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France names 12-strong pre-Olympic squad for home Games in 2024

2 September 2023

Paris, France

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France has selected 12 archers to its Olympic training squad, from an initial 43 contenders, after a week of trials in Compiègne.

Baptiste Addis, Romain Fichet, Jean-Charles Valladont, Nicolas Bernardi, Thomas Chirault, Pierre Plihon, Lisa Barbelin, Amélie Cordeau, Audrey Adiceom, Caroline Lopez, Anaël Coupard and Victoria Sebastian comprise the line-up.

The squad will train at France’s national performance centre – INSEP – over the winter.

A further four will be eliminated in January 2024, leaving eight – four men and four women – to compete in the next international season. The final six-athlete team for the 2024 Olympics will be selected just ahead of the Games.

“I wanted to win this selection, I didn’t just want to be in the six, and that’s what I did,” said former European Champion Barbelin, who beat the national 72-arrow qualifying record by one point with 676 during the trials.

“It was great to finally manage to beat the French record that I had been trying to beat for a long time.”

Après 7 jours de bataille à Compiègne, c'est la fin de cette première épreuve de sélection Olympique ! 🇫🇷

Retrouvez les 12 archers sélectionnés 👀#FFTA #FFTiralArc #AvecLesBleusàParis pic.twitter.com/AH9uPraXnc
— Fédération Française de Tir à l'Arc (@FFTiralArc) September 1, 2023

The field of archers was cut to just eight in each gender after four days – and eight 72-arrow 70-metre rounds – of competition. Those remaining shot three further days, which included simulated matchplay.

Over the week of trials, the recurve men were led by 16-year Baptiste Addis.

“I maintained a consistency over the first four days, with four rounds of more than 680 points, of which I am really proud,” he told journalists from the French federation.

“In the end, I was reaching my mental and physical limit but I still gave everything. I can’t wait to work all winter long. This first step is over, but the goal is to now be in the world’s top, get medals and climb the rankings.”

Addis was individual bronze and team gold medallist with France’s under-18 team at the recent World Archery Youth Championships in Limerick.

The large French clubs of Nîmes and Riom both provide four archers to the squad, with two coming from Rennes.