Bringing back 33 medals from Tokyo, French sports fell short of their goal to once again reach the 40-podium mark, as they did in Rio in 2016 (42) or in Beijing in 2008 (43). Their overall performance takes them back seventeen years, to Athens 2004, where the score was the same, but with one less gold medal.
Moreover, fortunately, the team sports—three titles, in particular—saved the end of an otherwise lackluster second week. This overall underperformance inevitably raises questions as the Paris 2024 Games are rapidly approaching.
