Renaud Lavillenie in the pole vault at the IAAF World Championships (© Getty Images)
France will be represented by 44 athletes at the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 later this month.
The team is led by Olympic pole vault champion and world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie, although many of the country’s other top stars have been hit by injury this year.
World triple jump champion Teddy Tamgho, world indoor long jump champion Eloyse Lesueur, European heptathlon champion Antoinette Nana-Djimou, 50km race walk world record-holder Yohann Diniz, European marathon champion Christelle Daunay, European 1500m champion Mahiedine Mekhissi and world junior 110m hurdles champion Wilhem Belocian are all absent.
“We are in a difficult situation with many absent through injury, but this is a team full of promise,” said FFA president Bernard Amsalem. “There are athletes such as Jimmy Vicaut, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, Kevin Mayer, Melina Robert-Michon and the relays. And then there are always surprise performers too.
“These World Championships are the last step before the Olympics,” he added. “For the younger team members such as Renelle Lamote, Alexandra Tavernier and Jeanine Assani Issouf, this is the ideal opportunity to launch into the deep end.”
FFA for the IAAF
French team for Beijing
MEN
100m: Christophe Lemaitre, Jimmy Vicaut
200m: Jeffrey John, Christophe Lemaitre
400m: Mame-Ibra Anne
800m: Pierre-Ambroise Bosse
3000m steeplechase: Yoann Kowal
110m hurdles: Dimitri Bascou, Garfield Darien, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde
Pole vault: Renaud Lavillenie, Kevin Menaldo
Long jump: Kafetien Gomis
Triple jump: Benjamin Compaore
Decathlon: Bastien Auzeil, Kevin Mayer
20km race walk: Kevin Campion
4x100m: Guy-Elphege Anouman, Emmanuel Biron, Jeffrey John, Christophe Lemaitre, Pierre-Alexis Pessonneaux, Jimmy Vicaut, Pierre Vincent
4x400m: Mame-Ibra Anne, Teddy Atine-Venel, Mamoudou-Elimane Hanne, Thomas Jordier, Ludvy Vaillant
WOMEN
400m: Marie Gayot, Floria Guei
800m: Renelle Lamote
100m hurdles: Cindy Billaud
400m hurdles: Aurelie Chaboudez
Pole vault: Marion Lotout
Triple jump: Jeanie Assani Issouf
Discus: Melina Robert-Michon
Hammer: Alexandra Tavernier
20km race walk: Emilie Menuet
4x100m: Stella Akakpo, Celine Distel-Bonnet, Sandra Gomis, Lenora Guion Firmin, Maroussia Pare
4x400m: Marie Gayot, Floria Guei, Brigitte Ntiamoah, Estelle Perrossier, Agnes Raharolahy, Deborah Sananes
