Paris 2024 Olympics: “It's the first time I've been in competition in ten years and experienced this,” assures Axel Mazella before his sailing final

Axel Mazella devra gagner plusieurs courses pour espérer une médaille. MAXPPP – OLIVIER HOSLET

Le Français est 6e au classement en kite-foil, il devra gagner deux demi-finales pour espérer ensuite disputer les manches finales, jeudi 8 août.

Tomorrow, you will be in the semi-finals, how do you approach this race where you have to go for a place in the two heats?

I'm really going to go for it with a knife between my teeth. I'm going to give it my all like I usually do and we'll see the result afterwards.

It's a configuration that you've already experienced and that worked for you?

From there to entering the semi-finals in second position, I haven't experienced that yet. I have to win two heats to be in the final. We'll take it step by step and see what happens.

In terms of feelings, how were you today, more confident than yesterday ?

Today, I really have frustration more than anything else because the fact of only doing 6-7 rounds on an event, we were not lucky at all. It's a shame. We will use the night to think about something else and be at full speed for tomorrow.

For your opponents, it's also quite mixed?

There, I was two points from third. The fact of doing a whole day where you do nothing, mentally it's hard. This competition has been very hard mentally from the beginning to the end. We can't express ourselves as we want. We try, but the wind can't. That's how it is and we deal with it.

We know you're used to the weather, but have you ever experienced such frustration over three days ?

Honestly, no. This is the first time I've competed in ten years and experienced this. That's what I was thinking today. I don't remember competing in a competition with so few rounds. We know that it's a sport like that.

You would have liked to switch, right away in the final of course. But being in the rhythm, it can also be a small advantage to do it before ?

It's certain that if I get into the final and I've already won two rounds, I already know the course well, the placement of the buoys, the wind, I'm already pretty warmed up. I think it could work to my advantage.

The fact that the wind is picking up a bit too, it's good for you? Tell us a bit about the competitors.

It's certain that if there's wind, it could be in my favor. Afterwards, I know that in the semi-final, I'll have Bruno Lobo who is also very strong in strong winds. I will also have the Italian who is third there. They are candidates who are strong in strong winds.

Does that add pressure to you ? Or do you tell yourself that you don't have any ?

There, today, no, I don't have any. I have other emotions in me and it's not stress.