Valladont named France’s flagbearer for 2023 European Games
Recurve archer Jean-Charles Valladont has been appointed a flagbearer of the French squad for the opening ceremony of the Krakow-Malopolska 2023 European Games on 21 June, alongside 3x3 basketball player Marie Mané.
Italy’s Mauro Nespoli, the reigning individual champion, will also carry his nation’s flag – with judoka Odette Giuffrida, a two-time Olympic medallist.
Valladont will appear at his third European Games in three editions of the event next week. Before the start of the archery competition, he’ll represent the entire French multisport team.
“I was surprised and at the same time so proud when I was asked to take on the role of flagbearer,” he said. “It’s a reward for my achievements, a personal satisfaction that cheers up the heart and boosts energy for this competition.”
With Pierre Plihon and Lucas Daniel, the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist finished fourth in the team event at Baku 2015, before winning gold alongside Plihon and Thomas Chirault four years later in Minsk.
Valladont is the first French archer to carry the country’s flag at a multisport event since former Olympic Champion Seb Flute at the 1993 Mediterranean Games.
“It’s a great honour to represent not just the French archery team, but the French team as a whole,” he added. “With my co-flagbearer, our role will be to lead the French delegation behind us, with us and ahead of us.”
The continental games are something of a dress rehearsal for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in just over a year’s time.
“We’re here to go as far as we can with this team in a major event a year away from our home Olympics,” Valladont concluded.
The European Games are a continental multisport event held every four years. The third edition takes place from 21 June to 2 July 2023 in the historic region of Malopolska, also known as Little Poland, and in Krakow, the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in the country.
The archery competition at the Games will start on Friday 23 June and run until Thursday 29 June.
