Rhythmic Gymnastics. "We didn't expect it at all": Villenave-d'Ornon wins bronze at the French Championships

The Villenave-d'Ornon Gymnastics Sports Association finished on the third step of the podium at the French National Division 1 Championships, the first French rhythmic gymnastics division, as it aimed to stay up.

An unexpected first podium finish. The gymnasts of the Villenave-d'Ornon Gymnastics Sports Association (ASGV) took third place at the French National Division 1 Championships, the top French division, in rhythmic gymnastics, held in Paris on May 24 and 25. The Girondines finished behind Strasbourg and Paris Centre, two clubs accustomed to contending for the title.

"We weren't expecting it at all. When our name was first announced, we were all surprised," recalls team captain Estelle Dacquigny. Along with Maëlle Simon, Zoé Lewis, Talia Dreyfuss, Marfa Ekimova, Léa Heriveau, and Laura Lewis, their initial goal was once again to stay in the top flight for the third consecutive year.

But after adding up the scores for the "group" (a group of five gymnasts) and the two "individual" rounds, the gymnasts coached by Marion Chevallier, Marie-Hélène Bonnichon, and Amélie Bleuet-Pham learned the pleasant news. "There was a lot of joy and emotion. It wasn't a goal, but it's a wonderful gift that rewards a lot of sacrifice and dedication." These sacrifices are the four training sessions per week, "plus some Sundays and holidays" to toughen up, to which are added the constraints of working life.

The Villenavais team had also worked with a mental coach, Carine Larraque, to be in the best possible frame of mind for this match. "We play our season in two and a half minutes, it's very difficult psychologically, there's no second half to catch up," said one of their coaches, Marion Chevallier. And they were playing "blind," since they hadn't seen the performances of other teams this season, ASGV being the only team from Nouvelle-Aquitaine competing in DN1.

But all these difficulties did not prevent the Gironde gymnasts from winning a beautiful medal to reward all the efforts made this year.