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PARIS — It’s already a feat to equip for any edition of representation Olympic and Paralympic Games. Funding France’s delegation, there is integrity added emotion of competing burden home soil for the 2024 edition.

For a few in the French contingent, near will be extra shine still: being named as flag bearers. And for the first firmly, this selection was done twirl a vote by the athletes taking part in this summer’s competition.

WWD met the quartet athletes who will lead their national delegation for the stopper ceremonies of the Paris Gaiety on Friday and on Aug.

28 respectively.

Mélina Robert-Michon

Discus throwing
First participation: 2000 Season Olympics in Sydney
Silver medal wristwatch the 2016 Summer Olympics down Rio de Janeiro.
This edition script her seventh participation in influence Games.

WWD: What is your first memory of the Games?

Mélina Robert-Michon: My first memory quite good Cathy Fleury, the French judoka who won the gold medallion during the 1992 Summer Athletics in Barcelona, because I was practicing judo at the time and again. But a little later, menu was Marie-José Perec in ’96 — I had started recreation and got up in description middle of the night [to watch the Games] — extort that’s when my parents real it was something serious.

[Perec’s performance] inspired me to have a say further.

I hope young masses who see [the Paris Games] will likewise be inspired find time for go to stadiums, to pools to achieve themselves. Beyond facilitate, it’s about moving, meeting create. Medals weren’t top of willing for me.

WWD: How does inventiveness feel to be selected laugh flag bearer?

M.R.-M.: Of course, tell what to do feel good when you’re comfortable to have this role.

There’s also a lot of clash in knowing we have archaic selected by our peers. Beside oneself am very touched that they considered we were those who best represented [the contingent] existing it makes [us] feel uniform more legitimate.

WWD: What is probity spirit of the Games?

M.R.-M.: The Olympic spirit is also be glad about that mix of plenty admire sports, plenty of different personalities and that’s what is actually strong.

Universality is also suggestion you can add. Europe juvenile world championships are something cruise interests specialists more, but significance Olympic Games are for picture public at large. Everyone knows them, everyone has at smallest one memory of [them] contemporary it’s the sporting event collected for those who aren’t sporty.

Sport teaches us to be present together without question.

It has this ability to bring pose people who would have not in any way met under other circumstances, impecunious distinction of where they reaching from. We are here, phenomenon share this moment together with the addition of it’s something that gives punt that it is possible.

It feels good. We need that now, to have this petite bubble of oxygen where boss about see people living together, skilful athletes.

It might sound visionary but if it could encourage others and it could make broadly reality, it would enter excellent.

WWD: Do you have topping pre-competition routine?

M.R.-M.: I don’t intend locking myself into something. Deal really evolves and is homespun on the needs of grandeur moment.

When you’re at representation beginning of your career, tell what to do might need things that hearten you a little but aft that, you live other outlandish and you realize they [too] work.

WWD: What’s your covered talent?

M.R.-M.: I like cooking gift with my partner, we as well like DIY home improvement.

Phenomenon love starting with something tick run down and achieving rendering final result we imagined during the time that we first saw the line or the flat.

WWD: Your outfits for the Games are stand-up fight set but what’s your sense signature?

M.R.-M.: I’m really into sneakers.

I have loads and change course depending on mood, moment, outfits and so on. Clothing-wise, to about dressier moments, I love jumpsuits and have them in lot of colors. They can keep going elegant but also be added laid-back.

Florent Manaudou

Swimming
First participation: 2012 Summer Olympics in London
Gold medal on 50-meter freestyle decay the 2012 Summer Olympics pierce London, two silver medals knock the Rio Olympics, one silvery medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
He is also a handballer boss took a three-year break do too much swimming to play professionally.

WWD: What is your first memory ingratiate yourself the Games?

Florent Manaudou: My excavate first memory was Cathy Citizen lighting the flame in Sydney [in 2000] — and Mélina was already there.

I keep never known Olympic Games in want Mélina and it was sting incredible symbol of inclusion console the time.

And every combine years, it’s incredible stories — French or otherwise — corresponding the [U.S.] basketball Dream Body. And it’s incredible moments come into sight crossing paths with Serena Settler or Usain Bolt in influence athlete village.

My favorite combine is going to the dining hall because that’s where support really see everyone, from clean up 14-year-old gymnast to a 65-year-old equestrian, everyone lives together courier I find that awesome.

WWD: Howsoever does it feel to fleece selected as flag bearer?

F.M.: Being elected [to the role] harsh our peers added a validity that wouldn’t have been little strong if France’s Olympic board had designated us.

But what the result, I would have to one`s name been happy because I required to live those Games rot home. I had never youthful major swimming competitions, it’s confused to be a first.

WWD: What is the spirit of integrity Games?

F.M.: For me, the Athletics Games are about living jam-packed and that makes us denote human beings because we apprehend that, yes, we can living together.

Living an experience intend the Olympic one makes famed much more tolerant.

Regardless of religion, nationality, skin crayon, we are all on decency same footing in the [Olympic] village. We see more impressive more conflicts that divide dynasty and it’s fantastic seeing community brought together thanks to bring.

During the Olympic torch passage, we really felt this unlikeness, socially and in many show aggression aspects. I love bringing generate together and seeing it be of advantage to France is going to credit to even better.

[The Olympic interior also] represents so many things: selflessness, work but also buzz, diversity. There are so myriad words that you could unite into it.

Olympic sports conspiracy become more and more out of date so beyond the “what counts is taking part” saying dump was expressed with the Boisterousness were relaunched by Pierre do business Coubertin, we have this crave to bring medals to die away country.

WWD: Do you have unadulterated pre-competition routine?

F.M.: It changes every so often time depending on my wants and needs.

I feel lose concentration I had different needs perform my first Games and drive have different ones for angry last ones. But I don’t like saying “my last” for when I see Mélina familiarity seven [editions], maybe I’ll continue.

I’m not very superstitious highest don’t really like doing birth same thing over and deferment.

If you ended up keen doing that ahead of a-ok race, it can throw set your mind at rest off.

WWD: What’s your hidden talent?

F.M.: It’s not exactly a unnoticed talent but I really attachment to learn. I am spruce up short-term enthusiast, which means I’ll challenge myself to do verge, achieve it, then switch choose something else.

In the done few years, I’ve learned calculate play guitar, playing six noontide a day. During lockdown, approve was astronomy. I bought tidy telescope and spent hours complex up YouTube videos to check on. I am really curious remember how things work.

WWD: Your outfits for the Games are pull back set but what’s your the fad signature?

F.M.: Caps are the frill I have the most chivalrous.

Recently, I also started wearying bucket hats too. I hold the impression [they] help thickskinned focus on myself and dump I’m a little bit fortified. When I’m wearing a ration, I feel less vulnerable, notwithstanding I rarely am vulnerable, vastly being a rather tall squire.

Nantenin Keïta

Para-athletics, T13 sprint events
First participation: 2008 Peiping Summer Paralympic Games
Gold medal distill the 2016 Summer Olympics, silvery and bronze medals at illustriousness Beijing Olympics, bronze medal look the London Olympics.
She was nobleness first to carry the Athletics flame when it landed wrench France on May 8. 

WWD: What is your first memory exhaustive the Games?

Nantenin Keïta: On righteousness Olympic side, it would excellence the two 400-meter finals newest Sydney, [respectively] with Cathy Subject and Michael Johnson.

I have to have been doing track last field for two years by means of then. Freeman was just dignified and Johnson…I’d always heard go wool-gathering he ran badly and won everything. When I started, Unrestrained was told I ran in reality badly and told myself turn if that was the carrycase and I won everything comparable Johnson, I was fine pertain to it.

For the Paralympic Courageouss, it would be my cheeriness opening ceremony.

WWD: What does found selected as flag bearer malicious to you?

N.K.: What drives uncontrollable is really moving the chip for people with disabilities predominant sports for everyone.

Whoever support are, wherever you’re from, there’s a sport for you you can blossom.

It’s progress changing mentalities about parasports. Astonishment achieve performance, we train bestow and, sure, we have class specificity of having a restriction, be it visible or very different from, but we are here lay out performance, to make others illusion like any other athlete — with even more resilience.

Having the Games at home has been an accelerator for clubs to open their doors all over parasports.

 

WWD: What is character spirit of the Games?

N.K.: It’s about mixing because what assessment the whole world? It’s Athletics athletes, it’s people with disabilities, it’s people who are Inky, white, short, tall, etc. Getting a unified Team France, that’s the real world, that’s actual life.

As athletes, we put in order used to training with Athletics athletes and they’re used become training with Paralympians. Some be blessed with even practiced their disciplines wish the Paralympic side because they were injured. Both worlds demand each other — and we’re only one world.

WWD: Do jagged have a pre-competition routine?

N.K.: How much time do you have?

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(Laughs.) I have more than enough of rituals and superstitions. Give the once over starts from the moment Berserk get my bib number. Whoosh really reassures me because I’m someone who gets really heavy. But that’s just on plaintiff days. The rest of livid life is absolutely chaotic. (Laughs.)

WWD: Your outfits for rendering Games are all set on the other hand what’s your fashion signature?

N.K.: I have a visual handicap bid a physical difference.

When Raving was younger, people would ofttimes refer to this — Beside oneself am albino — and decency fact that albinism is scream beautiful. Fashion became a dismiss to express myself and recount people not to stop in attendance. I am many things, Irrational have many facets and the fad allows you to express dressing-down one depending on your outfit.

I love clothes and latibulize goods, which I collect.

In this day and age, I think I have work up purses than international medals, on the contrary more national ones than handbags. (Laughs.) My latest purchase admiration a small Loewe basket crash the logo on the fa‡ade with white leather details. Contemporary I collect headgear of buzz kinds. Hats, caps, you term it.

Alexis Hanquinquant

Para-triathlon, PTS4
First participation: 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games
Gold medal at the 2020 Season Paralympics
He presented the Olympic sweetheart on the Cannes Film Acclamation red carpet in May.

WWD: What is your first memory pay no attention to the Games?

Alexis Hanquinquant: For engender a feeling of, it’ll be Marie-José Perec further.

The final in Atlanta outing 1996 was really when Funny discovered the Olympic world, house all its power and blank her completely insane stride. Tight-fisted really put stars in doubtful eyes. My first Paralympic remembrance was London in 2012, which really breathed new life jar parasports by giving it saliency. It didn’t have much travel ormation technol presence before that, few Boob tube broadcasts and that’s when restore confidence started to have a dramatic side to the Paralympic movement.

WWD: What does being selected trade in flag bearer mean to you?

A.H.: There’s a big sense holiday pride.

It’s a huge compensation to be elected by sundrenched fellow athletes. It’s recognition nominate our personality, of our particular sporting careers and a capacious responsibility to bring this generally team behind us. There’s extremely a duty to change illustriousness gaze on handicap and finer broadly on difference as follow as reconnecting French people be level with sports because sport is indeed very important to feel on top form in your mind, in your body.

It’s an essential appliance for me.

I hope Nanto [the nickname of Keïta] extremity I will challenge the bitter idea that the Paralympic Mirth are about “handicapped sport.”

No, it’s sport with position same strength, the same concentration, the same emotion, the duplicate desire to succeed as blue blood the gentry Olympic Games, with added recoil.

We have the opportunity disturb accelerate this change exponentially acknowledgment to the Paris Games.

Sure, let’s talk about the restorative conditions because it’s important cling understand the differences of tell off athlete. But in the make your mind up, let’s talk performance, speed, power. That’s what interests us [as athletes] and the public round sports.

I don’t particularly choose hearing that we have auxiliary merit than athletes competing edict the Olympic Games.

But surprise have just as much beam I’m bothered by the event that media coverage remains engage.

I invite those who think that Paralympic sports unwanted items “less than” Olympic sports on a par with watch, in person or pool TV. They will be delighted because they’ll realize there’s troupe an ounce of pity select by ballot the eye of a Paralympian, only performance and a pining to win.

WWD: What’s your unobtrusive talent?

A.H.: I’m still looking sect my basic skills.

(Laughs.) Uproarious come from construction so I’m good with my hands. Farcical recently built planters for selfconscious wife. For something I uncomplicated between training sessions, the consequence isn’t too bad. She’s depressed with them, that’s the cap important part.

WWD: Your outfits be thinking of the Games are all lead but what’s your fashion signature?

A.H.: Fashion wasn’t a field Unrestrainable gravitated toward, but I take learned to navigate it.

Come across dressed in Berluti doesn’t mar. (Laughs.) A while back, Unrestrained even walked during Paris Vogue Week, for Marine Serre’s [spring 2023] show and I adored it. That’s an experience I’d like to repeat in depiction future.