Sports & Athletics

Medals France Won in the Olympic Games

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The French just love the vigour, the tension and the speculative adrenaline rush that comes with games.

French people and the French nation strongly support sports. The French market for example offers very high-quality gear at very affordable and convenient prices due to the sport’s popularity.

With increased technology, this sportswear and equipment can easily be accessed online.

When dealing with online sports sites you are, however, advised to read honest reviews online to get the best high-quality products at convenient prices.

Amon Avis is a French review site that gives reviews on such products. It has many sites where you can access sports gear. Such sites include JD sports.

A Short History

Even before delving into how well France performed during the last Olympic Games, it is prudent we first understand what the Olympics and Sports in general means to France.

The origin of the Olympic games is quite interesting and as someone who loves France, you might want to note some historical fun facts concerning the Olympics.

Modern-day Olympics originated from ancient Greece where games were staged in Olympia from around 776 BC through to around 393 AD.

This games’ hosting became dormant, and it took around 1503 years for them to return.

When they returned the first modern Olympics were held in Athens Greece 1896. Guess what? The man responsible for this Olympic rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin!  Through this founder, France has been at the heart of the Olympics all along and still is.

The country has also been among the most active states in the Olympics since 1836. It is in fact among the very few states that can boast of having participated in all of the summer games.

France takes the number two slot in most Olympic events ever hosted with six (three summers, three winters) and it follows the United States which has nine. France is also set to host the next Olympic games in 2024.

In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics France had a total of 33 medals and ranked 10th overall in states with the highest attained medals.

Below is a statistical account of how France performed medal wise.

1. Gold Medals

France had a total of 10 gold medals in the concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

This was an addition to the 216 gold medals that France has won since 1896. Of this, the first gold medal France won was a volleyball medal.

The French men beat the Russians in five straight sets to take the top position. Other fields France excelled at clutching gold include handball (men and women), judo (mixed team and women), Rowing (men), fencing (men’s foil) Karate (men) and the rapid-fire pistol.

The French athletes have been formidable in fencing more than any sport in the Olympics and this culture has been maintained even in the recent Olympics.

Some French sportsmen showcased legendary prowess too.

Clarisse Agbegnenou, Teddy Rinner of Judo, Nikola Karabatic and Grace Zaadi of Handball are going down in French Olympic history as the greatest of all time.

2. Silver

These are the most medals that France brought home.

France managed to have 12 silver medals, a number higher than that of gold and bronze.

These medals were achieved in the men’s Decathlon, Basketball (men), Fencing (women), Judo (women), Rowing (women), Rugby (women), windsurfing (men and women) and swimming (men).

The most heated event was the men’s basketball where France lost gold to the United States with a thin margin of 87-82.

Even though the French team showed some valour and sportsmanship the United States players such as the All-Star Kevin Durant exemplarily held a stiff competition. Kevin Durant gave his all, leading to a game-high of 29 points for him alone.

France added these twelve medals to 246 other silver medals it has won over the years in the Olympics since 1896.

3. Bronze

France won bronze in Basketball (women), cycling (men), fencing (women), judo (men and women) Sailing(women) Taekwondo (women) and mixed relay.

France in total had 11 bronze medals which was an addition to the 269 bronze medals that France has accumulated over the years in the Olympic games since 1896.

The most mind-boggling bronze medal was the women’s basketball. The French sportswomen showed great resilience when they bounced back from a humiliating beating by Japan in the semi-finals.

They beat Serbia bagging the coveted bronze medal in a manner that has been said to be gratifying as sweet revenge.

France generally gave a satisfactory performance at the Olympics.

How to Choose your Jogging Shoes?

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Planning to buy shoes for jogging for the first time? Or are not too impressed with your last shoe purchase? Check out this post for five important factors that you should consider to not go wrong with the running shoe selection.

Jogging is one of the easiest and relatively inexpensive ways to keep yourself fit and healthy. But with your feet doing most of the work when you jog, it is very important to make sure that you have a pair of good-quality shoes for it. The shoes will not only keep your feet more comfortable but will also help improve your jogging performance.

But with thousands of options on the internet, how will you pick the right shoes for you? Here is a list of 5 factors that every buyer should consider to make the right decision-

  1. Arch Type

The amount of support your feet will need while running or jogging majorly relies on your arch type. There are three arch types-

  • High Arch– Feet with high arches generally supinate or roll outward every time they hit the ground. Go with neutral shoes for guiding the lateral inward pressure by providing support to the arches with cushion.
  • Medium Arch– With medium arches, your feet might be a little flexible due to which they pronate or make the ankles roll slightly inwards. If you have medium arches, go with stability shoes for stabilising the inward flex.
  • Low Arch- More pronounced biomechanics is generally the only major difference between medium arches and low arches. With low arches, your feet might be more flexible and even overpronate. The right shoes for you are the one that offers higher stability and support.

  1. Cushion Level

While a lot of people believe that the higher is the cushioning, the better are the shoes; this is not always the case for everyone. The right shoes cushioning depends on some factors such as your jogging style, the terrain where you jog, and even the reason why you are jogging or running.

A lot of manufacturers divide these shoes into multiple cushion levels ranging from Level 1 to Level 5. The Level 1 cushioning is the lightest design with just a thin layer of cushioning material. This cushion is known to strengthen your feet when you jog. Similarly, the highest, Level 5 shoes offer maximum cushioning and are generally used by professional racers and seasoned joggers. However, people who are new to running, can also benefit from such cushioning.

  1. Fabric

The next factor is the fabric of your shoes. If you usually jog in cold and wet settings or for running through wet bushes or grass, make sure that you select a pair of shoes that are made from a waterproof material. But avoid such materials if you generally jog in warmer conditions as they will make your feet sweaty and hot.

Irrespective of the weather or the place where you run, always go with shoes that are made from a breathable material to keep your feet sweat-free and healthy.

  1. Outsole

The outsole is the bottom part of the shoes which gets in contact with the jogging surface. This part is generally made from many different types of foam and rubber compounds which are placed strategically for improved grip, bounce, and flexibility.

If you generally jog on challenging terrains, prefer shoes that have outsoles which provide higher durability and traction without making the shoes very heavy.

  1. The Weight of the Shoe

Last but not least is the weight of your jogging shoes. The weight of the shoes you select should depend on the terrain where you generally run. If you jog on smooth pavements or want to improve your jogging performance, go for lightweight shoes.

But if you run trails or jog on difficult terrains, you should prefer something that is more sturdy and durable even if it is a little heavy.

Are You Ready to Make the Decision?

While you might have your preferred footwear brand or favourite colour combinations, you shouldn’t really purchase jogging and running shoes based on your personal preferences solely. If you are indeed serious about jogging, make a selection based on the factors discussed in this post, and you are sure to make the right decision.

And with so many options now available in the market, you might also be able to match your preferences with the factors discussed in this post.