France names compound squad for start of outdoor season

France has announced that five compound archers will attend the first stage of the 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Shanghai next month.

Trials in Dijon attracted 18 archers last weekend – but the line-up is familiar.

Compound men Adrien Gontier, Jean-Philippe Boulch, Nicolas Girard and Victor Bouleau all represented France in 2023, while lone woman Sophie Dodemont will accrue her seventh international season in the bowstyle. (The former Olympic medallist was previously a recurver.)

“I’m delighted to be wearing the French team jersey again,” said the indefatigable 50-year-old.

“There was a big disappointment in missing out on the quotas for the European Indoor Championships, so after Nimes, I trained outdoors practically every day, even twice a day.”

Bouleau, the youngest and least capped of the four men, set a personal best for the  72-arrow 50-metre qualifying round with 710 points on the second day to retain fourth place and his spot for Shanghai.

“I’m very happy with this selection,” said the 19-year-old. “[This] is the result of the intensive work I’ve put in over the last few weeks. Now I hope and will do everything to confirm this level of shooting at the World Cup.”

The compound men’s team fell 10 places – from the top – in the Sanlida World Archery Rankings during a lacklustre season in 2023, and will certainly look to make a fast start to this year’s campaign in China.

The French recurve squad for this Olympic season was announced in January.

French compound squad for Shanghai 2024

• Compound men: Jean-Philippe Boulch, Victor Bouleau, Nicolas Girard and Adrien Gontier.
• Compound women: Sophie Dodemont.
• Compound under-21 men: François Dubois.
• Compound under-21 women: Alyssia Chambraud, Lea Girault and Chloe Leroy.