Following Mathilde Andraud’s French javelin throw record (63.54 m), which also met the Olympic qualifying standard, the Nice Côte d’Azur Athletics delivered a remarkable collective performance last Sunday in Sotteville-lès-Rouen to maintain their status among the French elite.
Rich in performances and emotions, the Nice Côte d’Azur Athletics weekend kicked off at full speed on Saturday in Halle (Germany), where Mathilde Andraud launched her javelin to 63.54 m on her first attempt.
Finishing second in the competition behind former world champion Christina Obergföll (64.96 m), the athlete from Nice not only improved the French record by more than a meter, but she also achieved the performance standard required for the European Championships in Amsterdam and the Olympic Games in Rio this summer.
After a short night and a journey of over 1000 km, the new French record-holder joined her teammates from Nice Côte d’Azur Athletics in Sotteville-lès-Rouen, where the second round of the French interclub championships took place on Sunday. 82 individuals from Nice, including 67 athletes, traveled to defend NCAA’s place in the national elite, which comprises the 16 top French clubs.
Competing among the second division elite clubs, the Azur contingent scored 61,289 points (including 600 bonus points from the first round), marking the best total in its history. Initially announced in second place and promoted to the first division of the elite, NCAA eventually finished third after one of Metz’s relays was requalified, putting them ahead by a hundred points.
Despite this temporary joy, the athletes of Nice Côte d’Azur Athletics can be satisfied with their retention in the elite in an increasingly competitive national context, especially given the difficult preparation conditions encountered at the Charles Ehrmann Sports Park in Nice. Since May 9, access to the 400 m track has been prohibited due to two concerts at the Nikaia and the construction of the future second tramway line.
Among the individual performances of the Nice athletes, notable victories include a fatigued yet dedicated Mathilde Andraud in javelin (54.94 m), her partner Frédéric Dagée in shot put (19.07 m), Dean-Nick Allen in discus (52.49 m), and Youssef Jaadi in 3000 m steeplechase (8’50’’85).
Also noteworthy are the second-place finishes of Inès Pastorino in the 3000 m walk (14’04’’19), Isabelle Leroy in pole vault (4.10 m), and Binta Diagana in shot put (14.70 m), as well as the excellent performances of the junior athletes Emma Montoya (3rd in the 200 m in 24’’72) and Camille Seri (4th in the 400 m hurdles in 61’78) along with junior Yvan Lopes Ribeiro (4th in the 110 m hurdles in 15’’00).
“Everyone was focused on their goals and fought for points for the team,” rejoiced Nicolas de Saint-Rémy, sports director of Nice Côte d’Azur Athletics. “The team improves every year and has strengthened its weak spots. Our density is the result of the training that is bearing fruit. Many young athletes have broken their records. We can be proud of our retention in the elite.”
