Paris 2024: Léon Marchand, Clarisse Agbégnénou, Victor Wembanyama, Sara Balzer and other stars who could shine for France at the Olympic Games
The wait for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is almost over.
France will be represented by around 600 athletes at these home Games, with hope and expectation high that each athlete can deliver on the grandest of stages.
The country boats of some of the biggest international stars in their sport, including Félix Lebrun, Clarisse Agbégnénou, Léon Marchand, Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos and Victor Wembanyama.
Find out everything you need to know about them, and follow their journey throughout the Olympics with our handy guide below.
Clarisse Agbégnénou
- Sport: Judo
- Age: 31
- Olympic experience: Rio 2016 (silver medallist), Tokyo 2020 (2x gold medallist)
- Paris 2024 schedule: -63kg on 30 July, mixed team event on 3 August
Winning Olympic gold after becoming a mother, this is Clarisse Agbégnénou's challenge at the Arena Champ-de-Mars.
Agbégnénou put her career on hold after Tokyo 2020 and gave birth to her daughter Athena in June 2022. Less than a year later, she became world champion for the sixth time.
As if she still needed to prove that she was back on top form, she won the Paris Grand Slam 2024 in February to further cement her status as the favorite for Olympic gold.
Sara Balzer
- Sport: Fencing
- Age: 29
- Olympic experience: Tokyo 2020 (silver medal)
- Paris 2024 schedule: Sabre (individual) on 29 July, sabre (team) on 3 August
Sara Balzer is hitting form when it matters most. Since the start of the season, each of Balzer's international appearances has ended with her on a podium. The world number two has won four World Cup stages and will try to extend this series by winning Olympic gold at the Grand Palais.
The Strasbourg native will have two opportunities to achieve this: in the individual competition and in the women's team, where Les Bleues can count on three other members of the world's top 15 with Manon Apithy-Brunet, Sarah Noutcha and Cécilia Berder. The French team won silver at Tokyo 2020, where Sara Balzer was a substitute, and will be keen to do even better.
TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 27: Clarisse Agbegnenou of Team France and Catherine Pinard-Beauchemin of Team Canada compete during the Women’s Judo 63kg Semifinal of Table A on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Nippon Budokan on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos
- Sport: Artistic gymnastics
- Age: 24
- Olympic experience: Tokyo 2020
- Paris 2024 schedule: Team all-around, individual all-around and apparatus from 28 July
During the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos helped France finally break a 70-year drought to win a medal in the women's all-around. Les Bleues won bronze to put themselves firmly in contention for a podium finish at the Arena Bercy.
MDJDS is the star of this French team. The 24-year-old gymnast went to the United States and trained with Simone Biles; an experience that has allowed her to evolve and develop her own style, one that she hopes will enable her to achieve maximum potential this summer.
Antoine Dupont
- Sport: Rugby sevens
- Age: 27
- Olympic experience: Debutant
- Paris 2024 schedule: Men's tournament from 24 July
Rugby union's Antoine Dupont was voted world's best player in 2021 and impressed only three years later after switching to rugby sevens.
No adaptation was necessary for his integration into the French team. In the midst of discovering the discipline, the Stade Toulousain star led Les Bleus to glory in the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Series, winning the Los Angeles stage and the final in Madrid.
The Olympic rugby sevens tournament is one of the first events on the Paris 2024 schedule, and Antoine Dupont and his team could lead the way from Wednesday 24 July at the Stade de France.
KRAKOW, POLAND - JUNE 27: Felix Lebrun of France competes against Marcos Sousa Da Silva Freitas of Portugal during the Men's Singles Gold Medal Match at the Hutnik Arena on day eight of the European Games 2023 on June 27, 2023 in Krakow, Poland. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Félix Lebrun
- Sport: Table tennis
- Age: 17
- Olympic experience: Debutant
- Paris 2024 schedule: Men's singles from 27 July, men's team from 5 August
Félix Lebrun was only 14 years old and ranked outside the world's top 1,000 ITTF players when Tokyo 2020 took place.
Fast forward three years and the world number five will be seeded at the South Paris Arena and a strong contender to medal. Féfé's penholder's grip and offensive play have made him shine in both France and abroad.
Lebrun has already won gold at the 2023 European Games, the WTT Contender Antalya 2023 and at the WTT Star Contender Goa 2024, and it will be surely no surprise if he scoops another podium finish here.
Léon Marchand
- Sport: Swimming
- Age: 22
- Olympic experience: Tokyo 2020
- Paris 2024 schedule: Men's 400m Individual Medley on 28 July, men's 200m Breaststroke and men's 200m Butterfly from 30 July, men's 200m Individual Medley from 1 August
Léon Marchand is certainly one to look out for at Paris 2024. Not yet an Olympic medallist, but already a five-time world champion and world record holder in the 400m medley. The swimming sensation could leave La Défense Arena with four gold Olympic medals around his neck.
Such a harvest would further strengthen comparisons with Michael Phelps, the swimmer who reached 28 Olympic podiums in his career.
The Toulouse native is trained by Bob Bowman, the former coach of the American legend, and therefore knows the recipe for writing Olympic history. Marchand's scintillating form, particularly during the American university season, suggests big things are on the horizon.
IZU, JAPAN - JULY 27: Pauline Ferrand Prevot of Team France rides during the Women's Cross-country race on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Mountain Bike Course on July 27, 2021 in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
- Sport: Cycling mountain bike
- Age: 32
- Olympic experience: London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020
- Paris 2024 schedule: Women's cross-country on 28 July
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's place in history is undeniable. No athlete has won more than her five world and two European cross-country titles, but there is one reward still missing from her incredible collection: an Olympic medal.
The French star became world champion in Glasgow last year, crossing over the line more than a minute ahead of her compatriot Loana Lecomte who took silver, and will race for Olympic glory at Élancourt Hill.
Vahiné Fierro
- Sport: Surfing
- Age: 24
- Olympic experience: Debutant
- Paris 2024 schedule: Women's competition from 27 July
In Tahiti, Vahiné Fierro is almost as well-known as Teahupo'o itself. The legendary wave which hosts the Olympic surfing events is renowned throughout the world and the reputation of the French surfer is beginning to take the same trajectory.
Fierro should feel at home riding one of the toughest surfing spots in the world and will have the opportunity to confirm it after having already tasted international victory there earlier this year, by winning the 2024 Tahiti Pro final.
Winning an Olympic medal would not only be her first Olympic title but also for France, with the sport only entering the Olympic programme at Tokyo 2020.
TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 31: Teddy Riner of Team France celebrates victory over Team Japan during the Mixed Team Final to claim the gold medal on day eight of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Nippon Budokan on July 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Teddy Riner
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Sport: Judo
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Age: 35
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Olympic experience: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 (3x gold medallist, 2x bronze medallist)
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Paris 2024 schedule: +100kg on 2 August, mixed team event on 3 August
Teddy Riner can make even more history in Paris. The French star already has 11 world titles to his name and is aiming for a record-breaking fifth individual Olympic medal at Paris 2024. All eyes are on whether he can win his third individual title to equal Nomura Tadahiro's all-time record.
He will arrive at the Arena Champ-de-Mars for his two events: men's +100 kg and the mixed team event. At Tokyo 2020, France won the gold medal against Japan - the country of judo - who will be keen to take the Olympic title home. Who will come out on top?
Victor Wembanyama
- Sport: Basketball
- Age: 20
- Olympic experience: Debutant
- Paris 2024 schedule: men's tournament from 27 July
The French men's basketball team has strengthened since its silver medal at Tokyo 2020. At Paris 2024, the team will be able to count on Victor Wembanyama, an extraordinary player.
The 20-year-old has the physique of a center and the technique of a leader. As a 2.24m, Wembanyama has shone during his debut NBA season with some astonishing performances. The San Antonio Spurs player confirmed his world-class status by being voted Rookie of the Year after being the first choice in the 2023 NBA Draft.
He has already taken the US by storm and the French public will be able to see him up-close at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, and perhaps at the Bercy Arena for the knockout matches.