Still just 21 years old, Lisa’s career is heading in the right trajectory for the spotlight at her home Olympics in two years.
Barbelin and Adiceom shoot for the club of Riom, while Gaubil, Plihon and Valladont all represent Nimes. Chirault is from Clermont.
A second team, which includes reigning youth world champion Caroline Lopez, and Paralympian and para world number one Guillaume Toucoullet was selected to compete at a number of world ranking events during the season.
The international season begins on 18-24 April with the first stage of the 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey.
French recurve team for 2022
As of the results of trials on 27 March 2022.
Men
- Pierre Plihon
- Thomas Chirault
- Jean-Charles Valladont
Squad: Baaptiste Addis, Nicolas Bernardi, Romain Fichet, Clément Jacquey and Guillaume Toucoullet.
Women
- Audrey Adiceom
- Melanie Gaubil
- Lisa Barbelin
Squad: Anaëlle Florent, Caroline Lopez, Aziliz Ramel, Mélodie Richard and Lauréna Villard.
