Archery. Paris 2024 Olympic Games: before the Games in Paris, it’s in Nîmes that it’s happening for archers from around the world

The French Chirault winner and Addis (Nîmes) finalist in 2023 in Nîmes. And in 2024 ? Midi Libre – KATYA SHABUT

The Gard capital is hosting the fourth of five stages of the Indoor World Series this weekend. Between 30 and 40% of competitors will be at the Olympics in six months for the archery events.

Nîmes, before targeting Paris. It’s not the same competition (which is not a qualifier for the Olympics), not the same conditions (indoors in the Gard, shooting at 18 meters; outdoors in the capital, target at 70 m) but everyone will have the Olympic goal in mind this weekend.

Because we will be in France. And because between 30 and 40% of the competitors entered in this 26th edition of the Occitanie Nîmes archery tournament will find themselves in six months at the Games, at the Invalides. The Parisian esplanade will be the host site for recurve archery (from July 25 to August 4), the Olympic discipline of this sport.

In Nîmes, there will also be compound bows. In total, 1,135 participants are involved, coming from 47 countries and five continents. Quantity and quality: three of the top five in the world for men (the Brazilian n°1 D’Almeida, the Italian n°4 Nespoli and the American n°5 Ellison) and half of the top 10 for ladies.

The ambitious French, starting with the Nîmes

Quality is also available in France. And among the Nîmes: three of the eight French preselected for the Olympics (the six best will make the Games) are licensed to the local club, the ACN. The young Baptiste Addis, surprise finalist last year in Gard, the experienced and vice Olympic champion (Rio 2016) Jean-Charles Valladont as well as the revelation Victoria Sebastian will be there, ambitious.< /p>

Just like the five other members of the Blues, including Thomas Chirault (Clermont-Ferrand), crowned in Nîmes at the start of 2023. The French had signed a historic hat-trick. It will be impossible to do better.
 

Program, on three neighboring Nîmes sites (Parnasse, Parc des Expositions and Estanque): qualifying shooting Friday from 2 p.m. and Saturday morning from 8 a.m.; elimination matches (from the round of 16 to the semi-finals) Saturday at 5 p.m.; finals and 3rd places on Sunday at Parnasse at 2 p.m. (live on Sport en France, the CNOSF channel).