Paris 2024 Olympics: discus thrower Melina Robert-Michon to be flag bearer

She played her first Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000. And at her seventh Olympic Games in Paris this summer, Melina Robert-Michon dreams of becoming the flag bearer of the French delegation.

The discus thrower, vice-champion of the Rio Olympics in 2016, officially announced her candidacy on Wednesday during the “Blue Evening” organized by the National Olympic and Sports Committee of France (CNOSF) at the Vuitton workshops (owned by LVMH, a partner of the 2024 Olympic Games). . Olympic Games, and also the owner of Parisien-Aujourd’hui in France) in Asnières-sur-Seine (Hautes-de-Seine).

“Obviously it resonated with me, it’s something that’s close to my heart,” said the woman, who will celebrate her 45th birthday this summer, according to comments from RMC Sport. The Olympic Games mean a lot to me and have guided me for over 20 years of my life. They should choose me if my career inspires them, if they like my personality. I am who I am. Everyone has their own understanding of the role of the standard bearer. It should fit their idea. I would be very proud to represent them and take them all with me to these Olympic Games to make them a great success. »

The discus thrower, a finalist at her tenth career world championships in Budapest in August, has already expressed interest in the role ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where judoka Clarissa Agbenenou and gymnast Samir Ait Said have played the role. The “matriarch” of the Bleues de l’athletics can in any case apply according to the selection criteria set by the CNOSF and its Paralympic counterpart, the CPSF.

The first standard-bearer for athletics since Marie-Josée Perec?

To carry the tricolor flag during the opening ceremony of the Games, scheduled for the evening of July 26 on the Seine, it is necessary to have already participated in the Olympic Games at least once, not to have been a flag bearer at a previous Olympic Games or to have not already had a conviction listed in bulletin No. 3 of his case . All this potentially excludes Antoine Dupont, Victor Wembanyama and Kylian Mbappe, the neophytes already named Teddy Riner and Clarissa Agbenena, as well as Nikola Karabatic, convicted by the court in a case of rigged bets.

However, this is not the case for Florent Manadou, who stood as a candidate.

Federations may submit one and/or one candidate between 1 April and 31 May and two winners cannot be from the same sport. All athletes selected for the Olympics will be able to vote on the appointment of two flag bearers for the delegation in mid-July. In case of a tie, the bonus goes to the oldest player.